Thanksgiving Week.

Busy week leading up to Thanksgiving. Taught a Recurrent King Air class Tuesday & Wednesday. Had a nice Turkey Day ride with NCCC. Turned out to be just the long group showing up , so Chip and I headed out with them. We chose the freeway instead of the dirt bike path and ped bridge, so we split with the group and never saw them again after about 8 miles. I was taking it easy until we came up on Scripps-Poway Pkway, my usual tt. I was pretty warmed up after 1:20 so I went ahead and hit it hard from bottom to top. I pushed the lap button on the Garmin to see if I could beat my 9:30 best. I didn't know it until I got back and downloaded the ride, but I made it up in 9:23, so 7 seconds better. I attribute this to the intervals and low intensity riding that I have been workin on for the last month or so. It was a hard effort, keeping 11mph for the most part for the 7-8% grade. I'm by no means a pro or anything, but have never had anyone pass me on this hill. I have passed numerous people climbing this hill. That's why it's so hard to believe that the pros would be running 16-17mph constant up this hill. When I started timing myself, I was in the low 8mph range, so maybe improving more into the 13-14mph range is possible. The rest of the ride was average pace, although Chip started hauling ass on the run into Ramona, as usual. Chip doesn't climb too well, but certainly pulls quite fast on the flats. I'm so keyed into climbing that the flats are where I recover or look to suck someone's wheel. I always feel like I'm waisting energy if I'm hauling on the flats.

Friday was a ride with Bill, a guy from Ranchos that I met a few weeks ago. It was a good ride from Mira Mesa through Rancho Santa Fe and back through Hwy 56 bike lane. Turned out to be an easy 45 miles. I pushed it once on a grade coming up to the 56 and was quite pleased with the effort. I'm really able to push hard and hold the effort for quite awhile. Not sure why I like climbing so much. My body structure (6'2" and 188) would lend itself better to sprinting than climbing, but it's just the opposite. I guess I love the challenge of the climb and can see the improvement on a constant basis.

Saturday's ride was rained out, as we got quite a bit of rain here in San Diego. We needed the rain, so it was a worthy sacrifice.

Did my long intervals today. 6 x 3 mins (50-60 rpm) and 3 x 2 (60 rpm) on leg intervals. I used Scripps Poway Pkwy for my 6x3's. Three sets sitting and three sets standing. Worked out great. Easy to get the lower cadence with plenty of resistence from the climb. Back onto the flats for the one leg intervals. Other than leaving the house without my waterbottle, it was a great day.

This week was just shy of 200 miles @ 11:00 + on the bike.