a long, hard, then slower and slower, ride
or, 15 miles too long and 5mph too fast
I went on my first ever club training ride tonight, with the Gopher Wheelmen. I’ve been a GW member since last fall, but it was cyclocross season then, so i just did a few dirt rides with the few members that do CX racing, and they were pretty casual. It was also late in the year, so they were winding down and i was relatively fit. Tonight, well, i fell off the back after 25 miles or so and was thankfully accompanied through to the end by Malte, who knew the route well. At least i didn’t have to use a tow rope or anything.
In retrospect, i was pushing too much in big gears when i should have been spinning. I was feeling pretty good and on top of things, so i was up toward the front for a while too, when i should have just hung back in the pack. I had no clue where we were or how much ride was left, so i didn’t pace myself very well, but all of that might not have made a difference. It was a good ride by my standards, but they go fast! After about 2 hours at 21+mph, my legs just ran out of gas.
I had a good time though, and i’m not dead, so i must be stronger (or something like that). With the regular work commute and the ride to the shop and back, i was just over 62 miles for the day.