Jasper to Fort Mountain - Training Ride

(click to enlarge image)

(click to enlarge image)

(click to enlarge image)

Garmin Connect Ride Data

Today it was our opportunity to have a challenging ride in support of Neal Bowers, Glenn Hittel, Nancy Alexander and others who need some additional training for the centuries like the Cherohala Challenge and other climbing ride coming up. When I got the responses back for who was attending the ride today I knew right off that I would be last coming into the parking area and I was. You can also look at my data above and tell I was having another bad performance day and with the people that showed up for the ride I was in great need of my best legs and heart just to hang on the back.

Right out of the parking lot Rick Nielson led out the group at a brisk pace. I was in third position, but knew very quickly that I needed to back off that pace and settle in with some of the other guys. Even our group had a 19.1 mph average by the time we did our store stop at the 35 mile marker and just before the climb up Fort Mountain. From the time I started climbing to the end of the ride I just began to struggle more and more as I watched my average speed drop.

I think at the end everyone was glad it was done and happy to mark down that they did another good training ride.

For me I would have loved to boast of a great day and post up some impressive training number above, but I am still glad no matter how far off the back I am these day to be inching forward to better condition.

One thing that was good news is that Gary weighed my new bike minus the tool bag and fluids and it weighed in at 14.9 pounds. It wasn't my intention to be a weight weenie, but the bike feels very light in comparison to my Cannondale six13 and even better is how well the bike felt climbing and descending Fort Mountain. Now I just have to improve me in a major way.