2012 Tour de Poway Metric Century

Only John and I rode this ride, as Dave and Jim were staying home with kids while their wives were at a church retreat.  I had been training pretty consistently for this ride, so I felt good about my fitness.  We started a half hour early, going off with the century riders because of a hot weather forecast.  I rode briskly at the beginning, keeping a steady pace up the Poway grade.  Very few people passed me, maybe one guy.  I waited at the top for John, then we took off again toward Ramona.  I had another decent climb up to the high point by Mt. Woodson and rode down into Ramona, catching on with a couple of other fast riders to help pace me and trading leads.  I waited for John by Dye Rd, and we rode together for awhile, but he wasn't keeping pace, so I rode with others through the back streets of Ramona, I think following the same route as last year.  We got back together at the first sag stop but didn't stop there.  Continued over to Haverford Rd, then over to the 78.  Going downhill, we had the wind at our backs, and I was riding the brakes and feeling nervous on the turns.  John got out ahead a fair distance at the start, but I caught up with him near the bottom, and we rode with another group at a nice, fast pace all the way through the San Pasqual Valley, which was really nice.  I didn't feel great on the climb out of the valley, but I did okay.  John and I hooked up again, and we rode generally together to BVP and all the way past the mall, trading leads.  I separated a little bit from him on the freeway, and I pushed it a little bit on the hill before the sag stop at the park.  We stopped there for about 10 min, getting some food and fluids.  We stayed together on the gradual climb up to RB Rd and for a time after the turn.  But I kept a faster pace up the little climb and waited for him at the top.  We rode together briefly onto Camino San Bernardo until it started climbing again.  So I waited for him at the turn onto Dove Canyon Rd, and we rode together until the early parts of the climb on Carmel Valley Rd.  I was feeling kinda worn out here, but John must have been feeling worse.  I waited for him at the top, and we rode together down and onto Camino del Sur and on this road for a time.  There were very few riders on the route at this point, so not much help from riding in groups.  I started to feel better and had a pretty good ride up the little climb heading toward 4S Ranch, maintaining a steady pace that some other riders who I'd joined up with couldn't keep up with.  When John and I connected again, he was really starting to slow down.  We caught up with each other at the stoplight by Dove Canyon Rd, then I rode ahead to get through most of the next series of little uphill sections on Camino del Norte, riding them pretty well.  I waited just after the turn onto Pomerado Rd, and John and I rode together here onto Metate Ln and for some of this ride.  I rode out a little bit at the last little uphill part, and he caught up at a stoplight on Community Rd.  I was close to an 18 mph average speed and had some energy left, so I put on a strong pace after crossing Poway Rd and tried to keep it up all the way to the finish, basically succeeding but not able to ride at the fastest pace possible.  I finished in about 3:22:30 and felt the best at the end of this ride that I've felt in quite awhile, no cramps or muscle tightness even though it was unseasonably hot during the latter half of the ride.  This was a much better ride for me than last year, so I hope I learned my lesson about putting in the necessary miles before a big ride.


Avg speed = 18.1 mph. Total mileage = 61.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 3010'

9-26-2012 Ride

Solo ride after work.  I started out slow, thinking I would keep it a pretty modest pace and not really knowing where I was going to ride.  I headed up toward HP, not pushing it on the last climb.  I continued over to Bernardo Center Dr and on to Carmel Valley Rd.  On this climb, I got to talking with another rider who was also an HP employee.  We stayed together on the first part of the climb, with me riding in front.  On the second part, the guy pushed the pace, and I was working really hard to keep up with him.  We rode together down to Camino del Sur, where I turned right and headed back toward home.  I was keeping a decent pace, not scorching.  I made okay time up the gradual climb into 4S Ranch and stayed on this road until Camino San Bernardo, where I turned left.  I had the wind at my back until then, and it helped my pace.  I got onto RB Rd and again rode fast with the wind at my back.  The downhill section to W Bernardo Dr was really rough.  That road needs a serious repaving.  I then headed down to Aguamiel Rd and finished with the last little climb, going at a good pace.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph. Total mileage = 17.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 137 bpm
Total Elevation Gain = 800'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/140879261

9-23-2012 Rides

Time trial route in the morning, riding over to Dave's house and meeting up with him, John, and Jim.  I kept with them, slowing down when I got out in front and letting them catch up.  John lagged behind us on the little climb by the turn, so we waited at the top of the hill just past the high school.  Some other guys passed us while we were waiting, but we caught up with them on the downhill.  On the little climb up to Poway Rd, they passed us, so I got on their wheel, saw they couldn't keep with me, and outpaced them.  I kept my speed above 10 mph the entire time, felt pretty good about that.  I didn't have my heartrate monitor with me, as I was in the middle of putting it back together after the display froze.  On the downhill near the bottom by the turn, Jim got a front tire flat, so John and I stopped to help him.  We all stayed together on Poway Rd, then John got a flat just past Pomerado Rd.  We helped him fix it, then all rode basically together, with John lagging behind on the climbing sections.  I dialed it back significantly on Sabre Springs Pkwy, riding with Dave and Jim, only sprinting near the end to get my heartrate going.  On Ted Williams Pkwy, Dave and Jim got out ahead, while I waited to ride with John.  We caught up with them, having the benefit of making the light onto Pomerado Rd, then Dave, John, and I pushed the pace pretty steadily but not stressfully on the way up to Pomerado Hospital.  John dropped the hammer near the end, but I was able to hang with him without too much difficulty.  On the downhill section, it was Dave's turn to ride fast, and I hung on his wheel. I finished in around 55:00, no real hard riding except for the little stretch up to Poway Rd.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

In the afternoon (it was >90 deg), I rode over to church to meet up with Joe.  I also fixed my heartrate monitor.  It's really tricky to keep track of the three springs located in between the battery and the electronics module.  It was also breezy, although I didn't really notice it on the way to church.  They had recently repaved BVP, and it was still sticky.  I kept the pace moderate going up Sunset since it was pretty hot.  Took the Juniper route and got to church just before Joe showed up.  It was nice to wait in the shade.  We headed over Broadway to Mission Ave, then headed west directly into a 15 mph breeze, and it was brutal for me.  I was worn out from the other weekend rides and didn't have much drive in my legs throughout this ride.  Joe and I rode together the whole way on Mission, with him occasionally taking the lead to give me a needed break.  We turned right on Las Posas Rd and took this slight incline to Borden Rd, where it gets a little steeper but not for very long.  It was long enough for me, as I was really getting worn out.  We regrouped at the top and rode down, with the wind now at our backs, to Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy, then over to Barham Dr.  Around this time, I felt a twinge in my left hamstring and got a little worried that my leg my seize up, with about 10 mi of riding still to go.  It didn't last, and I intentionally kept the pace modest, only breaking out a little on the section of Mission Ave that was slightly downhill with the wind at our backs.  We were riding at 30 mph for a period, and it felt good.  Headed back into town by taking the little jog over to Washington, then Tulip over to Valley Pkwy.  The light here takes forever to change.  Then it was an easy finish, with the wind at our backs, to get to church.  I took off, with not much left in the tank.  Took 5th Ave over to Centre City Pkwy and was surprised to have a tailwind, when I really could use it.  I made decent time here, suffering a significant left leg cramp near Felicita Ave.  Again, luckily, it didn't persist.  I flew down the road on the downhill section by I-15, and did okay going over Lake Hodges, slowing down at the end.  It was slow going up the little hill by the park and slow again on the final little climb back home.  Really felt good to get home and not have to ride anymore.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 31.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 840'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/139549619

9-22-2012 Ride

Ride from home over to John's house.  It was dark enough at the start that I used my bike lights.  My heartrate monitor froze up at the start and didn't work throughout the ride.  Headed over the normal way toward Dave's house, then up Pomerado Rd and normal way to John's.  At Rios Rd, I saw Dave in his car, so I pushed the pace more than usual, thinking that they wanted to leave before 7:00.  I made decent time up the last hill to John's place, keeping it over 10 mph the whole way.  John, Dave, and I then headed from his house over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, then down to Black Mountain Rd.  Throughout this ride, we were all basically together, including several stretches of pace riding that were nice.  The only places where I got out in front were the uphill sections, and John and Dave got ahead in the longer downhills, where I can't keep pace.  We headed down to Kearny Villa Rd and took it all the way to Aero Dr, taking a left there and getting over to Sand Rock Rd.  We took this to Murphy Canyon Rd, then right on Mission Center Rd, which has a short, steep downhill section into Mission Valley.  I hit 48 mph here, and it was a little scary.  Took a left onto Friars Rd and went over to Qualcomm Stadium, looping around it and getting onto the bike trail at the northeast corner.  This trail eventually connects to Murphy Canyon Rd, and it is a gentle uphill climb out of Mission Valley, the easiest exit as far as I know.  We took this route to Clairemont Mesa Blvd, then a short jog to Ruffin Rd.  We gathered together here and rode generally as a group all the way back to Pomerado Rd.  I didn't try to push my personal pace, knowing that I still had a ways to go to get home.  I rode a little bit with the others going up Pomerado, but got out in front and rode with another guy who was setting a fast pace.  I kept with him until it started to climb near the top, where I couldn't match his pace.  We headed back to John's house the normal way, including a fast spring right at the end when John stepped on the gas.  I headed back home the way I had come, again trading pace with another rider around Pomerado Hospital all the way to RB Rd.  Without these riders, I don't think I would have pushed the pace as much as I did.  I went home on RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr, then took it down to Aquamiel Rd.  The last little climb let me know it was time to stop riding, and I was pretty tired the rest of the day.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph. Total mileage = 55.2 mi
Total elevation gain = 1850'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/139461937

