Tuesday, January 8, 2013

A Learning Day......

There's a reason in life why we train for things...today I learned quite a bit about cycling. I chose to cycle the Natchez Trace beginning at about mile marker 100 in Ridgeland. I headed south on the Trace soon to find out I was cycling into a 12-15 mile headwind. I did 5 miles and doubled back to where I started. Along the way I felt very good about becoming proficent on shifting gears, keeping my cadence and especially about my aerobic capabilities. I never felt winded all day. As I approached mile 13, heading now north on the Trace, I started to feel my upper and lower body get sluggish and stayed that way through the remainder of my 20.2 mile ride. I also learned that when going uphill, if you sit back in the saddle, you can gain more momentum and speed without feeling under duress. Traffic along the Trace was pretty steady, so I learned to stay close to the line and not waiver too much. The road was very smooth except for one small pothole along the way. Another lesson to always keep eyes on the road in front to avoid obstacles in the way. I hydrated well for the ride, but realized I had not fueled up beforehand (biking on an empty stomach) and did not bring any fuel (snacks) for after the race. Will not allow that to happen again. Completed the 20.2 miles in 1 hour 39 minutes. Averaged 12.2 mph climbing 1289 ft in elevation up and 1296ft elevation down. I burned 599 calories and had a maximum speed of 19.7 mph. Two hours later, I'm now feeling tired and a little sluggish. Will probably take it a little easier on Wednesday. More tomorrow...