Weather.com Says 10% Chance…
BY KENNETH LUNDGREN
Well, I listen to Weather.com. It is usually VERY accurate… I stalk that website, have the Hour-By-Hour page on my Favorites…
So yesterday I had a 2+h hilly Tempo ride planned. The sky was VERY gray at noon, but Weather.com said 10% chance of rain at 3. I look outside, slight drizzle, then stops. Hmmm. Well, Weather.com DID say 30% rain at noon, so I guess we’re okay…
I dress, my road bike immaculately clean, and head out. On a good day, the watts there, I’m taking all the climbs at a higher Tempo or SubThreshold pace, just in the zone, churning a high cadence on the flats, in the drops always and zipping along…
Halfway into ride… the rains… Weather not so bad, 52 degrees, but the sky darkened and the rain didn’t let up… I suppose I’m not “hardened” yet, lol, used to LOVE riding/racing in the rain, but I fell apart rather quickly… My socks were wet, my fingers were getting numb, and my legs were just slowing down… Perceived Effort to hold the watts just continued to increased… It is what it is…
I did a slightly longer loop, and it’s funny: 15 minutes into the extra mileage, I started to really feel it. Blah. We all know what it’s like. I was eating well, drinking, the whole nine yards, but I just felt empty, nothing in the legs. It’s better to go through this now rather than later! I have a feeling the Paleo Diet has something to do with it, as they say it takes a good 3-4 weeks until you start feeling energetic again, but that was NOT a pleasant crawl home in the rain yesterday!!!
Having said that, the ride yielded my best personal data on a Tempo ride to date, another reason I love riding with a power meter. Had I not been on the meter, I would’ve thought I had a crappy day and wondered why I was so slow. But, after analyzing the file, the first 3/4 of the ride were stellar, and I started to crack in final 1/4 — facing the rain and the added mileage. Even with my weakened finish, the data was still superior to last week…
ONE NOTE ON CYCLISTS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR ON THE ROAD
I ride with many different riders, and I would say it’s close to 50/50 with their view on how they should ride in the road. Me, I ride almost ON THE CURB, out of the way. I’m like a ghost out there. I was hit by a motorcycle in April, but that was on a group ride and the motorcycle lost control coming around a turn, virtually unavoidable. I can’t recall riding solo and going down or having an incident with a motorist. Ever.
The roads belong to the cars. Okay, share the road, I keep hearing, but some riders take this to an extreme, riding far out in the road, riding two, three abreast, blocking traffic. This almost embarrasses me, being a fellow cyclist. Have some respect for the drivers! When people honk at you, don’t get mad — get the hell out of the way. Cars are driving the speed limit and you’re riding 18 mph — of course they’re gonna get mad…
I’ve just seen so much of this lately. I was riding with someone the other day, and we’re riding two abreast — I’m almost IN the curb, repeatedly telling this person to ride closer to me — and cars are constantly honking, flying around way on the other side of the road, just making the ride stressful and almost miserable. The person (not a close friend of mine) proceeded to mouth off several times to these motorists, getting very angry and almost confrontational. And to my knowledge, this seems to be a very quiet and humble person!!!
Cyclists, get the hell out of the way. Show respect for these cars. Half these drivers, they’re not paying attention, will never give in… If you keep riding so far out in the road, you will ALWAYS make grief for yourself — or get HIT. I hear riders saying they wish they carried a bottle of pennies to throw, etc. What? Just get over to the right and enjoy the frickin’ ride!!! Save that anger for the pedals!!!
Just my rant for the day…
