Back to the Vomit
It’s just about time to start my two times a week trips to the Silver Comet Trail, aka the Vomit, for tempo rides. Yesterday I rode from the house out there as a warm up to next week’s first tempo ride. I tried to set my heart rate right at the top of my level 2 zone (142 bpm) for three and half hours. The rolling hills on the way had me all over the place, but once I hit the rail to trail I was fairly steady. Just minutes from the start of the trail, I passed two guys who just turned around at the trail head. I sense a presence behind me and sure enough they jumped up to my wheel. No big deal to me, but I know what is going to happen. They will eventually come around, then they will slow 50 yards from the road crossing and then start back off at such a slow pace that I’ll blow by. They will think I’m playing games, jump back to my wheel and start this all over in time for the next cross a mile up the road. The problem is that I just want to keep my effort as consistent as possible. I play along as best I can, since keeping my effort consistent means I can’t sit up nor sprint away. Eventually, as the road crossing become infrequent I back off just a little and let them go away. It works well. They think they dropped me and are happy with themselves and I can go back to my steady pace.
I rode out for an hour and twenty, then turned back. As I made my way back toward ATL my legs became heavier and heavier. I would eat or take a pull from my bottle, and it would subside for a bit only to return with more weight. I was fine while on the Vomit, but once I was back on the roads to go home my legs broke. The big rollers on Plant Akins road were just killing me. Luckily it’s only 30 minutes from the trail head to my door. I had a fitting 45 minutes after finished, so I cleaned up and downed a pile of food. The fitting went well, but I as a little sluggish.
Today I finally begin a real rest week. We took a shortened one three weeks ago and this last week I could really feel the effects. My legs will be happy to take a break.