First Long Training Ride of the Year!

Last Wednesday, it was icy and 6 degrees - I had to hit the treadmill because it was too slippery outside. Then it was fine for a track workout 2 days later, and then it was 70 degrees on Saturday! I got out on that beautiful afternoon for a ride - my first true "training" ride of the year. (I've been biking to class many days, but this was the first my "real" bike was outside for 2024.)

I had a last-minute veterinary trip with a sick cat, so my timeframe got cut a little short. But that shortened timeframe dictated my ride: I'd go hard for 20 miles, hit a few hills, and get back as fast as possible. In the end, my ride looked like this:

That was over 36 miles along the river, up the Big River's Trail, back down that along Water Street to the base of the Ohio Hill, up Ohio, back along Hwy 13 to 35E, across the river, along Shepard to downtown, up Ramsey Hill, and down Summit Ave to home. It doesn't look like 36 miles on the map, but notice splits 4-9 are all within a few miles of each other - I went through that area 3 times on 3 different roads.

My tempo ride was OK... could have been worse, but could have been better. I'm happy with it for an early season ride. After going up Big Rivers and coming back down, I hit mile 20 along Water Street with a 20.6 mph average. I did worse last November (with a 20.2 mph ave), but better in Sept (with a 21.2 mph ave).

Then I hit Ohio and Ramsey hills:

5-6 is Ohio (2:25, 10.3 mph), and 8-9 is Ramsey (1:25, 9.7 mph).


Pace graph: the red is my tempo 20 miles in 58:13.

I don't think I'll be back outside yet this weekend, but hoping to start getting out more shortly!!