There and back again...

As part of my training plan I have incorporated cross training, which in my case is cycling. I alternate long runs and long rides each Sunday, currently 15 and 50 miles respectively slowing increasing them over time as I build my base back up. Yesterday was the first long ride of the plan and I had scheduled a nice rolling 25 miles out and back along Pacific Coast Highway. Jes from the TRC joined me as did a friend of hers Joel, Jes is competing in the Nautica Triathalon this month and the ride would cover the ride portion of her Tri so it would be good practice for her to ride the course.

She had recently picked up her new bike and this would be her longest ride to date: good mental training for her race. We met early and were on the road by 6:30. The sky was grey and flat as was the ocean and in parts it was hard to discern where one stopped and the other started. The weather remained much like this for the whole ride with the occasional ray of light but no real sun as such; perfect conditions.

The ride is deceptively rolling with very little actual flat, you’re either climbing or descending proper or you’re on one type of an incline albeit gentler. We rode independently without waiting for each other, I reached the turnaround and headed back south, there was a rather brisk headwind that, to be honest, I had not noticed as a tailwind earlier but it probably goes to my average pace and clicking off eight of the last ten miles at a sub three minute mile pace and with an average speed of just under 20mph. After only a couple of miles I saw Jes making good progress, and despite her self proclaimed nervousness, she was making good progress, I circled round and joined her so she knew where to turnaround. We stopped for a minute so she could dig out some food and then both headed south. We rode together for a while and then she was an uneventful 90 minutes later I was back at the start, I unclipped, and racked my bike, while I was stretching Jes rolled in, and despite her pain, (her words not mine) she put in a thoroughly solid performance which hopefully will put her in good stead for her he Tri.

I finished up with a total 53.12 miles and a moving time of 3:21:25, a little slower than the last time I rode this route back at the end of June, albeit this time it had four extra miles, but my average was speed was a little slower (0.7mph) and my average heart rate was 10 bpm higher, nothing too concerning as my HR will settle down and drop some as my base comes back up and my speed will increase as my fitness level rises.

This week my wife’s away so it’s going to be all about the treadmill and trainer, deep joy, at least she’s back in time for next weekend when I am back out on the hills with the TRC.

I snapped a few pics along the way and here’s the MotionBased data: