Unexpected Ride

It rained on and off all morning long. I took the dog out for a walk between showers and realized it was pretty darned mild out there yet. The cold air hadn't arrived. It's coming, but not here yet!

Anyway, the plan was to make an egg salad sandwich for lunch, then perhaps go back to the indoor trainer bike for a Carmichael workout in the afternoon due to the rain.

Thing is, after I ate the sandwich I noticed some sunshine trying to pop out from behind a few clouds. The roads were wet and filled with puddles, but started to dry rather quickly in the breeze.

Remembering how warm it felt a couple of hours earlier, I thought what the heck, why not give it a try?

So I did.

I went out and did an old-fashioned Neighborhood Crit race course 10 laps, staying close to home in case the rain returned. The clouds did, but no rain. I got my 10 laps in.

And it was a classic workout. I did the odd-numbered laps pushing a bit. In other words, on laps 3-5-7 and 9 I try to maintain a steady tempo, carry speed into the corners, hit the apex, accelerate out the corners and get out of the saddle to make an effort going up the one small hill on the lap. On the even laps it's just a nice steady tempo or even easier.

The extra work showed on the speedo afterward, with a 14.3 average for the 19 miles. Not bad considering it's so early in the season. And the thing is I felt good today. My legs were good. My mind was right. My mind was tight. Despite no sunshine for most of the ride I just kept repeating my old 10-lap saying to myself, which keeps track of which lap I am on.

Workin' 1, just begun

Workin' 2, more to do

Workin' 3, good for me

Workin' 4, gonna do more

Workin' 5, feelin' alive

Workin' 6, gettin' my kicks

Workin' 7, almost heaven

Workin' 8, doin' great

Workin' 9, feelin' fine

Workin' 10, not gonna do it again!

2021 OUTDOOR RIDE ROUTE-- Neighborhood Crit, 10 laps MILES-- 19.0/Odd-Laps PUSH AVE. SPEED-- 14.3 WEATHER-- Partly sunny to cloudy, 55, Wind 5-10 mph TOTAL OUTDOOR MILES-- 171.0 ..................... 2021 INDOOR WORKOUT-- mph Carmichael MILES-- 10.5 TOTAL INDOOR MILES-- 271.5