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Home→Bike Ride→I Improved my Average Speed but Not Compared to Some Other Bikers – August 20th Bike Ride

I Improved my Average Speed but Not Compared to Some Other Bikers – August 20th Bike Ride

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I got an earlier start today in the hope of beating some of the heat. I am not sure I accomplished that goal since it was 95 degrees by the time I got back home after a 41.82 mile ride. It was 82 degrees when I rode away at 7:59AM so over the 3 1/2 hours the temperature went up 13 degrees. Yesterday my home weather station recorded 106+ degrees for a couple of hours. The sweat poured out of my body during the ride and drinking two water bottles plus a 44 oz. Diet Pepsi did not replace what I lost in fluid. My technique of dipping my head to the right produces a flood of water but it does seem to keep it out of my eyes. If I lower my chin enough to squeeze my helmet strap I get even more sweat to drop down on the road. I think my right shoe must get the brunt of the moisture but the wind appears to evaporate it.

While I was stopped at the Chevron station in Splendora to dry off some and refill my water bottle 5 other bikers from Kingwood pulled in. They were talking about averaging 23.5 mph for the 65 miles they had rode up to that point. This made my 15.4 mph average speed seem like I was walking but then again these guys were probably half my age and riding in a group. They were riding some high end bikes as well: Trek Madone, Pinerallo and others. One biker took his bandana off and wrung it out over the concrete and a lot of water fell out. At least I wasn’t the only one sweating up a storm. My goal was to increase my average speed and this I accomplished. My max speed was 20.5 mph and my average cadence also increased to 80.2 RPM.

Yesterday I received my Hotter’n Hell Hundred registration packet. I am rider #6669. Hopefully all of this hot weather practice riding will carry me on the 75 mile route. With the 6:15 AM start we will probably have low light and maybe a low temperature.

August mileage update:

  • August miles 377.09
  • This week’s miles 156.64
  • Year to date miles 3815.74

8-20-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

 

8-20-2011 Home Weather Finish

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Comments

I Improved my Average Speed but Not Compared to Some Other Bikers – August 20th Bike Ride — 5 Comments

  1. You still outdid my average speed today on a 36 mile ride between Harper and Doss. I’m still having to push the bike to make it over the summit of Cat 5 hills. I input the route on MapMyRide (this was the shorter, listed as 35 mile route).

    It was a good challenge to break me out of my normal ride rut, but I’m drained.

  2. My route was rather flat so that helped but the headwind on the last 20 miles probably slowed me down but it helped on the way out. I probably need to work on my hill climbing.

  3. On Friday my “short” regular route actually set a new benchmark for average speed at 14.1 mph. Not much in the way of hills as it is just between Kerrville and Center Point and back, 24 miles.

  4. I have a regular route as well. Sometimes I am not as motivated to get an average speed over 15.0 mph. Sometimes I have to remind myself I also bike for the fun of it.

  5. That’s the most important part. Remembering to do things for fun. Feeling the bike as an extension of your body as you make a turn. Seeing the wildlife that we wouldn’t see at 70 mph.

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