Today's ride was an absolute corker/awesome. It was only a short drive to the start at Glen Echo on the far side of the Potomac and the route took in roads that I have cycled many times but today was the best ride I have had in a long time.
My program has not tied in with my Tri Teams for a month or so so it was good to link/hook back up with some old faces for today's ride. We rolled out of the car park/parking lot just before 10am, a later start than normal but it gave time for the sun to come out and start to warm us up. Even so it was a nippy 35 degrees as we started out and I was glad of my toe warmers and booties.
Team Z's coach, Ed, had advised all those that are running Myrtle Beach marathon to take it easy and for the first 10-15 minutes the pace of the peleton was very relaxed. Holden, my Cadence Coach had me down for a 3 hour endurance ride and as I was below my endurance zone I decided I needed to up the pace and went to the front of the group. As I pushed myself up into my endurance zone I started to ride off the front of the peleton and when I looked back I found that no one was going to come with me.
I normally like to ride with others so that you can chew the fat and help while away the miles but today, on my own for the entire 3 hours, I was just lost in the beauty of the countryside, admiring some of the amazing mansions and basking in the wonderful spring sunshine (as I write this I can still feel heat in my face and my nose has caught a bit of sun). The gloomy rides on the trainer dissapeared from my mind and it will not be long until I can start riding weekday evenings in the daylight.
Even more pleasing was my physioligical performance during the ride which has given me my first real indication that I am making progress. The only problem with following a periodized program is that if you follow it properly the only proof of your progress is when you peak for your primary race. During your training rides you are always a little tired and should not be capable of giving your best.
Because I haven't been for a long cycle for a couple of weeks I was actually a little more recovered than perhaps I should of been. The route was not flat and there were quite a few rolling hills but even so my average heart rate for the 3 hours was 142. To put that into perspective for me my VO2 max last year put my Endurance Zone at 143-150 bpm. Today I rode off the front (no drafting), on a hilly route, feeling very comfortable and still kept my average heart rate in last year's recovery zone.
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