The 65 mile tune up ride was yesterday. We had almost ideal conditions for cycling. The sky was mostly cloudy, with occasional bursts of sunlight, and the temps ranged from the low to mid 70s. We did have an almost constant headwind, which managed to swing around and stay on our noses all the way round the course, but it wasn’t too strong, just enough to be invigorating.
This course is deliberately tough, and I usually “push the pace” a bit. That’s quite deliberate too. There wasn’t a lot of conversation on this ride. Everyone was busy breathing. The numbers (see below) are misleading. This is a tough ride. It’s fun, and it’s pretty, but it is, fundamentally challenging. Anyone who can complete this can do the full course 200K.
The pace on the 200K is a bit easier. The terrain is much less challenging. It’s just longer. Usually the Audax 200K is marked by a lot of rider chatter, joking, and good camaraderie.
My sincerest congratulations to Cindy, Chris, Deb, and Jan. This was the fastest pace that I’ve done for this particular ride. You all are to be commended for some excellent riding, great skills, and just plain good spirits. BRAVO!
Numbers:
- 65.7 miles
- 3,278 feet gain
- 4:32:42 rolling time
- 5:23:00 total time
- 14.5 mph rolling average
- 12.2 mph overall average
It's plain to see from the numbers, this wasn't a big ring ramble. Not an easy ride at all, but doable, with the right training and attitude. Once again, the girls rock! Congratulations all!
No comments:
Post a Comment