The Sun Sets on the Phat Ride

It's Getting Dark

It was a smaller group tonight. I'd say roughly half the usual. We are approaching the Autumnal Equinox and the days are quickly getting shorter. i think tonight may be the last Tuesday evening ride for the season, unless we squeeze one more in.

The Sun Sets on the Phat Ride as the group bikes past the Diamond Hill Reservoir @~6:50 PM.

Hanging in There...

The lead group was more spread out this time as opposed to last weeks massive lead group. I was able to hang with the core of the group, but not with the breakaway group. We all got a little stretched when we came upon a car accident on Rt 120 and had to slow down and detour around it. Even so, we still averaged 20+ mph rolling into the halfway point.

Now it's time to make the most of the cool weather on the weekends.

My Phat Ride Stats

Date	Distance	Time	Avg Mph	MAX Mph
June 12, 2007	25.24	1:23:38	18.1	36.2
June 26, 2007	25.25	1:24:51	17.9	36.3
July 10, 2007	25.20	1:21:14	18.6	35.7
July 24, 2007	25.26	1:22:17	18.4	37.9
August 7, 2007	25.26	1:22:24	18.4	35.7
August 28, 2007	25.26	1:18:35	19.3	37.2
September 4, 2007	25.25	1:19:03	19.2	36.8

Tonight, I did not get Dropped!

A Landmark Ride!

Tonight was the first night where I did not get dropped from the group. Typically a lead group of 10-12 breaks out in front, then followed up by other groups. I usually get caught between groups and wind up pedaling my butt off trying to catch up to the group/person in front of me. Tonight everybody seemed to be in the lead group including myself. I think we got lucky at a few stop signs and were able to keep the group together.

Pulling the Group for a Change...

I was also feeling uncharacteristically strong tonight. On Burnt Swamp Road I was actually pulling the second group and helped it catch up to the lead group. I made sure to pull off the front before I expended too much energy. If I had stayed on the front for too long, I knew I would just get dropped. I found myself pulling the group again in North Attleboro. It was unfamiliar territory as normally at that point I would be along watching a group pull away from me in the front and inevitably waiting for another group to catch up to me from behind.

There must have been 20 or 30 of us racing along Rt. 120 as we approached the halfway point. It got dodgy at times with all those bikers at those speeds. At the halfway point, I checked my bike computer and it read 20.4 mph average. Typically when I get dropped and try to catch-up it reads 19.9. So at that point I knew the reason for me not getting dropped was not because everybody else was slower :-)

The Second Half

As everybody headed out for the second half (after the brief rest stop) the group thinned out and there was no longer one massive group. Ok. So I rode around the Diamond hill Reservoir with Bob. When we hit the end and into the hills he waited for some of his friends who were behind him. As much as I would have liked to have ridden in a pace line at that point, I didn't want to wait for one. I figured, when they catch me, I'll ride with them. Then something odd happened. I reeled in the 4 riders who were a quarter mile ahead of me. Then I dropped them and caught the next pace line in front of them. Then I dropped them and caught the next group of riders at the stop sign where you make a left onto Rt. 121. I stayed with that group knowing that Mount St was coming up (7% grade climb over 3 tenths of a mile).

Mount St.

Once I hit Mount St., I just focused on doing a steady climb up the hill. To my surprise I dropped everybody in this group except for Rowan on his Specialized Roubaix. I also wound up eating a bug in mid-climb.

Why Did I Ride Stronger Today?

I'm not sure. I do know that I typically peak around September. Maybe all of this years riding is kicking in. The only other thing that was different about today was that I was working from home. I went to my daughter's Kindergarten Orientation and then we went to Papa Gino's for a special treat. There I ate a half a Papa Gino's Pizza. I don't normally stuff myself at lunch, but pizza is a weakness of mine. Maybe Papa Gino's should sponsor a bike team ;-)

My Phat Ride Stats

Date	Distance	Time	Avg Mph	MAX Mph
June 12, 2007	25.24	1:23:38	18.1	36.2
June 26, 2007	25.25	1:24:51	17.9	36.3
July 10, 2007	25.20	1:21:14	18.6	35.7
July 24, 2007	25.26	1:22:17	18.4	37.9
August 7, 2007	25.26	1:22:24	18.4	35.7
August 28, 2007	25.26	1:18:35	19.3	37.2

Stupid MBTA!!!

I missed yesterday's Phat Tuesday Ride because my train was delayed for up to 40 minutes due to mysterious "Signal Problems"

I can't even begin to tell you how frustrated I was last night at around 6:00 PM.

Big Phat Cramp!

A Good Turnout.

