Dedicated to Tracy

I'd like to dedicate today's effort to Tracy Gaynor, an old riding pal who inspired me to push myself today after seeing her recent ride post on social media.

I've ridden with Tracy and her crew a couple of times, one memorable adventure years ago along Lake Michigan.

Tracy is a cancer survivor, and she posted this picture earlier this week after getting outdoors for the first time in a while on her bike.

Actually, she rode twice, both times taking a photo of her computer readout after the ride.

The second time she noted that her average speed was improved from the first ride.

I thought that was fantastic.

Not only did she get out for a good ride, but she wanted to go faster the next time out, and that's exactly what she did.

So today I thought of her as I pushed myself to go faster much of the ride. She was my inspiration today.

It worked!

First of all, here is the picture of her computer she took. Note the average speed of 15.4 mph.

And below this picture of her computer showing she upped it to a 15.4 average speed, is a picture of MY computer after my 20-mile ride today...

I mean come on, is this one of those hair-stands-on-the-back-of-your-neck moments or what?

Today, as I am thinking of Tracy and her post about increasing her speed....using that as an inspiration to push myself at times to make it to a 15 mph average and I end up with the exact same 15.4 average as her?

Spooky.

Of course, she still has me beat, because she did it for 25 miles and my ride today was just 20.

Here's one of the issues I have, which will have to be worked on once the riding gets more frequent.

I'm dropping my rpm's. I catch myself riding along in the low 80's rpm, when for a good tempo ride I should be steady at 88-90 rpm.

You can get into bad, lazy habits very easily, and I do not want this to become the norm. If I keep rpm up around 90 I'm riding the way I should be.

But I won't get much practice this week. Old Man Winter is returning on Easter night/Monday with snowfall in the forecast for my neck of the woods. Could be anywhere between 2-6 inches I'm hearing. NOT what I want to hear.

HAPPY EASTER!

RIDE ROUTE

Lake Loop, 1 lap + Neighborhood Crit, 6 laps

20.0 miles/15.4 average mph

Sun, 56, Wind 5-10 mph

2020 SEASON MILES

Indoor: 125.6

Outdoor: 260.2