9-16-2012 Ride

Time trial ride with Dave and John.  I don't remember too much about it, except that I pushed the pace a couple of times and couldn't sustain my pace on the little climb up Espola Rd to Poway Rd.  We must have done well in hitting the lights on Poway Rd.  I rode at a fast pace on Ted Williams Pkwy, and I think I had a decent ride up to the hospital.  Dave was riding well, John was tired out from the previous day's ride.  I finished in 53:30 and could have ridden harder in a number of spots.


Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

9-15-2012 Ride

Ride over to Dave's house for a 6:30 start.  It was expected to get above 100 deg (it did), so we wanted to get out early.  John and Jim rode too.  We headed over to Highland Valley Rd via Pomerado Rd.  On the flats, it was nice and cool, and it stayed fairly cool on the first climb until just near the top, when I felt a blast of warm air coming over the ridge.  I was slow and steady up this climb and slower than normal on the ups-and-downs leading to the next climb.  As usual, this second climb was tough but seemed shorter than I remembered.  I kept going here and took a steady pace through the winding sections, again going pretty slow up the last climb.  The apple trees along the road were fruiting.  We all gathered together at the normal gathering place, where the wind was surprisingly calm.  We generally rode together the rest of the way to the 67, with John going all out in the last half-mile stretch.  I kept with him, but I was working hard.  We then headed up toward Mt Woodson, and this time it was Jim and me at the front for awhile, until he fell back on the gradual climbing section approaching the steeper part.  I couldn't keep my pace above 10 mph for the early parts, but then the wind got at my back and I had a good finish.  Again connecting together, then downhill and over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy.  Near the turn, we caught up with another rider, but he rode out as soon as John and Dave got near him.  Both of them are able to take downhills much faster than me.  They got out in front, Dave by quite a bit, on the downhill on Scripps-Poway Pkwy, and we caught the other rider.  I caught up with them on the uphill section and got out ahead a little bit when the other ride came by.  I jumped on his wheel, and we ended up riding together down to Pomerado Rd.  At the turn there, I waited for the others, and we rode basically together back to Dave's house, with John throwing in a spring to the top of the little incline by the hospital and Dave pushing all out on the downhill section just before Rios Rd.  I headed back home via W Bernardo Dr, as my quads had gotten a good workout during the day, what with all of the climbing and high-energy pedaling to keep up with John and Dave when they pushed the pace.  Felt fine during the day, just a little headache from having to squint during the ride (I lost my red sunglasses on the way to Dave's house).

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 42.0 mi
Total elevation gain = 2170'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/136923651

9-9-2012 Ride

Time trial route, starting from home.  All four of us rode, and we started early to make sure we were back to Dave's house by 8:00.  This incentive also caused us to ride pretty fast, although the start was a little slow.  I rode with the others until the little climb by the bend in Espola Rd, then hit the gas and rode ahead.  I waited for them at the stoplight, the rode with Jim to bring everybody together again.  On the climb up to Poway Rd, I was riding hard but couldn't keep up the pace all the way to the turn there.  Still need to get my cardio fully back.  We all rode together on Poway Rd until just before the turn.  On Sabre Springs Pkwy, I pulled away on the first little uphill but didn't have the push in my legs to keep increasing the separation from the others.  I had a decent section on Ted Williams Pkwy but caught the light at the turn on to Pomerado Rd.  John and I made a pretty good run by the hospital, and he told me he was on pace to break his PR.  So I led out on the downhill, pushing the pace strongly and letting him draft until I dropped away.  After he got ahead, I tracked him down just after the turn onto Rios Rd.  I finished in 53:30, the fastest time for me in a long time.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

