So today I headed out for my first ride in 6 weeks. I actually rode on the trainer once for 45 minute, but this was my first 'real' ride in a long time.
I was planning on wearing a cycling shirt, long cycling shorts, and some arm warmers, but my dad told me to put on a long shirt and bring a folding raincot in the back pocket. Too bad he forgot to tell me to bring long gloves because my fingers were numb for the first 30 minutes of the ride.
At 7:10 we set off for our usual 63k loop. 15k flat, 25k that starts out flat then has a lot of small hills and a headwind, 10k descent, then 2x2km hills that are separated by descends. This was supposed to be an easy aerobic ride, which it was for the first 20km. I was sitting at the back of the pack keeping a low HR, chatting with my friends, making jokes, usual long ride socializations. Some guy was showing me how he could bunny hop with his road bike.
Then we hit the rollers with the headwind. Some f*cker decides to attack and everyone follows him. I was still sitting at the back, but this time I was holding 170-180 bpm. This went on for a while until we hit the descent. It was extremely quick, 10k in around 12 minutes. I still have my gear restrictions, so I hit my all time best cadence of 172 in an attemp to keep up.
At the base of the first of the 2k climbs we split up. The guy that attacked before and 3 more guys went for a 15k loop to add some volume, and we started climbing. I was feeling strong, and since this ride stopped being aerobic a long time ago, I rode strong tempo at the front. I wasn't feeling so strong near the end of the climb, and to add to my misery it started raining. At the descent we were met by a strong headwind and we were only going around 20 kph with rain hitting our faces like freaking needles.
On the second hill the pack split up and I was riding in the back half. I was suffering pretty badly but I just imagined I was in the tour and gritted it out until we hit the descent. I don't know why people are so unsure of their riding skills, because everyone was going really really slow. I caught up to the front guys, and on the way I passed a few people who were riding with their shoes unclipped.
When we got to the gas stations we started from my dad went to get the car, and I bought both of us hot cocos (and a chocolate bar for me, but shhh).
It's all good. Next week we're going mountain biking, so this time I am hoping for rain. Riding in the mud rocks.
I was planning on wearing a cycling shirt, long cycling shorts, and some arm warmers, but my dad told me to put on a long shirt and bring a folding raincot in the back pocket. Too bad he forgot to tell me to bring long gloves because my fingers were numb for the first 30 minutes of the ride.
At 7:10 we set off for our usual 63k loop. 15k flat, 25k that starts out flat then has a lot of small hills and a headwind, 10k descent, then 2x2km hills that are separated by descends. This was supposed to be an easy aerobic ride, which it was for the first 20km. I was sitting at the back of the pack keeping a low HR, chatting with my friends, making jokes, usual long ride socializations. Some guy was showing me how he could bunny hop with his road bike.
Then we hit the rollers with the headwind. Some f*cker decides to attack and everyone follows him. I was still sitting at the back, but this time I was holding 170-180 bpm. This went on for a while until we hit the descent. It was extremely quick, 10k in around 12 minutes. I still have my gear restrictions, so I hit my all time best cadence of 172 in an attemp to keep up.
At the base of the first of the 2k climbs we split up. The guy that attacked before and 3 more guys went for a 15k loop to add some volume, and we started climbing. I was feeling strong, and since this ride stopped being aerobic a long time ago, I rode strong tempo at the front. I wasn't feeling so strong near the end of the climb, and to add to my misery it started raining. At the descent we were met by a strong headwind and we were only going around 20 kph with rain hitting our faces like freaking needles.
On the second hill the pack split up and I was riding in the back half. I was suffering pretty badly but I just imagined I was in the tour and gritted it out until we hit the descent. I don't know why people are so unsure of their riding skills, because everyone was going really really slow. I caught up to the front guys, and on the way I passed a few people who were riding with their shoes unclipped.
When we got to the gas stations we started from my dad went to get the car, and I bought both of us hot cocos (and a chocolate bar for me, but shhh).
It's all good. Next week we're going mountain biking, so this time I am hoping for rain. Riding in the mud rocks.