| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
23.56 miles
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Altitude Gain:
1,106 ft
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Avg Speed:
15.05 mph
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Route:
Rock Stream
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 151 bpm
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Avg HR: 135 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: Look Blade RS 795 Iconic Ltd Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Cloudy 84 F S wind @ 10 mph |
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Another cloudy windy day but at least it wasn't raining. Still not feeling much like riding so another short day scheduled. Wind was out of the south at a steady ten miles an hour with occasional gusts. Have been overusing the valley ride so opted for a short ride to Rock Stream. Normally I like to start off into the wind but today headed north and hoped the wind would push me up the climb out of Watkins to Gabriel's Junction. Didn't really take advantage to the tailwind to Watkins and lost all kinds of time going through the traffic lights in the village. Started up the first highway climb fairly well but as soon as I hit a slightly steeper section the legs went flat and could barely climb at seven miles an hour. In days of old with a tailwind it was common to not let the pace drop below ten. Got to the top and decided to immediately head uphill to Reading Center. Normally with this wind I would ride up the lake on SR 14 and then do a three mile low grade climb to Reading. But since the legs were flat and really suffered on the first climb opted for a mile of steeper climbing just to get it over with. One mile and the rest of the ride would be false flats and downhills. Continued to suffer on the climb barely keeping the speed above five. At least the crosswind was keeping the horseflies from landing on me. Finally achieving Reading Center I was able to get some good speed on the downgrade with the tailwind. Took an average speed check and figured I would only need to keep an average of sixteen on the three miles of false flats and I would be able to get the average up to fifteen on the final downhill to Watkins and at least salvage an otherwise disappointing ride. Started out well enough but soon found myself pushing hard into the wind and only able to go thirteen miles an hour. I was actually seeing spots from the effort and that is pretty sad. I was able to get into the thirties on the two mile downhill into Watkins and was able to get the average up to fifteen. Thought it was a losing effort though as still had to get through a heavy traffic and a half dozen lights passing through Watkins. After that had two more flat miles into the wind and a mile uprise home. The math didn't look good. I was saved though as the wind wasn't as bad through the swamp as it appears riding along the cliff face gave some shelter. I was able to recover my traffic losses and get enough cushion to get home barely above fifteen. Thought taking the weekend off might help me recover but appears it just lowered from my fitness level. Probably some of the worst climbing I've done this year.
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