Another Scorcher…
Another scorcher today, but I’m determined to climb up Rock Store in under 20 minutes, DAMN IT! And today wasn’t the day… I tried… but didn’t make it. I started my ride at 6:30 in the morning - perfect temperature. Wore my new Specialized shorts - which btw, are pretty comfy. But I think they are just as comfy as my Giordanas and Zoots. Eh! Doing the same route 3 days in a row at the same time, you meet some of the same people. I met Brian, David, and Frank. No women. Many of the female cyclists that I’ve met on this route has been super-serious. =\ Where’s the fun and the jokes, ladies? But I guess that’s how they roll, and they can keep rolling. ha!
I started my climb today at a pretty good pace, and was thinking that maybe I’ll be able to get up to the top in under 20 minutes. Few guys passed me, of course, as they always do. But I managed to keep one of them in my site for…1/3 of the hill at which point I started to bonk. UGH! Out came the gu and several water guzzles while I tried not to swerve around the road. I actually was able to see the top with about 6 minutes left til the 20 min mark, and thought that I could make my under-20min goal. I pushed it up the last few hundred meters, heart rate went up from 160 to 175, huffing and puffing, stood up and pedaled as fast as I could, but no cigar. D’OH!@#$!$$#!#@!! Sigh…. David was at the top and told me that if I did the hill 2x/week, it would become easier and I’d become quicker going up. I’ll do it 3x/week and see if I can climb up it under 20 minutes in 2-3 weeks. We headed out to Hidden Valley and back instead of the beach since it would have been too hot by the time we headed back over the hill. Not to mention, I would have noodle legs by the end of this ride since I haven’t done the long distance since I got sick.
I got home just before 10am to avoid being cooked out in the sun today. I had semi-noodle legs by the time I got home. I probably would need to work back up to 50-60 miles per ride again… =(
3000 ft of climbing today, 38 miles, 2 hours 45 min of riding, top speed at 34mph down Decker (waaa-hoooo!!).
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