Back On My Bike

The last time I was on my bike was July 8th. I went about 20 miles. I had 4 summer league games to referee on Saturday the 10th so I took Friday off and dropped my bike off for a tune up at my favorite bike shop. When I arrived home from the NSCA conference [July 11-18] on Sunday the 18th, I buzzed over to pick up my bike. I wanted to hit the road in the morning.

I wanted to go 30 miles without much distraction so I drove to Yorba park in Yorba Linda, California to ride the Santa Ana River path. I was on the bike and riding before 8am. The bike felt great. Well tuned by the guys at Don's Bicycle in Rialto. I hadn't been on the bike for 10 days so I didn't want to overreach my first day out. I had set two goals, to go about 30 miles and try to average 90 RPM within the first 10 minutes.

I got to 90 RPM within the first 3 miles and was felling great. I hadn't worked out since I refereed the games on the 10th, unless you count walking around Disney parks in Orlando for 3 days before the conference started and I was a little worried I'd get too competitive [I do that]. However, I felt so good I decided to see if I could push my average cadence to 100 RPMs. I got there in 7.21 miles into the ride. So getting competitive I decided to challenge myself to average 100 RPMs for the first 15 miles of the ride.

So off I went spinning and felling great. I wondered as I rode if the bike feel was the new race tires Don's put on or the new chain, the tune-up itself or the fact that I had rested for a week. I was convinced I could average 100 RPMs for 15 miles and then after the first half mile, boom a head wind. I was still spinning, but I watched my speed drop below 18 MPH. I knew I had to focus on my peddle technique and position with the wind in my face and as I rode I watched my heart rate soar upwards into the 170s. Not a big deal for a kid, but I'm in my 50's.

I was really pushing myself. My heart rate was well into the 170's but I wasn't in any distress. My breathing was ok and my legs felt fine. I wasn't close to my lactate threshold I just knew I had to hold my heart rate around 173 to get to 15 miles and average 100 RPMs. I began to gauge the mileage I had left. I got to the 12.5 mile mark in good shape, then 13.6 and at 14 mile mark I knew I had it. I reached the 15 mile point made the turn and started back.

I was cruising along around the 85 RPM mark and decided I wanted to keep my RPMs above 90 for the ride. I rode along and with 12.5 mile left I felt fine my RPMs had come down to 98 but it didn't bother me. Ok, I noticed so I started to spin faster and with 8.9 miles left I was completely recovered.

I finished the ride well before 9AM and used "the stick" to start my post-ride recovery. Spent about 7 minutes doing some ground core work, loaded my bike, changed my shirt and had a protein shake. Then I headed off to Whole Foods to buy some greens, fruits and other veggies. But first I turned up the radio as it played "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" and I played a little air guitar. Enjoy the day.