Category: training (Page 1 of 5)

Typically I’m more a fan of autumn bike rides than spring due to the strong winds that accompany the warm temperatures of spring. Especially here in tornado alley. Today was as pretty a spring day as I can imagine having and without the strong wind. Add to that an unusually clear blue sky and it was a day to rival the best of days in October.

We did our usual fast and flat ride, except for the fast part. We rode to Jones and back, plus the sod farm loop, for 32 easy miles. Locals know exactly where I mean, and the rest of you don’t care so no need for further details. 🙂

Since I’m not eating any sugar or refined carbohydrates (other than from vegetables and limited fruits), I’m also not ingesting any gels or Heed before, during or after a ride. I’m using the fat burning method to supply my energy. When you use sugar to fuel your efforts you have to continue to replenish or you bonk. The more sugar/carbs you ingest the more your body burns and the more you have to take in. On the other hand, there is a fuel source you most likely have plenty of: Fat. Fat supplies you with an endless source of fuel – at least for most of us.

Don’t take my word for it, if you’re interested just Google something like, “burning fat instead of carbohydrates” and you’ll find tons of information. I mentioned Mark Sisson in an earlier post, he’s certainly written about fat being the fuel of choice. You have to adjust your body to relying and utilizing fat stores rather than carbs/sugar so it’s important to do it the right way. I continue to take gels with me just in case, but so far I haven’t needed them.

How do you fuel for rides?

For a change we decided to ride a very flat route instead of our usual hilly route. I am so glad we did. It felt so easy compared to our usual 2100 feet of ascent for a ride of this length (32 miles) instead we only climbed 690 feet in total. Nice.

No hills meant pretty constant effort and speed, plus there are fewer than half the stop signs. Our hilly route has a stop sign every. single. mile. It gets old and besides slowing down the average speed, we are constantly having to ramp up effort to get back up to speed over and over – which wastes energy. And guess what you use to pedal a bike!

Between the fewer stop signs on the flat route and the easier pedaling our average speed was nearly 2 miles per hour higher. Most importantly, it was more enjoyable. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and NO WIND. 

First graph is today’s route, 32 miles, 692 feet of ascent, 15.3 average speed, average heart rate of 115. Second graph, a typical ride on our hilly route from 2 weeks ago, 2188 feet of ascent, 31.4 miles, average speed of 13.5 (slower than typical but not for this early in year), average heart rate 119. I have a low resting heart rate of 40-42 and often start my rides in the 60’s so heart rate isn’t a good indicator of suffering or difficulty for me.

Today was a perfectly perfect day for riding: 72 degrees, 0 wind, little traffic and even not that many cyclists which surprised me giving the perfect conditions.

Flags here rarely ever look like this:

No wind and flat roads make for blissful rides.

Yesterday I had a detailed bike fit done which I will post about later, but with the tweaks to my position and the new Chorus drivetrain, new carbon handlebar, new stem, new brakes and compact gearing feels like I am riding a new bike. A new fast bike!