Saturday was my first ride with my team and first group ride ever. I have always ridden by myself or with one other person. 6 of us, including Dann, were ready to go at 8am and headed out. It was supposed to be and easy 7 miles to the base of Mt Lemon then climb while you can/till you can't. Problem is, I haven't been getting the ride time in like I need to the warm up was at 16.5+mph. I need a warm up around 14 so i was working pretty good from the start. Also I forgot to start in my small chain ring so my cadence was only 65 RPM or so, way to slow for warming up.
I started mid pack and was pulling with one other person around mile 4 at 17mph+. I had never pulled before and was not even warmed up yet! By the time we got to the base my legs were already cooked from no good warm up, not to mention my breakfast from 2 hours earlier was about to come back to haunt me. I couldn't even make it 1 mile up Lemon. I had to stop and get off my bike and sit down, I felt light headed and like I was bout to hurl right there on the side of the road. I was toasted. The old man of the club, who helped start it back in the day, had stayed back with me as I fell off the back of the group around mile 6. I told him to keep climbing as I turned around. All the way in was a slight incline so as I headed back I was able to spin pretty well and feel good by the end.
Lessons learned: experiment with pre-ride meal (two eggs, 1 piece of toast with peanut butter and milk 2 hrs before didn't work), spin faster in small ring to warm up, don't be afraid to turn down a pull if its above my skill, and finally, don't stop riding. On the way back I felt that if I hadn't stopped to take a breather I could have gone a lot farther up the mountain. I should of just kept pedaling.
All in all, I learned a lot and am much more motivated than ever to ride more and get better. Hell, I have a race up that same mountain in August, I'd better get better :)
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3 comments:
Wow! Much further than I could have gone! I'm proud of you for trying!
A little more carb and less fat. The protein is good, just not to much. Warming up in the big ring is ok just keep the cadence up at 80-85 rpm. SHORT pulls on the front and draft,draft,draft.
I'm proud of you boy, just keep on riding.
Sometimes its better to learn from a "bad" ride than have a good ride and learn nothing at all. you're starting out with the aim to learn and thats whats you're doing! so congrats on a better ride than it felt like. :)
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