Map of our route
It was a very rough ride for me today. I have been feeling a little run down after the Lighthouse Century last weekend and the subsequent spin class on Tuesday. I also have been fighting off a cold.
Riding with the "C" (aka advanced) group is no joke but I was feeling well enough to go for it. We get on the road right around 8am and start heading inland. I immediately notice that my legs, particularly my quads are feeling very tired. The start of the ride is mostly flat. Mentor Chad asks that we maintain an modest pace to warm up but no one seems to get the message. The minimum speed in the pace line is 18mph, which is fast. On the flats, we are routinely maintaining 22-24 mph. On the uphill we're doing 17-18 mph. Incredible. I'm hoping that I warm up quickly and things improve. We are also not rotating enough. Hmmm.
About 15 miles into the ride, we get to a great downhill stretch. We usually descend at our our pace and meet at the bottom. I take off, reveling in the downward rush...and blow right past our turn. I'm oblivious to it and start tackling the slight uphill figuring that I will use my momentum to help with the climb. A few minutes later, no sign of the Team and then Chad comes barreling down, obviously a little miffed. I can't say I blame him as he had to chase me down as I had gone nearly a mile off course. I apologize profusely, we make a U-turn and then have to head up a very large hill which is no fun. We get back on course and the rest of my group is a tiny speck up ahead. We get into formation and make our way back to the pace line. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have slowed down too much so we have to exert a lot of effort to join back up with them. Not too good.
Well after that, the day didn't get too much better. My legs are very tired and I'm struggling to hang on. 40 miles into the ride, I'm starting to question whether I'm going to be able to complete the day. I also consider going the rest of the day with the intermediate group but decide to try and tough it out. More hills, more pain. We're riding sloppy, with a couple of the group feeling strong and me and one other guy limping along. We are rotating a little more frequently and when I get in front, I slow the pace down to a more reasonable speed. I'm tired, so for the good of the group, I rotate off quickly to save my strength for the rest of the ride. Staying in front would have just tired me out even more quickly which would slow the entire group down. It is a treatise on poor pace-lining where the line is getting drawn out and there is a lot of yo-yo action. I'm getting a frustrated as I can't "grab a wheel" to draft with all the slinky action going on. Not good. If I can't draft, I can't rest.
At mile 62, we hit Torrey Pines hill again. I've described too many times to elaborate but it is a hill that I've successfully climbed dozens of times. We were instructed to take it at 2/3 effort and then kill the last 1/3 of it. There is no way. We start up and the rest of the group quickly pulls away. I'm completely out of gas and just hobble up the hill, trying to maintain a straight line. I get passed by two of the stronger intermediate group riders who started up the hill significantly after our group. I'm now feeling embarrassed and give it more effort up the last mile up the hill. I get into a standing climb position and my legs immediately protest. I get some major cramping on my thighs, calves and in my back. Not good. Well, there is no sense in killing myself as it isn't event day. I just suck it up and limp in. My groups is waiting up at the top of the hill and it seems that no one wants to comment. One rider comments on my having ridden a century the weekend before. No sense in making excuses, I just take a quick swig of water, a few breaths of air and motion for the group to head out as we are less than a mile away from the finish.
Back in the parking lot and all is good. We gather around Jeff's car and crack open a few frosty ones and chat. Good times.
I'm not sure exactly I can pinpoint what happened to me today but it wasn't good. I've been riding strongly lately so I'm not going to worry too much about it and I'm going to blame it on having ridden the 100 miles the week before. I've also decided that I'm going to try and take a little bit more of a leadership role and see if I can help get our group to improve our pace-lining skills.
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