Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Great Weather, Great Riding

Ever since Katrina came through here, dumping about 3.5 inches of rain last week, the weather has been absolutely fantastic. The humidity has been low, the temperatures warm but tolerable, and the skies far less hazy than usual.

Subsequently, the riding has been excellent as well.

On Sunday I went to the races in the morning then hit the group ride in the afternoon. At one point I got separated from the front group and decided to go on a 5-mile chase at 26-28 miles per hour---solo. This chase also included a 1-mile climb of 175 feet at the end, which just about cooked me for good. However, I kept myself just under threshold, never blew up, and eventually caught the leaders with just a little strength to spare. All in all, a great ride.

Today, I did 40 miles of steady Zone 2 riding, including a 10-minute tempo interval at 25 miles an hour just to keep the legs strong. I felt great the entire time and averaged just under 20 miles an hour for the ride. There weren't many guys out today, so I did the whole thing alone.

I can't wait for next season to start. I'm confident that I'll accomplish my goals and move up through the ranks of the local racing scene. Let's hope the winter is mild this year so I can get some really good, long endurance rides in as I build for the spring. I really hate riding the hamster wheel.