| Hi, guys and girls, please, if you
reply, do it to me directly, off the listserve... --- To the point: I'm fishing for fellow century riders who intend to ride RTR4 on Sat 15 May at an average speed of ~20 mph...slightly higher would be icing. Obviously, if we can link up to form a more organized (yet loosely formed) group, trading pulls, we will all go around faster and easier. Disclosure: In case anyone responding is not aware...I had a very mild heart attack last 20 June...about a 2 on a scale of 10, where 10 would be dead. Just 4 months later, I rode the ~55 mile short version of the Santa Fe Century...and with the wonderful help of some Sunrise riders and strangers who joined us...we did it with an average of 20.7 mph. My weakness is now hills...the first Dungarvin Road hill will not be kind...some of the other long gradual hills will slowly wind me down. I just do not have any anaerobic capacity. But, make no mistake...on flat ground my cruising speed is 19-21 mph solo...I just keep my HR ~120-130 bpm and diesel along. I have to spin up hills with the EXACT same HR...which means I slow down and could get dropped. Bottom line...I have been training pretty hard for this century...100-120 miles per week for 3 months doing speed work and 50-60-70 mile weekend rides. It will be the first full century I have done since last year's RTR3. I want to replicate & double that wonderful ride by seeking riders in my speed range and trying to loosely organize to ride together. Riding a 20+ mph century is my goal. I do not mind going over 5 hours with stops...but I want saddle time to average 20+ mph. I think it is possible that if we average ~21 mph as a group & we can keep no more than two stops to a minimum time and we'd still make it in ~5 hours. I'm confident of riding the whole thing...solo at ~18-20 mph if I need to...scenic but boring...I'd rather ride in a group, it is much more fun. But, please WAIT for me after a hill, I can catch the group and keeping me as a contributing member doing 2-3-4 minute pulls on the flats will keep us faster as a whole group...and keep it all a bit easier for the group as a whole. Predicting the ride...I see getting sucked out with the main group till they drop us after 10-15 miles...maybe we can hold on longer...but not at the cost of going anaerobic...then settling in and cruising at 20-22 mph on to the 50 mile stop (< 5min) , also stopping at the 75 mile stop (< 5min), then bringing it home. Since it will likely be quite hot...the second stop may be mandatory for fluids. If there are any Sunrisers, Gliders, or others who want to meet at the start of RTR4...let me know here so I can look for you...PLEASE do NOT reply to the entire listserve. If I get a lot of takers on this request...I will take the responsibility of sending email to our group so everyone is aware of what is going on. If I don't, I guess I will have to get on to Scott Erker's wheel and try to hold on for 100 miles. If anyone is planning to do Paul's (drier?) 8 May Sat Sunrise ride...see you there...spin the hills...Bob Howland |
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