I've been moping about how much solo cycling I do. While I cherish my alone time on the bike, I do occasionally get a little lonesome putting in all those miles by myself. With that in mind, I jumped at the chance to ride on Sunday with friends who are also training to ride in the
ADA Tour de Cure in June.
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| Bel, Bob, Scott, & me with our trusty Specialized steeds. |
My route was slightly shorter than my planned fifty mile ride, but I still managed almost 37 miles by riding from Sterling (mi 22.5) to Idylwood Park in Falls Church (mi 8.5) , backtracking to Hunter Mill in Reston (between mi 14.5 & 15) with Bel, Bob, & Scott then riding back to our meet-up spot in Falls Church (mi 8.5) and continuing with Scott up to the spot in Arlington where the W&OD meets the Custis (~ mi 4), and then back to the park in Falls Church where the truck was waiting to carry us back home. I am so thankful that Scott drove the truck to meet me at the park. While an easterly tailwind got me to Falls Church in an hour, that same wind was a killer going westbound. My legs were killing me on the final leg of our ride and I wouldn't have made the slog back to Sterling in that headwind.
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| Elevations from Shirlington (0) to Sterling (22.5). Source. |
During the ride, I took my first clipped-in spill. I unclipped on the left and promptly fell to the right on to a, thankfully, super soft patch of grass. Also thankfully, I remembered to leave my right foot clipped in so I wouldn't possibly sprain it or worse. Bob and Scott were horrified, but I threw my arms in the air -- after crawling out from under the bike -- and hollered "Whoo hoo! I'm a real cyclist now!" Circe was fine and I was merely covered in chain grease from my knees down. My pride wasn't even bruised; I was too jazzed that the fall wasn't anywhere as painful or scary as I had imagined it would be.
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| Scott took his Crux off-road and disappeared in the bush. |
The training ride shook my belief in my being able to ride a metric century, much less a full one. But I have to keep reminding myself that this was the first longish distance ride on my new bike and I have six more weekends of training -- I'm out of town Memorial Day weekend -- before the big event. There's plenty of time to continue training and the ride will be okay.
The big key to riding with clipless pedals is always release the same foot when you come in for a stop. Everyone has a foot that they always touch down with. That's the foot you need to unclip, because your body naturally leans that way anyways. :) The truth is, no matter how long you have been riding, eventually you go down and look like a goober. The nice thing is that everyone around you, totally understands! lol
ReplyDeleteAs for riding a century, don't doubt yourself for a moment. I know it feels daunting now, but I promise you it is an achievable goal. Centuries are totally my forte, so I should know. The biggest key is saddle time. You do NOT have to push to go fast, you just have to put in MILES. Invest in chamois butter! I am NOT kidding. Your girl parts will thank you. Re-apply every time you stop for potty. You will need to drink one large water bottle per hour. I add a powdered mix (I carry the packets with me) to my water that contains at least 45 carbs and electrolytes. That way I am getting hydration and fuel at the same time. I also carry protein bars. Stop at the food stops and eat. Also remember to eat at least 20 g of protein within 20 mins of finishing really long rides. I have this pretty much down to a science. lol I love centuries and double centuries. If you need any help whatsoever, I would love to help. You are riding for a very important cause!!