SIR Winter training 2010 ride #1 - recap

Yesterday I met Duncan and the Seattle Randos for the first training ride of 2010, held along with the Cascade Bicycle Club. The ride was about 38 miles long, with 2,000 feet of climbing, if you didn't go astray. I stayed pretty much on course, thanks to my new GPS, but did miss one turn while talking to someone while my GPS was acting up a bit.

I finished up in about 3:15, including a stop at Starbucks - that's really pretty decent for me. I felt better on the hills than I ever have, so all that hill climbing is definitely paying off. Several of the other riders mentioned how out of shape they were or felt, but honestly I've never felt stronger. I passed quite a few people going uphill, which was a nice change from the feeling of shooting backward through the pack that I had last year.

I'm a bit fatigued today, and only have minor soreness (right achilles and left knee). I was also a bit cold on yesterday's ride, except for the uphills where I was plenty warm. In retrospect I should have worn my knee warmers, but I was afraid they'd slip down and be a pain to adjust under my rain gear.

The weather turned out great - sunny around 50 and not too windy. Really you just couldn't ask for a better winter ride in the PNW.