Any bicycle racers lurking about?

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by fullmonte

Is it even feasible or safe for you to be pushing yourself on bike paths/greenways? Are these paths frequented by pedestrians?

Not the areas I 'race' on. They're too far from any parking lots, so pedestrians don't typically go there. And I never do a top speed run if I see anyone else on the path that I might have to pass.

[gearguywb]

1st race this year. Went pretty well all things considered. Nice to be out and testing the fitness (or lack thereof)!

[Aurelius]

Yesterday looked like an ideal day to go riding: temps in the upper 60's and sunny, so I headed for my favorite West Orange Trail. My first time out there, it seemed as if everyone was passing me. Even old geezers and kids on skate boards were giving me a hard time. After several months of practice, I'm now the one passing everyone else, and no one passes me. But halfway through the ride, someone did just that. It was no one I recognized, just one of many riders out that day, but going at an unusually high speed for that trail. I pulled up behind him to investigate. He was riding a high end road bike like mine, but he wasn't young and didn't have the bulging muscular thighs the serious racer types had, so I thought I'd stick with him for a while and see what he was capable of. We swapped places a number of times, and I noticed that I could pick up speed faster than he could on the up-hill sections, so at one point I got the idea that if I managed to put enough distance between us, he'd lose hope and just give up. I did just that, and watched him shrink in my mirror to the point where I could barely see him. Unfortunately, the effort tired me out to the point where I had to slow down considerably, giving him time to catch up and pass me. But then the same thing that had just happened to me seemed to happen to him, and I began closing the distance. About 200 yards from the end of the trail, we were dead even. I decided to give it one last hard push and managed to make it across the 'finish line' several bike lengths ahead of him. He didn't stop, but coasted around to the parking lot on the other side where I lost sight of him. I was so tired and out of breath that I could barely get off the bike. It took about half an hour to regain enough strength to start on the ride back, and I'm still feeling the effects of it. I had planned to go out again this morning, but my legs are so worn out from yesterday that it looks like a few laps in the pool are all I'll be able to manage today.

[Gummee!]

2:45 or so on the bike today. I say 'or so' cause my GPS died 3/4 of the way thru the ride.

6 of us on the ride out of 'the lake' just south of Culpeper. I gave a lift to a teammate and he and my other buddy drove to the ride start. I rode. It was ~4mi away.

We did lots of up and down up and down up and down. Typical Culpeper ride. In the 40-ish miles there was probably less than 1mi of flat.

I don't think I'm playing UW Hockey tonite. Legs = torqued.

M

[frazman]

Originally Posted by Aurelius

Yesterday looked like an ideal day to go riding: temps in the upper 60's and sunny, so I headed for my favorite West Orange Trail. My first time out there, it seemed as if everyone was passing me. Even old geezers and kids on skate boards were giving me a hard time. After several months of practice, I'm now the one passing everyone else, and no one passes me. But halfway through the ride, someone did just that. It was no one I recognized, just one of many riders out that day, but going at an unusually high speed for that trail. I pulled up behind him to investigate. He was riding a high end road bike like mine, but he wasn't young and didn't have the bulging muscular thighs the serious racer types had, so I thought I'd stick with him for a while and see what he was capable of. We swapped places a number of times, and I noticed that I could pick up speed faster than he could on the up-hill sections, so at one point I got the idea that if I managed to put enough distance between us, he'd lose hope and just give up. I did just that, and watched him shrink in my mirror to the point where I could barely see him. Unfortunately, the effort tired me out to the point where I had to slow down considerably, giving him time to catch up and pass me. But then the same thing that had just happened to me seemed to happen to him, and I began closing the distance. About 200 yards from the end of the trail, we were dead even. I decided to give it one last hard push and managed to make it across the 'finish line' several bike lengths ahead of him. He didn't stop, but coasted around to the parking lot on the other side where I lost sight of him. I was so tired and out of breath that I could barely get off the bike. It took about half an hour to regain enough strength to start on the ride back, and I'm still feeling the effects of it. I had planned to go out again this morning, but my legs are so worn out from yesterday that it looks like a few laps in the pool are all I'll be able to manage today.

...and you say that you aren't interested in "racing". I call that the "commute to work"!!! LOL!

