Mark B
Zen MBB Master
For various reasons, I’ve been off on my mileage to date this year. The fact is, I’ve been off the bike for rides of any distance for nearly three weeks. Local errands and tooling around the neighborhood has been the majority of my cycling existence.
This past Saturday was the first free day I’d had to ride in those three weeks and I was champing at the bit for a ride. I wasn’t particularly wild about going too long, but all the shorter rides were going to be too slow, so I jumped in on a ride going about 70 miles. I knew that would be a stretch for me at the pace I generally like to ride, but elected to go anyway. I hung around at the coffee shop after the main group pulled out. I was going to ride with a group that maintains a pretty moderate pace but they were himming and hawing too much for my taste and were talking about taking another route anyway, so I jettisoned from them and bridged up to the big group. I had to run at 25-30 to catch them. Fortunately they were warming up slow and steady so I didn’t have to run that hard very long.
They got a little more serious on the climb up into Grand Terrace and I could feel the lack of miles in my legs. I stayed in the middle of the pack up the hill, passing a few but not gaining on people I can normally out-climb. It didn’t matter; I was just out to get in a ride and it’s certainly not a race. I just play mind games like that with myself. Quickly, the large group sorted itself out into three distinct groups. There were the guys that were really moving and the group that was working to keep them in sight. There was another group that was only going part way and were more or less doing their own thing. I guess you could say there were four groups (unbeknownst to me) if you count the group I previously ditched. They ended up going to Citrus Park (one of our water stops) and then meandering back via the bike path.
I managed to hang on with the front group most of the way out. On occasion, I would talk sense to myself and drop back with the hanger onners, but usually ended up bridging back up to the lead group. At the Citrus Park stop, I was with the hanger onners and it was then I realized with horror that I had not brought along anything to munch on and there would be no food stops with this group. I thought pretty seriously about turning around and heading back, but decided I was still feeling pretty good and could seriously do this without food.
Shortly after the Citrus Park stop, the road starts upwards and climbs to Lake Matthews in south Riverside, almost in to Corona. It’s not steep in the lower climbs, but it’s relentless with no switchbacks, just straight up. Again, I passed several but was well behind others I would normally out-climb when I’m in shape. The last bit of climb is short, but relatively steep; probably 7%, or better. I got to the top where we all regrouped before heading across the dam. Here, the rabbits decided to bump up the pace. I ran with them at 25-27 for quite awhile. After we turn east to come back on the south side of the lake, I hung on for the longest time through the rollers until the first person fell off. I stayed with the pack a minute longer, then thought wiser of it. Another dropped off and a third rider had bridged up to us, so we were a small pack working together, but could not come close to the fast pack. The hanger onners were well back by this point.
We regrouped one more time before heading back into Riverside. The road was a downhill now, so the group was able to stay together a little better. By the time we got back down to Victoria Avenue, I was starting to feel it in my legs. I glanced at my computer and noticed I had just over a 17 mph average at this point, which I considered pretty good considering the time off the bike and the amount of climbing we had done. That was as good as it would get, though, as I started coming unraveled and my average dropped. I started getting a hint of cramping going through Grand Terrace, but that subsided on the descent back down into Colton. I was dreading hospital hill, knowing full well I was on the cusp of leg cramps, but kept on going just the same. I made the climb cramp free and pressed on for home. I did not bother stopping at the coffee shop/ride start location because I knew I needed some good food and high quality protein in me pronto. I got home with just under 16 mph average and 74 miles in my legs. My recovery drink concoction did the trick and my legs settled down right away. I did not have any cramping issues.
It was a fun ride and while I pushed myself too far and too hard, it was still good to get out on the bike.
Mark
This past Saturday was the first free day I’d had to ride in those three weeks and I was champing at the bit for a ride. I wasn’t particularly wild about going too long, but all the shorter rides were going to be too slow, so I jumped in on a ride going about 70 miles. I knew that would be a stretch for me at the pace I generally like to ride, but elected to go anyway. I hung around at the coffee shop after the main group pulled out. I was going to ride with a group that maintains a pretty moderate pace but they were himming and hawing too much for my taste and were talking about taking another route anyway, so I jettisoned from them and bridged up to the big group. I had to run at 25-30 to catch them. Fortunately they were warming up slow and steady so I didn’t have to run that hard very long.
They got a little more serious on the climb up into Grand Terrace and I could feel the lack of miles in my legs. I stayed in the middle of the pack up the hill, passing a few but not gaining on people I can normally out-climb. It didn’t matter; I was just out to get in a ride and it’s certainly not a race. I just play mind games like that with myself. Quickly, the large group sorted itself out into three distinct groups. There were the guys that were really moving and the group that was working to keep them in sight. There was another group that was only going part way and were more or less doing their own thing. I guess you could say there were four groups (unbeknownst to me) if you count the group I previously ditched. They ended up going to Citrus Park (one of our water stops) and then meandering back via the bike path.
I managed to hang on with the front group most of the way out. On occasion, I would talk sense to myself and drop back with the hanger onners, but usually ended up bridging back up to the lead group. At the Citrus Park stop, I was with the hanger onners and it was then I realized with horror that I had not brought along anything to munch on and there would be no food stops with this group. I thought pretty seriously about turning around and heading back, but decided I was still feeling pretty good and could seriously do this without food.
Shortly after the Citrus Park stop, the road starts upwards and climbs to Lake Matthews in south Riverside, almost in to Corona. It’s not steep in the lower climbs, but it’s relentless with no switchbacks, just straight up. Again, I passed several but was well behind others I would normally out-climb when I’m in shape. The last bit of climb is short, but relatively steep; probably 7%, or better. I got to the top where we all regrouped before heading across the dam. Here, the rabbits decided to bump up the pace. I ran with them at 25-27 for quite awhile. After we turn east to come back on the south side of the lake, I hung on for the longest time through the rollers until the first person fell off. I stayed with the pack a minute longer, then thought wiser of it. Another dropped off and a third rider had bridged up to us, so we were a small pack working together, but could not come close to the fast pack. The hanger onners were well back by this point.
We regrouped one more time before heading back into Riverside. The road was a downhill now, so the group was able to stay together a little better. By the time we got back down to Victoria Avenue, I was starting to feel it in my legs. I glanced at my computer and noticed I had just over a 17 mph average at this point, which I considered pretty good considering the time off the bike and the amount of climbing we had done. That was as good as it would get, though, as I started coming unraveled and my average dropped. I started getting a hint of cramping going through Grand Terrace, but that subsided on the descent back down into Colton. I was dreading hospital hill, knowing full well I was on the cusp of leg cramps, but kept on going just the same. I made the climb cramp free and pressed on for home. I did not bother stopping at the coffee shop/ride start location because I knew I needed some good food and high quality protein in me pronto. I got home with just under 16 mph average and 74 miles in my legs. My recovery drink concoction did the trick and my legs settled down right away. I did not have any cramping issues.
It was a fun ride and while I pushed myself too far and too hard, it was still good to get out on the bike.
Mark
I know I'm in the minority on the CO2 issue. I always laugh, though, because a lot of people who carry CO2 also carry a pump to seat the bead and for "just in case". So, they still carry a pump, their CO2 gizmo and a couple cartridges, then will get all excited over a stem that saves them 3 grams. :shock: :roll: :lol: :lol: 
