TrySports Group Ride – after a week away

With a vacation happening last week, I missed our store group ride, but being back in town this week, I left home at 5pm to dart across Charlotte. I used the term "dart" loosely because I make pretty good time until I hit the 485/77 interchange near Pineville. From this point to Johnston Rd, it was stop and go driving. Luckily, there were no accidents in this accident prone section. I made it to the store in time for the ride.

Oh, yeah, TrySports had pushed back their Group ride start time to 6:15. Although, I don't think the memo went out to everyone. As far as I could tell everyone was up and ready to go at 6.

This week one of the TrySports Bike mechanics led our "B" group.

Just before the rollout, we break up into groups "A", "B", and "C" groups. With the "A" group riding around 22 to 23 mph. "B" rides around 18 to 19 mph, and "C" rides at 16 mph. When only a couple of riders rolling up for the "A", they announced that they would back down the pace to 20 mph. Several more riders jumped in but I didn't. Somehow, I didn't expect the pace to stay at 20+. And, I am not ready suffer quite that much.

Sure enough, we picked up several riders along way. But hey, they tried and hung in there for quite a while. And that is how a rider gets stronger.

I got a chance to ride some good tempo during the middle portion of the ride, but from some reason, I was feeling nearly as well as I did on Tuesday night. Sleeping may be the problem because I have been getting a lot of it.

We finished off the ride with our traditional strong pace line up Rea Rd. To me this is the most fun part of the ride because I usually end up in the red zone but finish just before getting back to the store. Just to be clear, I run out of gas at just the right spot. LOL

 

Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner.