Sometimes you gotta

[H.Frank Beshear]

get outside the comfort zone. Yesterday I rode with some friends from the shop. Bruce is a strong 4 and was the IA state cross champ a couple years ago, Phil is my age and a cat 5 that needs to upgrade, Jeff aka Hammer just moved up to a 4. I'm a good solid cat 9 :D . Sunday is a recovery/no drop ride and I tagged along. I had a blast, it was the hardest I've ridden all year and the fastest non wind aided 65 miles I've ever traveled. It sure wasn't the typical mid-paced club ride I was used to :rolleyes:. We hit some rolling hills and a few flat roads, by the end of the ride I figured out it is better to suffer more on the climb and keep up than to try and catch back on after falling off the back. They were laughing and talking on the hills and I was gasping and wheezing. The flats were a little better I could draft and stay with them and even recover a little. I might have been able to go a bit harder but maybe not. A little sore today but not bad, I'll definitely do this again though. Sometimes it's a lot of fun to get outside of our comfort zone. I learned I'm in better shape than I give my self credit for, and it's a lot of fun to explore the limits of our fitness. Enjoy the day, Frank

[SoCalSteve]

get outside the comfort zone. Yesterday I rode with some friends from the shop. Bruce is a strong 4 and was the IA state cross champ a couple years ago, Phil is my age and a cat 5 that needs to upgrade, Jeff aka Hammer just moved up to a 4. I'm a good solid cat 9 :D . Sunday is a recovery/no drop ride and I tagged along. I had a blast, it was the hardest I've ridden all year and the fastest non wind aided 65 miles I've ever traveled. It sure wasn't the typical mid-paced club ride I was used to :rolleyes:. We hit some rolling hills and a few flat roads, by the end of the ride I figured out it is better to suffer more on the climb and keep up than to try and catch back on after falling off the back. They were laughing and talking on the hills and I was gasping and wheezing. The flats were a little better I could draft and stay with them and even recover a little. I might have been able to go a bit harder but maybe not. A little sore today but not bad, I'll definitely do this again though. Sometimes it's a lot of fun to get outside of our comfort zone. I learned I'm in better shape than I give my self credit for, and it's a lot of fun to explore the limits of our fitness. Enjoy the day, Frank

Again, your an inspiration to us all!

Good for you!

Steve

[justinf]

Thanks Frank, I'm off to bed fired up to ride hard in the am. :beer:

[Ginger]

Yes Frank,
You are in better shape than you give yourself credit for! You probably even have a better-than-cat-4 butt...Deb will have to make that comparison for us and report back. ;)

My question is...is this the first time you've really pushed yourself since you dropped all that weight? As noted in the other thread...it isn't all about weight, but you've been gaining strength too with all your riding. You looked fresh as a freak'n daisy after that century on TOMRV!

Congratulations!

Onward and Upward!

[Ken Robb]

how much faster would you have been on my Ramboullet, full of ahi tacos? Only Kevan knows for sure.

[Samster]

so true Frank. it's too easy to fall into a riding rut. pace change is good for the mind and body. thanks for the reminder...

[Kevan]

I was whistling (bicycle radio, don't you know.) all my way to work this morning. Out the door before 6am, saw my prerequisite deer, I was in no hurry. Humidity caused the glasses to steam up at every climb so ditched them behind the neck, hanging from the collar. Nice ride.

90 degrees this evening will likely change my tune. Doubt I'll even whistle.

[H.Frank Beshear]

My question is...is this the first time you've really pushed yourself since you dropped all that weight? As noted in the other thread...it isn't all about weight, but you've been gaining strength too with all your riding. You looked fresh as a freak'n daisy after that century on TOMRV!

Congratulations!

Onward and Upward!

Yep first good hard ride since TOMRV actually the hardest I've ridden all year, probably in a couple years. I've ridden a bunch of base miles, but never really hard. This time I spent almost as much time above the threshold as in it. I'm looking forward to riding with them again, it will hurt a little but it wont kill me.

I had a good ride that weekend stayed within my limits didn't push to hard and had a good time. I've suffered to many times on that ride to get froggy. Besides Deb had the cooler iced and ready at the shop tent when I got to the top of the hill so it was easy to re hydrate :beer: :D .

As for the better than a cat 4 behind well gosh Deb just rolls her eyes at me when I ask her about it :p .

Til next time Frank

[H.Frank Beshear]

how much faster would you have been on my Ramboullet, full of ahi tacos? Only Kevan knows for sure.

Only as fast as my trusty guide, until I could follow my nose ;) . Mighty fine tacos, and wonderful company. Need to get back out your way. Frank

[Ginger]

All that *and* a thousand posts on the Serotta forum!

:)

[Ken Robb]

Only as fast as my trusty guide, until I could follow my nose ;) . Mighty fine tacos, and wonderful company. Need to get back out your way. Frank
and this time you might want to try the Kirk?

[dekindy]

It is really tough for us slow recreational cyclists. I feel your pain! :)