Mark B
Zen MBB Master
Last week, we did an 85 mile ride out around Tom's Farm south of Corona. While having lunch, several of us decided we would like to do a fast century this weekend, aiming for an 18 mph avg. I was all for it, so a plan was set in motion.
I worried a little bit during the week that maybe I had made a mistake. I was feeling tired and lethargic, holding lower than normal averages on my commuting ride. I decided to just take it easy and not push myself, just turn the pedals. On Thrusday, I felt a little better... definitely stronger. Still, I worried about this fast century just a little. I ate and drank well Friday so that I would be hydrated and have calories to burn.
Saturday arrived and as well prepared as I was, I forgot to take road food. I got to the ride start location and it occured to me I had nothing to munch on during the ride. I figured I would probably be OK, then the other riders started showing up. This one guy, Dave, is a young, strong rider. There were some others, too, that convinced me I better scrounge up something to eat. A nearby quicky mart looked promising and most now carry energy bars.. Alas, this one did not. I grabbed a couple "take 5" bars, thinking they would be better than nothing. I figured they ight melt in my jersey pocket, but they survived well and provided pretty good fuel.
We took off on the ride and I guess it took everybody a while to warm up. I kept having to slow down and wait for them to get back on. Eventually, we started picking up the pace and we got a good groove going on. I stayed out front and pulled for over half the way to the beach. I finally decided I should take a break and let the paceline go around me. This wasn't your typical paceline as we did not all share pulls. There were three or four of us out of seven that took regular turns pulling. Still, all the way to the beach, we did not get passed, but passed a lot of riders. Some fell into our line and hung on for awhile. Most fell off, though. The last half to three quarters of a mile is alway prime ground for the final sprint to the beach. Sure enough, my boss took off and Dave went after. I tried, but I was stuck in the middle and there were approaching riders that wouldn't let me pass. Finally, I got an opening and I went. Pulling myself forward in the seat, I wound it up for all I was worth. I saw Dave pass Jerry and I knew I would catch Jerry, as well. I surprised myself, though, in that I began reeling Dave in, as well! Sure enough, I caught and passed Dave, who later said he was really surprised when I overtook him.
After a brief stop at the beach bathrooms, we headed north on PCH toward Seal Beach. There were a lot of riders out and about and again, nobody passed us for quite awhile. Eventually, though, this hammerhead went around us. Dave, who was pulling, couldn't take it and amped up the pace a little, kind of splintering our group. He quickly realized what he had done and backed off. We eventually caught hammerhead and passed him, anyway. Then, as we were approaching Seal Beach, Hammerhead decided to go again. This time, Dave was having none of it and I went with. We both overtook Hammerhead at speeds exceeding 30 mph. Later, over breakfast, Dave expressed astonishment over how quickly I can get up to speed and pass him.
We made it over to the Queen Mary, paid our respects, then stopped for some grub. Afterwards, we had to have a flat repair clinic in the parking lot. Two flats, in fact. Once underway, the bike path in Long Beach was crazy busy, so we couldn't get much speed going. By the time we got out of foot traffic, I checked my avg and was sitting at 17.9. I figured there would be no problem getting back with an 18 average.
Back out on PCH, we had a great groove going. I was pulling and paying special attention to keep our pace at 20-21 MPH. Out of nowhere, a plastic grocery sack blows up and hangs onto my shin. I didn't know what to do, so I left it there. After about 1/4 mile, it decided to take leave of me and flew back to another rider in the line. She threw it back and it went right into her husband's rear derailleur. :shock: OOPS! All of a sudden, there were just three of us, so we stopped and waited until the rest of the group caught up. There was no damage, no crash, or anything. The bag just had to be dug out of the derailleur. We had to slow down going through Huntington Beach.. Lots of cars, lots of foot traffic. When we got back to the bike path, I checked again and I was just under 18 mph. No problem, we would have free sailing on the bike path.
Problem... As we rolled along, I saw one of the riders pull off the line and fall back to the back. I knew what that meant; he was entering into survival mode and was ready to pop. I didn't blame him; this was his first century and a pretty good pace on a warm day. Still, I knew the pace would have to slow to keep him on and I had no cushion on my average speed. I hate to be selfish, I really do. I'm usually the one that will stay back with a suffering rider, but this guy had his wife with him and there were plenty others. I'd set a goal and by golly, I was going to make it. I kept my pace at about 20 so they would not be that far off the pace and we regrouped a couple times. It was good.. The last stretch of the bike path, though, I took off and went hard as I could because there is a pretty big hill at the very end to get back up to Green River Road, where we had started. I climbed the hill and pulled back into the parking lot. I waited until my computer shut down, then checked the average.... 18.0, right on the money!
Everybody made it back and the first time century rider got pats on the back from everybody. I think everybody had a 17+ average, which is pretty good, I think, for 100 miles. Several people said it was their fastest century ever. For sure, it was one of my fastest, if not the fastest century, but I felt I could have gone faster. I felt like I still had a lot left in the tank and had not troubles going again today, another 30 miles. I felt GREAT!
