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Bikepolitik
May. 23rd, 2004 12:51 pmYesterday, I went on the turtle ride (the fast ride that starts at 7 AM, goes 45 miles with a couple regroups, and gets back by 10 AM so the guys can do the house chores or the boy scouts or the honey do's or whatever they have to accomplish that day).
I tried to stick with the fast guys at the beginning, but by the end, I got creamed.
I did okay until the hills got steep... then I'd get as much momentum as I could going DOWNhill, and pedal as hard as I could going UPhill, and about halfway up the hill I'd run out of steam and the guys would pass me like I was standing still. Then they'd power up the hill and disappear over the top, leaving me to time trial back to them. They go faster, because they're in a group. They're kind enough to wait for me at regroup points, but by the end of the day I was very tired and discouraged.
Fine, dammit, fine. I can't afford to be discouraged, because I get another crack at it on Sunday (today). So I went home and plotted.
Problem 1: I did not have enough food with me, and I didn't eat it regularly.
Solution: Buy more clif bars (done) and resolve to eat one per hour (I did that today, and it worked fine). By God, I will not run out of blood sugar. (Hard riding can burn 800 calories an hour. You run out of blood sugar in about 90 minutes when you ride fast, even though if you have trained correctly your body is trying to fuel your activity by mainly burning fat, which all of us have in large quantities.)
(Ray, I bet you just perked your ears up at that. Email me privately if you want the full scoop.)
Problem 2: I am not strong in the hills.
Solution: Back to the weight room. Carefully, so as to be kind to my knee. Done.
Problem 3: Perhaps I do not pace myself correctly. If I can stick with Rex (who says he is the worst climber in the group) up the hills, then I can probably stick with the group.
Solution: On the way up hills, get on Rex's wheel and stay there. (I am happy to say that this worked. Rex goes up hills at a nice, steady, even pace, but arrives at the top fresh and ready to stay with the rapidly disappearing pack. )
Problem 4: I weigh too much for optimal climbing.
Solution: I find that I lose weight when I make a point of including vegetables in my diet. I eat vegetables when I make them ahead of time so all I have to do at dinnertime is put them on a plate. There is now a big bowl of salad in my fridge. Done.
Problem 5: I do not know the personalities (hence the "bikepolitik" title). If the fast guys from the racing team show up, the weaker riders in the group all know we are going to get creamed. Saturday, the fast guys showed up, and I tried to stick with the wrong breakaway, because I didn't realize that the nice guy with the ripped jersey was the same guy who routinely wins the local weekly races. No. Bad idea. I need to recognize the fast guys on sight, so I know how fast a ride is going to be. For now, I need to stick with the weaker riders and conserve my energy.
I came gasping to a halt today and swore to those guys that I was gonna find a beginner women's race because it absolutely had to be shorter and more civilized and less painful than the 7 AM rides. They smiled and said, "You'll stick with us eventually, if you want it bad enough."
Yeah, I guess I will.
I tried to stick with the fast guys at the beginning, but by the end, I got creamed.
I did okay until the hills got steep... then I'd get as much momentum as I could going DOWNhill, and pedal as hard as I could going UPhill, and about halfway up the hill I'd run out of steam and the guys would pass me like I was standing still. Then they'd power up the hill and disappear over the top, leaving me to time trial back to them. They go faster, because they're in a group. They're kind enough to wait for me at regroup points, but by the end of the day I was very tired and discouraged.
Fine, dammit, fine. I can't afford to be discouraged, because I get another crack at it on Sunday (today). So I went home and plotted.
Problem 1: I did not have enough food with me, and I didn't eat it regularly.
Solution: Buy more clif bars (done) and resolve to eat one per hour (I did that today, and it worked fine). By God, I will not run out of blood sugar. (Hard riding can burn 800 calories an hour. You run out of blood sugar in about 90 minutes when you ride fast, even though if you have trained correctly your body is trying to fuel your activity by mainly burning fat, which all of us have in large quantities.)
(Ray, I bet you just perked your ears up at that. Email me privately if you want the full scoop.)
Problem 2: I am not strong in the hills.
Solution: Back to the weight room. Carefully, so as to be kind to my knee. Done.
Problem 3: Perhaps I do not pace myself correctly. If I can stick with Rex (who says he is the worst climber in the group) up the hills, then I can probably stick with the group.
Solution: On the way up hills, get on Rex's wheel and stay there. (I am happy to say that this worked. Rex goes up hills at a nice, steady, even pace, but arrives at the top fresh and ready to stay with the rapidly disappearing pack. )
Problem 4: I weigh too much for optimal climbing.
Solution: I find that I lose weight when I make a point of including vegetables in my diet. I eat vegetables when I make them ahead of time so all I have to do at dinnertime is put them on a plate. There is now a big bowl of salad in my fridge. Done.
Problem 5: I do not know the personalities (hence the "bikepolitik" title). If the fast guys from the racing team show up, the weaker riders in the group all know we are going to get creamed. Saturday, the fast guys showed up, and I tried to stick with the wrong breakaway, because I didn't realize that the nice guy with the ripped jersey was the same guy who routinely wins the local weekly races. No. Bad idea. I need to recognize the fast guys on sight, so I know how fast a ride is going to be. For now, I need to stick with the weaker riders and conserve my energy.
I came gasping to a halt today and swore to those guys that I was gonna find a beginner women's race because it absolutely had to be shorter and more civilized and less painful than the 7 AM rides. They smiled and said, "You'll stick with us eventually, if you want it bad enough."
Yeah, I guess I will.
