Hey Philbert,

I am in Northbrook, and have routes up through Highland Park and points north and west. I am also about a mile from a velodrome. I'm planning on going out for rides on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings if you are interested.

Jim

Ya all need to ride out here in the boonies near Rockford. (though Lake Geneva is a great meeting place to ride to for most anyone in N.IL)

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Check out www.chicagotriclub.com - The Chicago Triathlon and Multisport Club.

Great group of people (I'm one of 'em) and they have more than enough opportunities to get into a group ride run or swim, or find a training partner. Check us out.

Andy

Jim,

Sounds good. How far/long are your long rides, generally?

Philbert

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Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!

This weekend, I was figuring 40 to 60 each day depending on how I felt.

What did you have in mind?

You may also want to try going south -- towards Morris, Ottawa, etc. Lots of open country roads without all the crazy traffic that you encounter up north. This area is mostly flat. Enjoy.

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"We will either find a way, or make one." -- Hannibal, General of the Carthaginian Army

40-60 km or miles?

I'll will probably only ride one day this weekend...Since this will really be my first ride off of the trainer this season, I was hoping to keep it around 30-35 miles or so. (Also running a 5k Sunday).

How fast do you want to ride?

Philbert

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Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!

I am slow, would probably avg 16mph? this weekend. From my house to downtown Highland Park can be anywhere between 30-35 miles.
If that sounds good, let me know if you are interested and what day and time. Morning would be preferable.

How about Saturday morning at 10 am? It is supposed to get up to 60 or something, may as well enjoy some of the nice weather. Do you want to meet at the velodrome parking lot?

Another slowtwitcher emailed and wants to come with.

Philbert

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Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!

Any of you planning to ride with the mission bay crew on Saturday? Dan E may even be riding? (see the missionbay post on slowtwich)



Beyond that, I"d be interested

other good rides in Chicago.

Higher Gears Thursday and Sat am, Thursday tends to get a little fast and furious.

Runs. Fleet Feet Monday and Wed, good group and some fast runners.

First, as mentioned, you can try the Chicago Tri Club. Then you have others on the North Shore, the Mission Bay Tri Club, not sure if the Rocket Dogs actually do some type of organized thing yet, but plenty of clubs now in the Chicagoland area. Additionally, traditional "group" rides are held from Chicago north on Sheridan road (ask someone at Higher Gear, etc. for info), out at Willowcreek Church there used to be Thursday and weekend rides, and also out of Barrington.

Personally, the rides out of Mission Bay on Saturday morning were nice because about 10 minutes out, you were on 2 lane country roads not often travelled. For a good ride, you can ride to Dekalb and back (probably about an 80 miler round trip), but all sorts of directions to go.

When I lived back there, I used to Willow Creek on Thursday, Mission Bay on Saturday (followed by an optional 3-5 mile run), and occasionally Sunday with Village Cycle guys again out at Willowcreek going through Barrington (there is also a weekly 11 mile run out in Barrington).

Lots of places...look into February Chicago Athlete (if it is still their annual "triathlon" issue). They used to have a pretty comprehensive schedule for racing and training.

~ Craig

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Craig Preston - President / Preston Presentations
Saving the world with more professional, powerful, and persuasive presentations - one audience at a time.

10 AM Saturday at the Velodrome sounds like a plan. The more the merrier!

For anyone who lives downtown Chicago. We normally start at the Lakefront/Belmont 6am and pick up more riders as we go along. Next Stop: Plaza de Lago parking lot on Sheridan Rd. 6:45am for those who prefer to drive out of the city first than we swing by Hubbard woods - Panera around 7am.

We take the usual route that most other group rides take. Sheridan Rd. to Everett to St. Mary's around the cemetery. Round trip that's between 60-75m. As the weather improves we ride up to 120m. We already did a few 60+ rides the last few weekends. We get back downtown around 10 to 11am and sometimes do a brick in Lincoln Park.

There are some bad sections early in the ride but it certainly beats driving all the way to Barrington or somewhere else.

So far we only had 2-3 guys who ride all year. During the week its up and down the lakefront (Hollywood to Hyde Park)early mornings 25-30miles, with intervals south of McCormik or around Montrose harbor. This is not a good place for group rides though.

Anyone interested to ride on the weekends? It would be great to have a group of strong and experienced triathletes riding together to blow away some of those roadies out there (well we have some in our group too) We can also hook up with the guys who come from the north somewhere on Sheridan Road and turn this into the Chicago Slowtwitch Ride

This sounds like a pretty good ride as well. Give me a couple weeks to really get my road legs and maybe we can hook up with you guys. What kind of pace are you guys generally riding at?

Philbert

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Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!

I would be interested in meeting the ride in progress at Plaza del Lago, starting in a couple of weeks. You are right about not having to drive anywhere to ride. Saves time not having to drive out to Elgin or Barrington.

Avg. Pace around 18-19mph - this incl. 15m warm up and cool down between Downtown and Plaza de Lago. Also we always keep the group together and never drop anyone. We sometimes have some IM guys who finish around 10:00 to 10:30hr.

With the traffic situation in Chicago it is really important to leave very early especially on Sat. rides. Even on St. Marys Rd. it gets very busy after 9am. Coming back into the city in the summer is tough sometimes especially when you are tired. Of course if some people drive up in the morning we can organize a ride back.

It may be best to just post the Sat/Sun Ride on Fri morning with approx. distance, meeting points and time.

if you could do that, it would be much appreciated!

I'd be interested in the opportunity to join in the ride also, particularly since I live about a block from Belmont and the path. I can't even begin to count the number of times I have ridden the route you mention, sometimes all the way to Wisconsin and back when training long before an IM.

Are you going out this Saturday a.m.?

Do folks ride mostly tri bikes or road bikes?

Thanks,

Brent

Why don't we start posting rides friday mornings...distance, route, speed and pickup points where people can hop on the slowtwitch train along the way. Sounds like jima and I will be joining your group in a couple of weeks, meanwhile people can join us for a week or two if they have not yet been riding outdoors.

Philbert

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Dr. Philip Skiba
Scientific Training for Endurance Athletes now available on Amazon!