John’s Ramblings

Another night ride yesterday, 5 regular riders of the Use It or Lose It rides we do on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The weather took a definite turn toward “cold” yesterday, and by ride-time we had about 40 degrees, winds gusting from 0 to 20, and rain clouds threatening.

Once we started riding, the conversation quickly shifted from “Hey, what rides are you planning this year?” to “Hey, it’s cold”, “Hey, it’s starting to rain”, and “Hey, it’s really getting windy”. While we still held to the group-riding protocols of calling out hazards and turns, the group also felt compelled to call out every change in the weather. Not that anyone couldn’t figure out what was happening, because after all, we were all riding through the same weather. No, I think that all the remarks were precipitated by the fact that the weather was just remarkable. We’re in that helter-skelter springtime mishmash where it will be 62 and sunny one moment, and a dark wind tunnel the next. We can take comfort that it will change to it’s more predictable self, sometime in July.

I felt O.K. last night, but I had a higher than usual thigh-burn factor when pulling into the wind. My heart rate never got up to the anaerobic level, so I assume I still have a fairly significant fatigue-factor from my long ride last Saturday. I think that tonight I will go a little easier than my planned intervals, in order to be ready for this weekend’s riding.

We are getting down to the end of the season for the Use It or Lose It rides, with just 3 remaining. They will theoretically begin again in November. Theoretically (for me, anyway), because I’m not sure whether

• the ride leader I replaced will return,
• the co-leader of the series will want to continue next year,
• and I’m not sure whether I’ll need to (or wish to) make this commitment again.

It worked out to about 43 rides this winter (5 months’ time) with cancellations due to holidays or weather. That is no small commitment of time. There is no question that leading these rides has helped my fitness for the coming year, with over 1,200 miles booked between November 1 and now. I’m just a little “burnt out” at the moment I guess. If I had to decide today, I would try to pare back on my commitment. When I actually do have to decide in September, I will likely feel different than today, however.

20 miles on the evening, 925 year-to-date.

(For the non-Seattle readers, “Wappler” refers to a father/son weather forecasting dynasty on a local tv station).

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