Bike Commute Starting to get cold
Yesterdays evening ride was the first time that I rode home with my arm warmers on. Hurricane Sandy, now a tropical super storm generated strong winds down here in southwest Georgia. Most folks in cars never notice a 20 MPH wind. To a cyclist like myself anytime I am on a ride and I notice blades of long grass bending over I know that there is at least a 10 to 15 MPH wind blowing. I always know that if I am riding and I do not feel the wind then I am riding with it and when I turn around I'll have a head wind instead of an easy tail wind.
Yesterday I was riding home hauling the Burley trailer and the wind was so strong from the north that the trees were swirling violently above my head. Normally on my bike this would have been a challenging ride home, but the Burley really sucked up the wind. I was slowed down to 8 MPH on my ride where I would normally be riding at 14 to 16 MPH. It was a great hill simulation as I did not change gears and just cranked trough the head winds.
Today it was 47 degrees as I rode in with my wind breaker, long sleeve running shirt and arm warmers I was cruising at 19 MPH in areas where I would normally do 17 MPH. I was riding with comfort so the only thing I can think of is that my weight training with the Burley is making a difference in my training. The whole concept of weight training is to trick your brain and body into working harder when your using the weights. When you perform the same thing without the weights you are faster. This is why I can not understand folks who lift weights with no purpose except to build muscles. When I lift weights or in this case ride a bike with a Burley it is with a purpose, I am training for the 6 Gap ride in 2013
There, I have finally declared that I am going to ride the 6 Gap. The 6 Gap is 104 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation gain. I rode the Torture 10,000 in Oregon so why not ride the 6 Gap? Yep I am feeling so good about riding again that I am seriously considering doing the most difficult ride in georgia. When I look at the ride profile this 6 Gap ride is more challenging than the Torture 10,000 and I am 15 years older. Anyway, I know I can do it so I am training now to be ready for the fun next fall.
Yesterday I was riding home hauling the Burley trailer and the wind was so strong from the north that the trees were swirling violently above my head. Normally on my bike this would have been a challenging ride home, but the Burley really sucked up the wind. I was slowed down to 8 MPH on my ride where I would normally be riding at 14 to 16 MPH. It was a great hill simulation as I did not change gears and just cranked trough the head winds.
Today it was 47 degrees as I rode in with my wind breaker, long sleeve running shirt and arm warmers I was cruising at 19 MPH in areas where I would normally do 17 MPH. I was riding with comfort so the only thing I can think of is that my weight training with the Burley is making a difference in my training. The whole concept of weight training is to trick your brain and body into working harder when your using the weights. When you perform the same thing without the weights you are faster. This is why I can not understand folks who lift weights with no purpose except to build muscles. When I lift weights or in this case ride a bike with a Burley it is with a purpose, I am training for the 6 Gap ride in 2013
There, I have finally declared that I am going to ride the 6 Gap. The 6 Gap is 104 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation gain. I rode the Torture 10,000 in Oregon so why not ride the 6 Gap? Yep I am feeling so good about riding again that I am seriously considering doing the most difficult ride in georgia. When I look at the ride profile this 6 Gap ride is more challenging than the Torture 10,000 and I am 15 years older. Anyway, I know I can do it so I am training now to be ready for the fun next fall.
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