Riding Stronger

At least it felt that way. After a week of riding fast and furious in the flats of Baldwin County, Alabama, it was good to get back to the Tuesday Ride Group. Most of the group has done this past weekend's Pan Mass Challenge and there was "talk" of taking it easy today. However, I guess I rode out with the group that didn't do the PMC. It was fast as usual. However, I didn't get dropped until almost mile 8 and I didn't get dropped as badly as I have before. I averaged 19.1 mph at the rest stop and I was still averaging 19.0 mph for the ride up and until the Mount Street Climb.

Pan Mass Challenge

Speaking of the Pan Mass Challenge, I think I'd really like to do it next year. I'll have to make a point of speaking to Tim about that next time I see him.

Phat Cramp

My left calf had been showing signs of cramping all through out the ride. I thought it would hold off. I was finishing strong coming off of the Mount St. climb and I was reeling in the rider in front of me on the last mile of the ride. I caught him and with only a half mile to go, I figured I would sprint past him and make a really strong finish. However, as soon as I stood up, my right calf cramped up big time. I tried to rub it out but it was no use. I didn't want to stop so I un-clipped my right foot and just pedaled the rest of the way using my left foot. As a result I finished 7 seconds slower than my last Tuesday Evening ride (according to my bike computer, which actually recorded the same exact mileage to 2 decimal places!)

My Phat Ride Stats

Date	Distance	Time	Avg Mph	MAX Mph
June 12, 2007	25.24	1:23:38	18.1	36.2
June 26, 2007	25.25	1:24:51	17.9	36.3
July 10, 2007	25.20	1:21:14	18.6	35.7
July 24, 2007	25.26	1:22:17	18.4	37.9
August 7, 2007	25.26	1:22:24	18.4	35.7

Phat Tuesday

Just about perfect weather...

The Tuesday Evening Ride...

I look forward to these Tuesday evening rides. I've ridden with bike clubs on long weekend rides, but they never seem very social and those long group rides eventually devolve into just a bunch of solo riders all going int he same direction. This Tuesday evening ride has a much different vibe. A smaller group of (very local) riders doing the same route week in and week out offers the opportunity to constantly see a lot of familiar faces. It lends itself to a more "Social" atmosphere. Pre-ride start reminds me of hanging out in the paddock at the Auto Cross events I used to go to. Right down to the point of chatting with someone while they are in the process of wiping debris off of their tires... I'm starting to put more names to faces now. Some of these faces I've seen on my weekend solo rides.

Too Fast for my own Good...

When the group made the left onto RT 121 in Sheldonville/West Wrentham, a gap formed instantly between the fast group and everyone else due to traffic. I, however, was able to slip onto 121 and close the gap. I was able to makeup a lot of group simply my maintaining an aggressive pace and late apexing ?

LATE APEX

Turning into a corner late and missing the optimum apex point in order to straighten out the last part of the corner. This allows the driver to accelerate earlier and harder, gaining maximum speed down the next straight.

the next two turns in order to carry my momentum and maintain my speed. I made up the most ground using with the latter technique. Once I caught up with the fast group I knew I was in over my head. I also knew this when I was closing the gap, but there was a gap to be closed ;-)

I got dropped about a mile after closing the gap. I eased up so I would have energy to keep up with the 2nd group when they reeled me in @ mile 5.14. Not enough apparently as I got dropped from them on Fales St. only 2 miles later.

At mile 7.8 on High St. I latched onto a 3rd group of riders. I was able to hang with this group all the way to the rest stop, even taking a turn pulling on RT 120. My self and the rider pictured below even broke away from that group on the long climb on RT 120 as it approached the Mass-RI border. At which point we regrouped.

I can keep up with this guy, barely. (I didn't catch his name) I can see why he commented on my Harpoon shirt on my first ride with the group :-) (I'm not sure when his friend on the right is doing though...)

19.9 mph Average at the half-way resting point.

Solo Phat Ride...

After the rest stop at the halfway point, I headed out a little too early and got stuck in the middle of the huge gap between the fast and the not-so fast. Essentially at this point, it became a fast a solo ride with riders disappearing in front of me and other riders reeling me in over the next 7 miles all the way to Mount St.

All-in-all another good ride. I find myself steadily improving each ride as I learn to pace myself and focus better.

