Getting Serious About the Upcoming Fléche

The 2013 Fléche is April 6-7.  Team Chain Reaction has two new members due to an injury and an attempt to keep local riders involved.  Our new members include Fran & Theresa and our returning members include myself, Jack N, and Mike B.  Our route this year was designed by Jack and includes two trips over the Blue Ridge Mountains and a control in Charlestown, WV.  It has been submitted for approval.

With that major event (more than 225 miles) less than 6 weeks away, it is time to ramp up the training, especially the base miles.  Therefore, as I pushed off this morning for the Mosey Monday Ride with Severna Park Peloton, I resolved to kick it up a notch and increase the pace.  I maxed out my heart rate on a couple of hills (170 bpm) and kept the pace up for most of the ride.  That’s tough to do with temperatures in the upper 20s, but I accomplished my fastest average speed in a month and only have 4 rides faster this year.

In recent weeks I’ve been riding slower with Dan as he recovers from knee surgery.  Dan got his legs back, and even as I kicked up the pace, my view was of a flashing red tail light gradually moving away from me.  I’ll never be as strong as Dan, but I’d like to be able to keep his light in view!

It was a good morning ride.  There were six of us out.  Part of our conversation was focused on the delight of outdoor exercise.  We are getting a sunrise before we finish the ride, and it is nice to be riding in daylight … for a couple more weeks before Daylight Saving Time kicks in.

This Ride: 21.8 miles
Month: 319.5 miles
2013: 735.7 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 20,508.6 miles