So I've been trying to make up for lost training time on my weekend bike rides, knowing what awaits me at LiveStrong next week (45 miles of HILLS!). Today was no exception. I wanted to increase my endurance a little through a longer-distance ride. To wit, I planned to go 50 miles on the W&OD trail, which is a very long, relatively flat, paved trail that runs through the Washington, DC, suburbs in Northern Virginia. Most of the trail is in a corridor of trees, bushes, and other foliage that cuts through the middle of residential and a few commerical areas. The great thing about this trail is that you can really build up some speed and push that endurance by going a long distance w/o stopping or even slowing down to cross a rode.
I rode 54 miles in 5 hours, 25 minutes, including three breaks. I felt hungry but otherwise great when I hit my turn-around point (which was also my first break), but coming back was rough. Really rough. Oh man, I thought my legs were going to fall off!
The weather was perfect for cycling: overcast all morning without a drop of rain, cool temps, and a low breeze. Ahhhh.....
I spent most of the return trip "spinning," which is what you do when your legs are tired. You put the bike into a lower gear so that your legs don't have to work so hard every time they go around. This works your heart more and gives your legs a break. Essentially my legs were SCREAMING at me for most of the ride back. Poor legs. They performed admirably.
If I had been training more on the bike this summer, 54 miles would have been a challenge but not a big deal. I did multiple 50-mile rides last summer without trouble. I think today's ride was simply a little too ambitious at this stage of my training.
The good news is, my heart didn't get tired, which I must attribute to all the working out I've done with Leandro this summer. My thighs still aren't toned (I know, I checked after the ride) but my heart is strong thanks to Leandro's relentless coaching. As Leandro constantly admonishes: "Give it all, don't settle for less!"
I love that I can go such distances on just the power of my own two legs. The human body is truly an amazing thing.
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