My Phat Ride Stats

Date	Distance	Time	Avg Mph	MAX Mph
June 12, 2007	25.24	1:23:38	18.1	36.2
June 26, 2007	25.25	1:24:51	17.9	36.3
July 10, 2007	25.20	1:21:14	18.6	35.7
July 24, 2007	25.26	1:22:17	18.4	37.9

Another Hot Phat Ride

Tonight was a hot one. I think the temperatures was in the high 80's to lower 90's. I recalled some mentioning of "taking it easy" due to the heat. Heh. I don't think that happened. At the halfway point my bike computer registered an average speed of 19.9 mph.(My overall average was 18.6 mph.) That was my speed despite getting dropped by the lead group @ miles ~6.5 and the second lead group at ~10.5 miles. One of these days I won't get dropped. Last time I got dropped by the majority @ ~4.6 miles. I paced myself better this time and made a point to not be in the front. However, after the halfway break I found myself in the front during the 2nd half warm-up. A tactical error that cost me.

No GPS track for this ride as my Garmin eTrex Legend "self powered down" a couple of times.

Phat Ride, Getting There was an Adventure in Itself...

Getting there was half the battle...

Normally my train gets into the Norfolk T stop right around 5:00 or so. (I get in early, 7:00 am at my desk, so I can get out early.) Today, due to whatever, the train gets in 15 minutes late. OK, so my window of getting home, changing, making a batch of Gatorade (I buy the powder), and loading the bike on the car is a little shorter. I can deal with that. So I am cutting it close now. I am driving though downtown Franklin, almost halfway to the ride start, drinking my pre-ride Gatorade, and I am looking at my bag of stuff. Seems like it isn't as full as it should be.

MY SHOES!!!

I don't know if I can make it home, grab my shoes, and still make it to the ride before 6:00 PM. Succede or fail, I am going to try. I do not want to miss this weeks ride.

By the time I grab my shoes and get back in the car, it is roughly 5:45. I have to make it ~5.7 miles to the other side of Franklin.

On the way I start putting on my bike shoes while driving. Every once in a while I check to make sure the bike is still on the back. Somehow I get to the ride start @ 5:58. My car, 2004 Subaru Outback, has funny smells eminating from it. Either the brake pads or the clutch. Most likely both. I guess I shouldn't drive it as if it were my old Integra with the racing suspension...

I put my other shoe on (I was only able to put my left shoe on en route), add some air to the tires, clip in, and the ride begins...

Running on Adrenalin...

So I start the ride wired with adrenalin from my arriving just-in-time. It lasts for about 5 miles until we hit a grade on Burnt Swamp road. Then I get dropped from the lead group. ## Insert Profanity here ##

At least I know I'll catch up with everyone at the halfway rest stop. It was a hot one today...

Hot... @ the Half-way point.

At the rest stop I did the sensible thing and let the fast group go out and rode with the still-fast-but-not-quite-as-fast group.

Tactical Knowledge...

I need to work on tactics. That and pacing. I need to know when to hold back and not waste energy and effort for when I really need it.

Not as fast as last time...

Not as fast, but still fast. I averaged 17.8 mph. So this is the second fastest I have ever ridden.

Phat Tuesday Ride...

I recently got word of a local "Tuesday Evening Ride" from a neighbor. I just read an article about "Tuesday Evening Rides" in Bicycling Magazine and I wanted to find a way to get some riding in mid-week.

"Team Phat Tuesday is a cycling team based in Franklin, Massachusetts. We are a charitable group organized to fund raise for The Jimmy Fund, through the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge. Some of our riders have participated in the event for the past 20 years."

Tim Brightman, pictured below, is the contact for the ride. He was kind enough to pull me along after I dropped from the pack. He more-or-less told me "Don't kill your-self trying to maintain that pace…" as he pulled in front of me and allowed me to draft.

Tim Brightman

More about Phat Tuesday:

• Phat Tuesday Team Website
• Info posted on the Town of Franklin Website
• The Route

My goal for the evening was to not embarrass myself ;-) I hadn't been riding that quickly recently and I hoped I would be able to keep up.

Well, I didn't embarrass myself and I rode faster that I had ever ridden. To date, I had only had a 17.6 mph average for my fastest ride. Riding with this group, I averaged 18.1 mph. Granted, it wasn't as hilly as my usual rides, but still…!

UPDATE: Actually, it has a very similar profile to a number of my rides with 1279" of climbing over 25 miles.

I kept on remembering the tips from the latest issue of Bicycling. Essentially, do what the other riders are doing. If I saw someone drink, I drank. If the group wasn't "speeding along" on a flat section, then don't "jump out in front". Stay with the pack.

Determined to keep up with the pack I pushed myself. My calves were on the verge of cramping up. I drank, and rubbed them just enough to hold off any real cramping.

18.1 mph, Wow! It felt good. I'm hooked. I hope I can make it out every Tuesday…

NOTE: My GPS dropped the satellites for about a mile (the mile with the biggest climb), so no link to Motionbased.com for this ride...