[Signal]

"Is ther more than one bike?"

Raced steadily from '89-'97, then went back to school, again. Have raced off and on since- including 'cross in the fall. Was a USCF official from 91-97. Still do some moto escort for the races/photos.

Sometimes miss the heavy race rotation, usually not much

Still ride about 2500+ mi/yr

[Aurelius]

While testing my video camera yesterday, I got the bike up to 35mph - my best yet.

Next goal is 40mph.

[Chisenhallw]

When you get to 45mph you get to yell WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Chisenhallw

When you get to 45mph you get to yell WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO

The only way I'll ever manage 45mph is to ride it off a cliff.

[Gummee!]

60 is a lot of fun.

Downhill with a tailwind...

Just whatever you do DO NOT try and spit. DAMHIK that it goes all over yer shoulder.

M

[mtnpass]

Originally Posted by Aurelius

While testing my video camera yesterday, I got the bike up to 35mph - my best yet.

Next goal is 40mph.

Referencing this article for credibility: http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-419074.html

The qualifying speeds for say Olympic selection works out to 23-25mph solo. So a century at around 4hrs is expected. In the pro peleton 23-28mph is the norm. On really fast decents 50-60mph is possible on closed roads where you can use the entire road but you're not pedalling at this speed, just getting a few pedal strokes in around the bends. On your own with anticipated traffic, you'll find it very hard to decend on most roads around the world at over 30mph and still be safe.

At some point it is fitness, it is form plus a racing training program to get to speed. Then there is genetics to consider - most folks regardless of training and experience won't handle 20-22mph for 4-6hrs.

This is where training and conditioning come in . The ability to sustain 20-23 mph in a pace line taking your pulls for 4-6 hrs is key. My daily loop is 35 miles and three times a week I replace this loop with interval training. Now, I must provide this disclosure, I am in no way a competitive cyclist anymore. I only keep this routine in order to complete centuries without hurting myself. I also take 3 trips each yr for 2 weeks and mountain bike. The ability to ride everyday and not wake up in a fetal position is my reward.

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by mtnpass

Referencing this article for credibility: http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-419074.html

The qualifying speeds for say Olympic selection works out to 23-25mph solo. So a century at around 4hrs is expected. In the pro peleton 23-28mph is the norm. On really fast decents 50-60mph is possible on closed roads where you can use the entire road but you're not pedalling at this speed, just getting a few pedal strokes in around the bends. On your own with anticipated traffic, you'll find it very hard to decend on most roads around the world at over 30mph and still be safe.

At some point it is fitness, it is form plus a racing training program to get to speed. Then there is genetics to consider - most folks regardless of training and experience won't handle 20-22mph for 4-6hrs.

This is where training and conditioning come in . The ability to sustain 20-23 mph in a pace line taking your pulls for 4-6 hrs is key. My daily loop is 35 miles and three times a week I replace this loop with interval training. Now, I must provide this disclosure, I am in no way a competitive cyclist anymore. I only keep this routine in order to complete centuries without hurting myself. I also take 3 trips each yr for 2 weeks and mountain bike. The ability to ride everyday and not wake up in a fetal position is my reward.

My 'cruising speed' on a flat grade is right around 20-21 mph, but I rarely ride for more than 1.5 hours continuously. I'll often do a top speed run as I'm headed home just to see if I've made any gains from the previous week(s), but I can only maintain top speed for 10 seconds or so. At the age of 51, I'm well beyond my physical peak and have no interest in racing, so I just use these numbers as sign posts to chart my progress. I wish I could ride more than twice a week, but having a full time job makes that impossible. I'll typically do 30 mile rides on Saturday and Sunday, but that's all I have time for. I do supplement that with workouts at the gym on weekday nights to strengthen my legs, though.

[Chisenhallw]

Sweet jeebus. $70 for a duathlon? *koff*

http://www.endurancemaryland.com/

[Gummee!]

Du-s and Tri-s are spendy things.

M

[UngaWunga]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

Du-s and Tri-s are spendy things.

M

Yeah, they are. Organizers are actually trying to turn a profit...

I've been skipping the big tris I used to do. Too much money. I have much more fun in the xterra races and smaller, local tris.