Cranked

Monday 8/10

Distance: 20.7 miles (intervals)

Time 1:07:22

Avg. speed: 18.44 mph

Weather: 73-76º, humidity 89-82%, wind S4-WSW4, sunny

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Felt much better this morning than last week's day-after-run ache fest. Still I got off only 8 complete 30 sec all-out sprints with 90 sec recovery in between. The 9th was a joke. Last week, I managed 10 jumps. 6 miles of moderate ride to where I did the intervals and back.

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Today

Distance: 35.6 miles

Time: 1:48:04

Avg. speed: 19.77 mph

Weather: 73-70º, humidity, 80-83%, wind SE7-ESE8, cloudy

Song stuck in head: Darling Corey - Crooked Still

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MRC Wednesday early evening ride. Start pushed back to 5:30 p.m. as it is getting dark earlier. In attendance: Alan, Michael C, Tom, Carl, Rob, Rich M, Ian, Bruce and myself.

Slow start as Bruce's car crapped out on him a mile from the parking lot and we passed it just as they were dragging it onto the flatbed - we soft pedaled all the way down to Boxboro Road to let him catch up with us (he didn't at that point). Hammer down from there.

I pulled us the next 3 miles up to Summer Street in Acton. Felt good to get things moving along finally. Found myself on the pull again when we hit Oak Hill and I pushed too hard at the beginning which left me 2nd to last up to the top – but within 20 yards those ahead of me.

At Fruitlands, I was 3rd wheel and the guys in front of me took rather short pulls as we started up. About halfway up the first rise, I jumped into a sprint to the top. I could hear a small cry of surprise from the guy behind me as I took off. I was able to stay out front across the top of the next rise and on down to Rte. 110. That felt really good.

The group spread out a bit during the regroup on 110 enough that Michael and Rob (?) got a good head start up Bare/Bear Hill Road. As we climbed, I tucked in behind Carl as he started passing people and then when he was maybe 30 yards behind Michael and Rob, I jumped again.

It was the perfect spot to accelerate, a slightly flatter spot on the way up. I was down in my drops, out of the saddle and spinning at least 120 rpm as I blew out in front of everyone. But I made the jump about 100 feet too early and ran out of gas before the top... everyone eventually passed my gasping carcass as I struggled to latch onto the last wheel that went by.

We were a cohesive group all the way down to Taylor Road until I found myself out in front again, this time I didn't sprint but only took my pull then rotated out. Down on S. Acton Road, I was really tapped out and had to work pretty hard just to stay in touch with the group, gapping the last wheel and catching up again two or three times.

Pedaling home, I noticed my front wheel pretty out of true. I'll have to get up early to tomorrow to deal with that.

It took all summer to get it down, but I'm liking the schedule of intervals early Monday, rest on Tuesday, MRC ride late Wednesday. The interval sessions are definitely helping and my ability to recover quickly has improved immensely.