Did You Ride Today?

[MarkAJ]

Today’s ride plan was to leave from Brentwood going west on San Vicente Blvd then north on PCH 30 plus miles and turn around. I also wanted to work on my riding form and lazy leg, which be the left leg. I wanted to see if I could average 16mph and 85 cadence. I failed on both efforts. As for working the lazy leg, I worked on it when I remembered but not even close to being structured about it. More time is needed on this task.

For me clipping in at 9:10 a.m. is late, but that was the way it worked out. The weather was prefect all day. It was sunny all day and my bike computer said 86 degrees, but it felt like 76 degrees. I had a lite cool ocean head wind for most of the outbound until I was about 10 miles from Point Mugu Naval Air Station. At this point the head wind kicked up big and started to put some pain on me. I had to get small and start thinking about my pedal stroke to maximize the effort. I managed to get one more mph and a steady cadence; I knew payback was on the return trip.

I saw a few riders here and there, but not many. The beaches were doing well given school has started for most. The ride back with the tail wind was a piece of cake. At times I found myself going 21-23mph at 108 HR and not feeling anything. A tail wind like this gives one a false sense of improvement. I went with that.

BLT with avocado and wine for dinner was a great topper for the day. I grew the tomatoes. Nothing better than home grown tomatoes.

81 miles; 2,415 feet; average cadence 81; average MPH 15.6; average HR 106

[zzzwillzzz]

quit wasting your time looking at average numbers. work on upping your cadence by doing drills by spending a set time at 95 rpm, then 100, then 110. you have to get used to pedaling faster by raising your limit, don't worry about average. you want to raise your rpm threshold just like training to raise aerobic threshold.

if that doesn't work i'll do what i did for my friend tom, put you on the back of the tandem and we'll spin at 110+ for a couple of hours. that should raise your rpm by at least 20

[MarkAJ]

Originally Posted by zzzwillzzz

quit wasting your time looking at average numbers. work on upping your cadence by doing drills by spending a set time at 95 rpm, then 100, then 110. you have to get used to pedaling faster by raising your limit, don't worry about average. you want to raise your rpm threshold just like training to raise aerobic threshold.

if that doesn't work i'll do what i did for my friend tom, put you on the back of the tandem and we'll spin at 110+ for a couple of hours. that should raise your rpm by at least 20

You are mean.

[MarkAJ]

I have been having too much fun riding up and down PCH in the cool so I decided to make a change. I am working Cool Breeze RS2 Saturday so no ride that day. So I decided to ride today to make up for that and make it a ride of “heat, pain and mental toughness”. The ride: Brentwood to PCH up Topanga up Fernwood Pacific-Saddle Peak. Then down Stunt up Pimua and Schueren. Then on to Mulholland Hwy and the Rock Store climb to PCH.

I threw my lazy leg out of bed, which is the left one, at 4:30 a.m. to do all I needed to for a 6:30 a.m. clip-in in Brentwood. But not before breakfast comprising a short stack and egg, coffee and water at the local dinner in town. The engine was going to need it as I had some serious riding plans.

I had nothing to do and all day to do it. That is how I rode today and is why I am here to tell you about it. Leaving at 6:30 a.m. the weather was pleasant. I immediately saw a group of riders about 40 strong going up San Vicente Blvd. as I was just starting down to PCH, interesting. The climb up Topanga was perfect in that I was riding opposite heavy traffic. For every one car passing me 30 cars were going towards PCH. I made it all the way to the top of the Santa Monica Mountains with the sun just starting to warm it up. Yesterday, I did 2,400 feet of climbing in 80 miles. Today I had more than that at mile 18.

Down Stunt, across Old Creek Road and up Pimua where two riders got close enough for me to hear their conversation about what chemistry class they are taking. I did a slow shallow stand up out of the saddle to stretch and improve blood circulation which immediately and permanently put distance between us they never reacted too.

Back down stunt to Mulholland Hwy I realized I had set myself up to climb Rock Store. I thought climbing Pimua was hot as I had to unzip the jersey here, but it was nothing compared to want I was about to get into.

I decided to stop at the Canyon Store and Grill which is just before the Rock Store climb for some refreshment and rest. I was not a quarter mile from there when I came up a rider I recognized. It was George. He lives just below the Rock Store and is a trainer for endurance bicyclist. He cautioned me about climbing Rock Store saying it can get 110 degrees. I turned off for my refreshments, a coke and cherry tart; rocket fuel for what laid ahead.

My bike computer was reading 102 degrees at the base of the Rock Store and not one mile in it jumped to 114 degrees. That is right 114 in the sun. I just kept a slow steady pace letting the coke and tart do its thing. Finally the temperature changed 111 degrees and that is where it stayed for the entire climb and then some.

I came to a decision point at the turn off at Encinal Canyon or more Mulholland Hwy. It was not a hard choice. I needed to get out of the heat as fast as I could and Encinal was the right way to go. However, Encinal Canyon Road has a couple of climbs before the big descent to PCH. My bike computer dropped to 105, but not for long as it climbed back to 110 degrees. It stayed here until I was in sight of the ocean, persistent it was. Finally I made PCH and 76 degrees. I almost felt chilled.

I had enough climbing for the day but not all the miles I wanted so north I went until I reached Deer Creek Road. No I did not climb Deer Creek. It was there I turned around to go home on PCH. I had that same head wind north bound from yesterday and desperately needed the tail wind for the return. I was not doing well on speed until I started south with that tail wind. Later I stopped at the catering trucks after the Zuma Beach climb for another coke. That did the trick along with the tail wind to take me home with a respectable effort.

It was a long day in the saddle, but I took it easy scrutinizing my fuel and hydration which worked well today. I have that natural high tonight from this exercise that I would not trade for even another coke.

98 miles; 8,054 feet

[VegaVixen]

Dang, that's a nice ride report, and a job well done!

I rode for the first time since July 21. Probably three miles of warm up in rain and strong wind, followed by a 20-minute wait for the ominous storm clouds to pass over the speedway. Then I got out again in light rain and lighter winds to warm up for another mile. Got to the start line and did my 10-mile TT. Finally finished faster than the 85-year-old man! And, I was only 47s off of my PR. I have four weeks 'til the next one. With my friend still in the hospital, not sure how much training I can get in, but I'm going to try awfully hard for a new PR in September. I even have a shot at podium in the points race, now that I beat tonight, by less than a second, the only woman in my age cat that I had to beat to have that shot!

[zzzwillzzz]

Originally Posted by MarkAJ

You are mean.

correct.
you wanna be average, use averages. if you wanna improve, there are much more effective methods to increase performance, cadence, etc.

[Red Rider]

Slow night. Only the Pro Allison Tetrick had a PR on the course; the rest of us sucked. Or thought we did.

[Biker395]

Originally Posted by Red Rider

Slow night. Only the Pro Allison Tetrick had a PR on the course; the rest of us sucked. Or thought we did.

That can be a good thing. To wit:



Oh, and I rode to work today, as usual. Too effing beautiful to do otherwise.

[Red Rider]

Originally Posted by Biker395

That can be a good thing. To wit:



Oh, and I rode to work today, as usual. Too effing beautiful to do otherwise.

That's better than the CA State Fair Gold Medal Winner Fat Cat Pino Grigio we had post-race. Thanks for adding to our suckage, Vic!

[herbm]

Originally Posted by zzzwillzzz

correct.
you wanna be average, use averages. if you wanna improve, there are much more effective methods to increase performance, cadence, etc.

I like your advice....keep it up....maybe we need a Will's advice thread