Two weeks of not touching the bike is not recommended before going out on a warm, sun-baked ride into Illinois farm country. Okay, I had two good rides last weekend but beside that I haven't touched the bike.
Patrice rolled out a new route into Smithton, then Freburg and a little extra loop beyond Freeburg before heading back toward Columbia. I was good on the way out to Freeburg. I always seemed to get on the front with Giuseppe and his interminal pace. Finally, I popped just as we hit Smithton on the return trip. We refueled at the gas station before hitting the last leg into Columbia.
Once we were going again I was feeling the pace but was holding on okay. Then, on Gilmore Lakes or Floraville or whatever road leads into the Gilmore Lakes subdivision Giuseppe hit the front again and the pace raised a notch or two. I struggled mightily but was hanging on. My breathing became more labored and the legs heavier. I was squirming all over the bike trying to find a comfortable position. Finally, I said enough and sat up. Everyone chilled the Gilmore Lakes but I still didn't feel that great. Patrick said we would go back on Rte 3. I guess as a way of shortening the ride for me. Instead I told him I was going back on Centreville and they could do whatever route back that he had planned.
Centreville has a few little rollers but it is generally easy terrain. Plus, it is a short way back to town. I cruised along at a comfy pace without the pressure of keeping up with or slowing down the others. Even at my leisurely pace, I was back at the parking lot several minutes before the rest.
This kind of ride really hurts the morale. Last week's riding was good and this was just awful. I will chalk it up to not riding but the heat probably played as big a role. The last few years I have wilted on quite a few hot rides. The heat really seems to beat me up lately. Then again, maybe it is a mid-season swoon. There was a real bad stretch of riding for me last year around June and early July as well. I don't know, but I have to put it out of my mind.
On a more positive note: My Tour fantasy team at Velogames is off to a nice start. Cancellara and Kloden went one - two in the prologue. I'm going to have to look at the scoring and make sure the prologue counts. It will be a bummer if they scoring starts with stage 1. Last year's Tour was my first attempt at building a team on this website. I finished middle of the pack. My team at this year's Giro did much better and finished 84(?) out of nearly 800 teams.
Patrice rolled out a new route into Smithton, then Freburg and a little extra loop beyond Freeburg before heading back toward Columbia. I was good on the way out to Freeburg. I always seemed to get on the front with Giuseppe and his interminal pace. Finally, I popped just as we hit Smithton on the return trip. We refueled at the gas station before hitting the last leg into Columbia.
Once we were going again I was feeling the pace but was holding on okay. Then, on Gilmore Lakes or Floraville or whatever road leads into the Gilmore Lakes subdivision Giuseppe hit the front again and the pace raised a notch or two. I struggled mightily but was hanging on. My breathing became more labored and the legs heavier. I was squirming all over the bike trying to find a comfortable position. Finally, I said enough and sat up. Everyone chilled the Gilmore Lakes but I still didn't feel that great. Patrick said we would go back on Rte 3. I guess as a way of shortening the ride for me. Instead I told him I was going back on Centreville and they could do whatever route back that he had planned.
Centreville has a few little rollers but it is generally easy terrain. Plus, it is a short way back to town. I cruised along at a comfy pace without the pressure of keeping up with or slowing down the others. Even at my leisurely pace, I was back at the parking lot several minutes before the rest.
This kind of ride really hurts the morale. Last week's riding was good and this was just awful. I will chalk it up to not riding but the heat probably played as big a role. The last few years I have wilted on quite a few hot rides. The heat really seems to beat me up lately. Then again, maybe it is a mid-season swoon. There was a real bad stretch of riding for me last year around June and early July as well. I don't know, but I have to put it out of my mind.
On a more positive note: My Tour fantasy team at Velogames is off to a nice start. Cancellara and Kloden went one - two in the prologue. I'm going to have to look at the scoring and make sure the prologue counts. It will be a bummer if they scoring starts with stage 1. Last year's Tour was my first attempt at building a team on this website. I finished middle of the pack. My team at this year's Giro did much better and finished 84(?) out of nearly 800 teams.
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