I decided with the great weather on Saturday to go and ride with some of the local studs here in Madison. The ride was billed as a base ride and for most of the ride it was. The part that wasn't was a bit frustrating. I really had to work hard to stay with the group on some of the longer hills and also a section which was more of a 20 minute time trial than a base ride. This caused some doubt as to whether I did enough this winter to spring board my fitness toward a good season.
Although it felt good to work harder, and be outside with my buddies, I'm not sure if this is in line with my goal of becoming a better cyclist. I think what is frustrating is the fact that I love riding with my friends not only for the company but also for the fact that these guys are strong and there may be some benefit to riding with them. However, this turned into more of a roadie ride with huge peaks and valleys in effort, power, and heart rate rather than a tri-focused ride with more steady efforts and controlled hills. I'd like to continue to ride with them because I really enjoy their company but I worry that I'm not doing what I should when I'm training but, at the same time, I don't want to be a triathlon hermit.
6 comments:
don't be a hermit.. YOU WILL ONLY GET STRONGER by riding with roadies...plus, you never know when those awesome handling skills will be needed in a tri...keep going! this is coming from a tri-turned-roadie...:) no swim this week! I am bummed! I HEART SWIMMING
hehe...have fun..steal some TUCSON SUN for me! I miss that place so much! Stranger?!?!? I never even see you at the POOL...TOUCHE!!!! You haven't been there in ages.......safe travels! Lemmon should be nice and windy for you this time of the year!
Josh- The first time I rode with the Wednesday group ride here in Boulder I got dropped on the warm-up. After a year I was taking my turns on the front. I pretty much just rode MAF all the time, plus that group ride as my only high intensity... I placed 13th at Kona that year. I think a solid group ride each (or maybe even every other or even 3rd) week is good. I became mentally tougher with those rides for sure and gained a lot of confidence.
T
Thanks Tim. Your advice is always appreciated. I think going MAF and one intensity ride makes a lot of sense.
Thanks Tim. Your advice is always appreciated. I think going MAF and one intensity ride makes a lot of sense.
Thanks Tim. Your advice is always appreciated. I think going MAF and one intensity ride makes a lot of sense.
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