Aug-1: A bee stings

Aug-1:

PUE: Coley-Boyce-DocN-Baptist-Kemp-Virgil-Coley; w/ Iva, Snapper, Smitty, NT; 54.1 miles; est 2062 ft climbed ---> effort index = 75; 3hrs, 14min; 16.7 mph avg pace.

1st Qt. tot: 20 rides; 755.3 m.; 47 hrs, 31 min; 15.9 mph.
2nd Qt. tot: 43 rides; 2124.3 m.; 134 hrs, 59 min; 15.7 mph.
Jul tot: 16 rides; 732.2 m.; 45 hrs, 3 min; 16.2 mph.
Aug tot: 1 ride; 54.1 m.; 3 hrs, 14 min; 16.7 mph
YTD: 80 rides; 3665.9 m.; 230 hrs, 48 min; 15.9 mph.

Rolling 12-mos.: 119 rides; 5592.5 m.; 348 hrs, 22 min; 16.1 mph.

Intended 50-miler starting at 6:15. I had an important and urgent call of nature, and Smitty was late --> started about 15 minutes late. That put the finish ROM estimate of 9:45 in danger; we finished about 10:00, so the original ROM was pretty good -- if we had started on time.

I decided to try pushing the pace from the beginning of the ride and find out what my legs would do. I was tired and not going as fast on Virgil as I usually do when "time-trialing", and the upslope direction on Coley was not done with any panache, either. The key thing, however, was that post-ride, my right leg gave definite indications that a warm-up period of an hour or two is NECESSARY. So next week, back to the 70+ mile rides, which will give me time to warm up, and still finish with a respectable average pace.

This ride, for me, ended up as virtually a 50-mile time-trial, as I got very little help with setting and maintaining the pace. At least that did give me a good test of the right leg with a very limited (or no) warm-up.

Iva did one pull. I certainly over-coached him. When he later got into position to take a second pull, somehow he was not able to take a regular pull. Did Snapper or Smitty step in to take the pull, instead? Don't recall. However, Iva's one pull was quite helpful.

I think Snapper and Smitty have been taking instruction from the "Duke School of Paceline Pulling".

Every time either one of them went to front, they were immediately off the front (of me). I think Snapper was not really pulling the group, but went to the front when within half-a-mile or so of a know stop sign -- he essentially did an interval workout every time he "pulled". Smitty's situation was more nuanced. I think that when he got into position to pull, he would hit a few hard pedal strokes (trying to maintain the pace, or trying to lift the pace?), and I did not have the instant accelleration (or if I had it, chose not to employ it, saving the energy for a more consistent, measured, overall pace -- that's my story, and I'm sticking to it). So, Smitty would be off the front, recognize same, slow a bit, then get swallowed and passed (I ain't giving up cadence for nobody -- again, that's my story).

Other times, Smitty and Snapper and Norris (and a couple times Iva) would pull away and wait at the next corner, sometimes riding circles in the intersection which becomes disconcerting when the trailing rider reaches the group and has to dodge circling cyclists -- sort of like dodge cars. I think it would be better if they would either pull over and wait, or continue on, but soft-pedalling until "caught".

Snapper, Smitty, and Norris fell off the pace down Baptist Road. That was very strange to Iva & I. Until Smitty explained that a yellow-jacket had managed to "fly" down the front of Snapper's mostly unzipped jersey, and then deliver a "stinger" to the Snapper's chest. (That's the Sanpper's story, and he is sticking to THAT.)

Anyway, as noted in the intro, next week back to the longer rides -- they give me time to warm up properly.