rom my understanding, have been riding the “Worlds Course” which is about 40-50 miles from the (usually warm temperature) City Park starting point. It covers some hilly rolling roads that are all decent in width and condition. My history with the “Worlds Ride” was a one-time attempt, early last spring. I invited my friend Joel and my brother in law, Tim along for the heart attack special. We all hung on until we got to the lovely blossoming town of Ostrander. As the road ramped up, so did the speed and POW, at about 28 mph, we all go springing out the back. We managed to pick up 2 others that were spit out the back as we went north and find our way back around and back to the city park – and our cars. I roll in to the Starbucks with another local fast guy from about 40 min out. We wait as others roll in, some others call in and say wait – we wait. I get a few looks of, hey what’s up and a few, hello’s. Myself and another guy, Joe are the only ones with fenders to keep our parts dry from the snow melt across the road. 10 minutes and we roll out up North and line up 2x2 on the road. Reviewing my ride file, it doesn’t appear that things got too ugly until we got up north about an hour and some change. I knew as soon as we turned around and got a tail wind, things were going to ramp up and the friendly conversation would come to a halt. Sure enough, about an hour 20 or so, we make our turn across the rickety old metal 1 lane bridge and the front 10 guys, kick it into overdrive. We averaged about 25-30 mph for about 40 minutes. I wasn’t exactly hanging on for dear life, but it defiantly required some focus to get over the quad pain here and there. I was caught up in a bit of pulling up front right before we climbed up this long grade from the river on our way back south. I just didn’t know it was there and should have looked at my handy Garmin 705 to show what was coming. DUH. I was trying to decide, should I big ring it, stand up, pop my way up to the front, and then fade to the back. Or just ride my pace up the long grade? I chose the latter. I managed to hang on as I watched my HR rise up into deathville. One of the long time riders in this group, slides back ever so slowly to pick me up as I was slowly sliding off the back about two bike lengths. We get back up, I move up around a few guys and get low and tight so I can recover. With about another hour to get back to the Starbucks, I drink, I eat again, fuel, fuel and more fuel. I don’t think I had been drinking enough. A few are looking pretty blown at this point as we roll by the regular stopping point in the summer months. We make our final left and hit our final downhill before Starbucks. We get to the light, it turns green, no one says anything except, “green”, we all roll through and blow by the side driveway to the coffee stop/starting point. I grab a few wheels of those I know that live near my house and we get down, to get home. I look around and we’ve lost about 70% of our group. I slow up, the guys in front of me are killing it at this point, I don’t have it to keep up. I look back for a few friends, they are not to be found and must have stopped for some warm up and coffee. Two guys catch up to me, but one of them looses part of his pump from his jersey and both roll off to go find the lost, bouncing plastic piece in the intersection. I blow on and try to keep some kind of pace, with about 10 miles home. I manage to slump it home with Anthony, who is keeping a 20 mph pace, I look down and think I am not going to make it home. He peels off, I slow up and make it home in one piece. My legs feel like big giant redwood trees, my knees hurt, but I did it. 70 miles, 3 hours, 45 minutes, max speed 45.5 mph. I spent about 9 min in crazy power zone, 6 minutes in max, 9.22 at a race pace. I had some great power numbers and blew a few thousand calories.
Showing posts with label Dublin Ohio Starbucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dublin Ohio Starbucks. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday Starbucks Ride - Will this Hurt?
Sunday, February 8, I made the decision, with a break in the weather to attempt to throw down with all the “Big Boys” in town. Most every Sunday, depending on weather – since early January, a large group of the local “Wed Night Worlds” Group has been meeting up at a local Starbucks, of all places. They typically, f
rom my understanding, have been riding the “Worlds Course” which is about 40-50 miles from the (usually warm temperature) City Park starting point. It covers some hilly rolling roads that are all decent in width and condition. My history with the “Worlds Ride” was a one-time attempt, early last spring. I invited my friend Joel and my brother in law, Tim along for the heart attack special. We all hung on until we got to the lovely blossoming town of Ostrander. As the road ramped up, so did the speed and POW, at about 28 mph, we all go springing out the back. We managed to pick up 2 others that were spit out the back as we went north and find our way back around and back to the city park – and our cars. I roll in to the Starbucks with another local fast guy from about 40 min out. We wait as others roll in, some others call in and say wait – we wait. I get a few looks of, hey what’s up and a few, hello’s. Myself and another guy, Joe are the only ones with fenders to keep our parts dry from the snow melt across the road. 10 minutes and we roll out up North and line up 2x2 on the road. Reviewing my ride file, it doesn’t appear that things got too ugly until we got up north about an hour and some change. I knew as soon as we turned around and got a tail wind, things were going to ramp up and the friendly conversation would come to a halt. Sure enough, about an hour 20 or so, we make our turn across the rickety old metal 1 lane bridge and the front 10 guys, kick it into overdrive. We averaged about 25-30 mph for about 40 minutes. I wasn’t exactly hanging on for dear life, but it defiantly required some focus to get over the quad pain here and there. I was caught up in a bit of