Mark
I worried a little bit during the week that maybe I had made a mistake. I was feeling tired and lethargic, holding lower than normal averages on my commuting ride. I decided to just take it easy and not push myself, just turn the pedals. On Thrusday, I felt a little better... definitely stronger. Still, I worried about this fast century just a little. I ate and drank well Friday so that I would be hydrated and have calories to burn.
Saturday arrived and as well prepared as I was, I forgot to take road food. I got to the ride start location and it occured to me I had nothing to munch on during the ride. I figured I would probably be OK, then the other riders started showing up. This one guy, Dave, is a young, strong rider. There were some others, too, that convinced me I better scrounge up something to eat. A nearby quicky mart looked promising and most now carry energy bars.. Alas, this one did not. I grabbed a couple "take 5" bars, thinking they would be better than nothing. I figured they ight melt in my jersey pocket, but they survived well and provided pretty good fuel.
We took off on the ride and I guess it took everybody a while to warm up. I kept having to slow down and wait for them to get back on. Eventually, we started picking up the pace and we got a good groove going on. I stayed out front and pulled for over half the way to the beach. I finally decided I should take a break and let the paceline go around me. This wasn't your typical paceline as we did not all share pulls. There were three or four of us out of seven that took regular turns pulling. Still, all the way to the beach, we did not get passed, but passed a lot of riders. Some fell into our line and hung on for awhile. Most fell off, though. The last half to three quarters of a mile is alway prime ground for the final sprint to the beach. Sure enough, my boss took off and Dave went after. I tried, but I was stuck in the middle and there were approaching riders that wouldn't let me pass. Finally, I got an opening and I went. Pulling myself forward in the seat, I wound it up for all I was worth. I saw Dave pass Jerry and I knew I would catch Jerry, as well. I surprised myself, though, in that I began reeling Dave in, as well! Sure enough, I caught and passed Dave, who later said he was really surprised when I overtook him.
After a brief stop at the beach bathrooms, we headed north on PCH toward Seal Beach. There were a lot of riders out and about and again, nobody passed us for quite awhile. Eventually, though, this hammerhead went around us. Dave, who was pulling, couldn't take it and amped up the pace a little, kind of splintering our group. He quickly realized what he had done and backed off. We eventually caught hammerhead and passed him, anyway. Then, as we were approaching Seal Beach, Hammerhead decided to go again. This time, Dave was having none of it and I went with. We both overtook Hammerhead at speeds exceeding 30 mph. Later, over breakfast, Dave expressed astonishment over how quickly I can get up to speed and pass him.
We made it over to the Queen Mary, paid our respects, then stopped for some grub. Afterwards, we had to have a flat repair clinic in the parking lot. Two flats, in fact. Once underway, the bike path in Long Beach was crazy busy, so we couldn't get much speed going. By the time we got out of foot traffic, I checked my avg and was sitting at 17.9. I figured there would be no problem getting back with an 18 average.
Back out on PCH, we had a great groove going. I was pulling and paying special attention to keep our pace at 20-21 MPH. Out of nowhere, a plastic grocery sack blows up and hangs onto my shin. I didn't know what to do, so I left it there. After about 1/4 mile, it decided to take leave of me and flew back to another rider in the line. She threw it back and it went right into her husband's rear derailleur. :shock: OOPS! All of a sudden, there were just three of us, so we stopped and waited until the rest of the group caught up. There was no damage, no crash, or anything. The bag just had to be dug out of the derailleur. We had to slow down going through Huntington Beach.. Lots of cars, lots of foot traffic. When we got back to the bike path, I checked again and I was just under 18 mph. No problem, we would have free sailing on the bike path.
Problem... As we rolled along, I saw one of the riders pull off the line and fall back to the back. I knew what that meant; he was entering into survival mode and was ready to pop. I didn't blame him; this was his first century and a pretty good pace on a warm day. Still, I knew the pace would have to slow to keep him on and I had no cushion on my average speed. I hate to be selfish, I really do. I'm usually the one that will stay back with a suffering rider, but this guy had his wife with him and there were plenty others. I'd set a goal and by golly, I was going to make it. I kept my pace at about 20 so they would not be that far off the pace and we regrouped a couple times. It was good.. The last stretch of the bike path, though, I took off and went hard as I could because there is a pretty big hill at the very end to get back up to Green River Road, where we had started. I climbed the hill and pulled back into the parking lot. I waited until my computer shut down, then checked the average.... 18.0, right on the money!
Everybody made it back and the first time century rider got pats on the back from everybody. I think everybody had a 17+ average, which is pretty good, I think, for 100 miles. Several people said it was their fastest century ever. For sure, it was one of my fastest, if not the fastest century, but I felt I could have gone faster. I felt like I still had a lot left in the tank and had not troubles going again today, another 30 miles. I felt GREAT!
Mark
