When I track the metrics of a ride from data collected by my
Garmin computer, I always feel it builds my knowledge base of my tendencies as
a rider. In pure numbers it shows where I was fast, sorta fast, slow, and very
slow on a ride.
I’m always trying to increase my average speed when I regularly
ride a 51-mile out-and-back close to my home. I don’t want to be in races, I
just want to ride a consistently fast pace for a physical challenge. So I can
be fit, and yep, keep the fat at bay!
I have a slow metabolism so if I don’t ride regularly and
with some pep, I feel it. I know when I need to get on the bike and ride hard.
It’s pretty often, like two or three times a week.
I used to weigh myself to keep track of where I was on the
fit or fat meter. But now, probably because of a need to keep things positive,
I only do so when I feel super light after a strenuous ride!
After a ride, I plug my Garmin into my home computer and get
a breakdown of the ride’s speed, split by split and other details such as
temperature, total feet ascended, and top speed.
I wanted to dial down into my mph averages on splits, plus
challenge myself more by doing three long rides in three days and tracking the
results for average speed.
So five weeks ago, I started riding my virtually flat
51-mile ride (1,100 feet of climb) on three consecutive days, just to see how
the upped mileage load would affect my legs and speed.
I crunched the average mph of the four main splits on each
of the three rides then averaged the three one-day mph averages. There are
three more splits on the ride that I don’t time, since they’re at the beginning
and end of it where there are traffic signals and pedestrians that interfere
with consistent speeds. And I don’t time the super short turnaround segment that
sandwiches the halfway point where I stop to eat and rest for a few minutes.
I’ve picked out a few splits of the ride to hammer on, some
are easy, some are long gradual climbs, some are short false flats, others are long,
highest gear flats. All of them are to boost my heart rate significantly. I
don’t mess with tracking my heart rate with a chest band or anything else. I just
push myself to that day’s energy edge taking care not to overdo it, and bonk.
I set a goal of 18 mph average speed on the splits over each
ride in the three-day periods. For the first five three-day rides I hit my 18
mph average speed goal once, and came pretty close two other times. The two other
three-day speed averages were on the slow side.
And the three-day
average speeds were…
My average speed totals for each three-day ride period over
the past five weeks were: 17.7 mph, 18.0 mph, 17.2 mph, 17.0 mph and 17.8 mph.
I found that I rode only one of each three-ride cluster fast (for me), with the
other two rides somewhat slower.
So far, the 18 mph average looks to be just about right as a
goal for me. It’s high, but it definitely can be done!
There was no pattern to which of the three rides was
fastest. Sometimes it was on the first ride, sometimes the second and once it
was on the third. Now, my mission if I decide to accept it, is to get a high
energy level on all three days and hit the 18 mph average more often.
It’s amazing how much only 1 mph will add to or slow down
your speed over several miles. Doesn’t seem like much, but it really adds up. I
try to keep at 18-21 mph on the flats, and average 17 mph on the various climb
stretches on the ride that amount to only 1,100 feet or so. Those are tough
paces to keep but they’re reachable on good energy days.
I’ve started to do the ride’s sprint interval segments out
of habit, and have a couple of climb segments I plan on adding, which will be
brutal to try to hammer on. But if I get them into the routine with the others,
I figure I’ll be less likely to think about them and just automatically hit it
when they come up.
Wheelsucking? Oh yeah
I must confess, I’ll draft a fast rider that comes along to
help my time if I’m dragging my ass all alone out there. Never too proud to
hang on to some hammerhead’s wheel as long as I can! Sometimes I can return the
favor by pulling them for a stretch.
Recently I tried to stay on the wheel of a rider with a
seemingly effortless 20-22 mph pace on flat trail. I stayed with him for
several miles, rested a little, then humped up to pass him on a hill. I stayed
ahead of him when the trail flattened out for a bit, and on another fairly
short climb. But that extra effort to get ahead of him gassed me. I slowed down
and it wasn’t long before he glided right past! Oh man, dropped. Couldn’t stay
with him after that.
Other than pros I’ve seen working out on the trail before
the Amgen Tour of California, this guy was the fastest spinner I’ve seen out
there. Not a real young guy either. I saw him another time going in the
opposite direction, riding smooth and fast again. Dude is fit!
I need to do that
On another long climb segment that I just try to gut out
near the end of the first half of the ride, a little guy who looked like a pro,
easily passed me, dancing on his pedals like Contador. That was the fastest I’ve
ever seen a rider go up that extended climb. I need a lot more lung capacity
before I could even come close to standing up all the way on that stretch. But hey,
it can be done!
Adding up the
positives
To keep the spirits up while on rides, which at times are grueling,
I keep track of the highlights of each ride. If I ride a split at a fast mph
average I’m shooting for, or if I have a good conversation with another rider,
a strong overall ride, see a deer or a coyote, whatever it is, I take note. Definitely
adds to the ride’s satisfaction.
The best highlight for me, though, I have to say, is
finishing a ride without a crash or mechanical. Now that’s something I’m always
truly thankful for.
‘Til next time, remember to strap on a helmet every time you
get on the bike. After that, keep the rubber side down, ride safely and have
fun.
-- Mark Eric Larson
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