pulling up front right before we climbed up this long grade from the river on our way back south. I just didn’t know it was there and should have looked at my handy Garmin 705 to show what was coming. DUH. I was trying to decide, should I big ring it, stand up, pop my way up to the front, and then fade to the back. Or just ride my pace up the long grade? I chose the latter. I managed to hang on as I watched my HR rise up into deathville. One of the long time riders in this group, slides back ever so slowly to pick me up as I was slowly sliding off the back about two bike lengths. We get back up, I move up around a few guys and get low and tight so I can recover. With about another hour to get back to the Starbucks, I drink, I eat again, fuel, fuel and more fuel. I don’t think I had been drinking enough. A few are looking pretty blown at this point as we roll by the regular stopping point in the summer months. We make our final left and hit our final downhill before Starbucks. We get to the light, it turns green, no one says anything except, “green”, we all roll through and blow by the side driveway to the coffee stop/starting point. I grab a few wheels of those I know that live near my house and we get down, to get home. I look around and we’ve lost about 70% of our group. I slow up, the guys in front of me are killing it at this point, I don’t have it to keep up. I look back for a few friends, they are not to be found and must have stopped for some warm up and coffee. Two guys catch up to me, but one of them looses part of his pump from his jersey and both roll off to go find the lost, bouncing plastic piece in the intersection. I blow on and try to keep some kind of pace, with about 10 miles home. I manage to slump it home with Anthony, who is keeping a 20 mph pace, I look down and think I am not going to make it home. He peels off, I slow up and make it home in one piece. My legs feel like big giant redwood trees, my knees hurt, but I did it. 70 miles, 3 hours, 45 minutes, max speed 45.5 mph. I spent about 9 min in crazy power zone, 6 minutes in max, 9.22 at a race pace. I had some great power numbers and blew a few thousand calories.
rom my understanding, have been riding the “Worlds Course” which is about 40-50 miles from the (usually warm temperature) City Park starting point. It covers some hilly rolling roads that are all decent in width and condition. My history with the “Worlds Ride” was a one-time attempt, early last spring. I invited my friend Joel and my brother in law, Tim along for the heart attack special. We all hung on until we got to the lovely blossoming town of Ostrander. As the road ramped up, so did the speed and POW, at about 28 mph, we all go springing out the back. We managed to pick up 2 others that were spit out the back as we went north and find our way back around and back to the city park – and our cars. I roll in to the Starbucks with another local fast guy from about 40 min out. We wait as others roll in, some others call in and say wait – we wait. I get a few looks of, hey what’s up and a few, hello’s. Myself and another guy, Joe are the only ones with fenders to keep our parts dry from the snow melt across the road. 10 minutes and we roll out up North and line up 2x2 on the road. Reviewing my ride file, it doesn’t appear that things got too ugly until we got up north about an hour and some change. I knew as soon as we turned around and got a tail wind, things were going to ramp up and the friendly conversation would come to a halt. Sure enough, about an hour 20 or so, we make our turn across the rickety old metal 1 lane bridge and the front 10 guys, kick it into overdrive. We averaged about 25-30 mph for about 40 minutes. I wasn’t exactly hanging on for dear life, but it defiantly required some focus to get over the quad pain here and there. I was caught up in a bit of pulling up front right before we climbed up this long grade from the river on our way back south. I just didn’t know it was there and should have looked at my handy Garmin 705 to show what was coming. DUH. I was trying to decide, should I big ring it, stand up, pop my way up to the front, and then fade to the back. Or just ride my pace up the long grade? I chose the latter. I managed to hang on as I watched my HR rise up into deathville. One of the long time riders in this group, slides back ever so slowly to pick me up as I was slowly sliding off the back about two bike lengths. We get back up, I move up around a few guys and get low and tight so I can recover. With about another hour to get back to the Starbucks, I drink, I eat again, fuel, fuel and more fuel. I don’t think I had been drinking enough. A few are looking pretty blown at this point as we roll by the regular stopping point in the summer months. We make our final left and hit our final downhill before Starbucks. We get to the light, it turns green, no one says anything except, “green”, we all roll through and blow by the side driveway to the coffee stop/starting point. I grab a few wheels of those I know that live near my house and we get down, to get home. I look around and we’ve lost about 70% of our group. I slow up, the guys in front of me are killing it at this point, I don’t have it to keep up. I look back for a few friends, they are not to be found and must have stopped for some warm up and coffee. Two guys catch up to me, but one of them looses part of his pump from his jersey and both roll off to go find the lost, bouncing plastic piece in the intersection. I blow on and try to keep some kind of pace, with about 10 miles home. I manage to slump it home with Anthony, who is keeping a 20 mph pace, I look down and think I am not going to make it home. He peels off, I slow up and make it home in one piece. My legs feel like big giant redwood trees, my knees hurt, but I did it. 70 miles, 3 hours, 45 minutes, max speed 45.5 mph. I spent about 9 min in crazy power zone, 6 minutes in max, 9.22 at a race pace. I had some great power numbers and blew a few thousand calories.
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