I Cheated on Terrible Tuesday

This Ride: 18.3 mi
Kona Miles: 1751.1 mi
Month to date: 402.2 mi
2010 Total: 2217.6 mi

I’m not proud of the cheat, but it had to be done.  It’s a “Ghost Rider” strategy.

I needed to ride this morning, but there was no way I was going to be able to keep up with the 5:45 Peloton riders, so I headed out at about the usual time and instead of the meet up at the Rusty Bridge, I just started south on the trail.  I had at least 10 minutes on them, and didn’t figure they would catch me at all.

It was a humid morning.  It rained overnight.  I set a good pace for myself and kept the heart rate up but in a reasonable range.  By the end of the trail I was feeling pretty good and continued south to the peak of the Naval Academy Bridge.  The sun was a few degrees above the horizon, there was a breeze blowing a chop on the Severn, and it was simply a gorgeous morning with a great view.

Returning to the trail, I wondered about the Peloton.  I figured I wouldn’t see them at all, figuring that they were now ahead of me on the trail.  But even before I could blink, there they were.  They were still not to the end of the trail.  My heart leaped in my chest (literally jumping 10 bpm) and I had a goal.  They were not going to catch me before I reached Glen Oban where they turn off.  (I’m glad I didn’t tell them this plan or I would have been caught!)  They nearly did catch me, and if I were them, I would have claimed it.  Even though I had a good pace on the trail, they soon were ahead of me on the parallel road.  By the time they rejoined the trail, they were a good 300-400 yards ahead.

I am noticing some increased fitness on the hills.  Maybe some additional hill work will be good in July.

Lance Armstrong announced yesterday that the 2010 Tour De France will be his last.