9-8-2012 Ride

Ride with John, starting from home and heading over the freeway and up BVP.  On the majority of this ride, I kept my cadence down to ride close with him, creating separation mainly on the climbing sections as well as a couple of places on the flats where I pushed the pace pretty hard.  The weather cooperated pretty well, not getting too hot.  We headed up BVP then jogged over to Citrus Ave and took it back to BVP.  Then we headed out toward Lake Wohlford Rd, taking it up the grade.  I did pretty well in the first mile but didn't speed up much after the grade lessened.  Still working on building back my cardio fitness.  We headed out by the lake, then came back by the casino to Valley Center Rd.  This stretch of road back has a nice slight downhill grade, but the bike lane is in terrible shape, very bumpy and jarring.  Once you get a little closer to Valley Center, the road smoothes out and is a nice ride.  We rode together for most of this section, with a little separation on the little climb up to the downhill grade into Valley Center.  I was pretty aware of my speed on this downhill, which is long but fairly straight.  The ride back through Escondido on BVP was also fairly fast, since it's a net downhill with very little uphill to speak of.  John was keeping up a good pace here, and we were trading leads.  I had a pretty fast ride across the I-15 bridge, able to keep a pace >30 mph.  Then it was a cooldown effort back home, where we celebrated the ride with smoothies.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 37.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1670'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/134098477

9-5-2012 Ride

Solo ride at lunchtime from work, taking the extended loop route.  It was pretty warm and somewhat humid, so I didn't have the full push I wanted, particularly on the sections where extended effort was required.  I had a decent ride, particularly the stretch on Pomerado up to RB Rd.

Avg speed = 18.5 mph. Total mileage = 16.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 152 bpm
Total elevation gain = 620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38068332

2012 Tour de Labor

Ride over to Carmel Mountain Ranch, where I got my bike and stuff ready and headed over to John's house, following the normal route.  It was really foggy in spots, only clearing to an overcast sky when I rode up to John's.  There, I met up with him, Dave, and Jim for a Tour de Labor ride.  We headed up to the top of Pomerado Rd.  On this and all of the other climbs, I kept my effort to a moderate level, knowing that it was going to get warm and I hadn't ridden 50+ miles in quite some time.  We headed down Pomerado Rd to Miramar Rd, where we got a decent pace line going.  Our pace was fast, and I was working pretty hard on this section.  We took it all the way to Expedition Way, the road that takes you by Birch Aquarium.  Following this road, with a couple of turns, got us onto La Jolla Shores Rd.  Near a stop sign on this downhill section, I had too much speed going into the stop and turn and locked up my rear wheel.  Luckily, I kept it under control and didn't spill.  I think I need new brake pads.  We rode over to Torrey Pines Rd and took this little uphill over to La Jolla, dropping down to Coast Blvd via Prospect Pl.  This section of road is pretty rough, bad pavement and lots of traffic.  To be avoided.  Back out of La Jolla, John lost track of how to get to Nautilus St, so we did a couple of jaunts through the city streets until we finally found it.  On Nautilus, I climbed at a slow pace, and this climb wasn't as tough as I remembered it.  It's got a somewhat difficult finish, as the grade steepens and you have to deal with an uphill ride all the way to the circle at the top of Mt Soledad.  We gathered back together here and took a rest.  The general energy level of the group was flagging by this time, myself included.  We headed back down via Soledad Mountain Rd, and again I was skittish on the turning sections of this downhill.  I made it through okay.  Balboa Ave is not a great road to ride on.  There is a lot of traffic, the road quality is sketchy, and it has a couple of gradual uphills, the first one being reasonably long.  We got onto Kearny Villa Rd and took it back to Pomerado Rd.  Jim was tiring, so Dave was riding with him.  John and I rode together until the little uphill section by one of the overpasses, where I put a little separation on him.  However, my energy level wasn't high enough for me to put any significant distance on him or the others.  Back to John's house via the normal route.  I rode with the others at the start, then put some separation between us.  Around this time, John developed a slow leak and they stopped to fix it without me knowing.  So I rode to the top of Pomerado and waited for them until I realized something was up.  I started riding back down and saw them coming up the last little climb, so I turned around and rode with them.  We headed back to John's house, and I was getting tired, so I didn't stay long.  The ride back to where the car was parked was very slow.  My legs weren't tight, but there was no drive left in my quads, so I just gutted it out and was glad to be done.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 52.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2470'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/132302369

9-1-2012 Ride

Ride from home, starting with a little loop before the others showed up.  I headed up Azucar to Matinal and over to W Bernardo Dr.  Over to RB Rd, connecting to Bernardo Center Dr and Duenda.  Back to W Bernardo Dr and down to Aguamiel.  I went up to Alborada and Smoke Signal to connect back to Poblado, then back to Azucar.  Even though I tried to push the pace, I wasn't feeling real strength in my legs.  The recent blood donation may still be having its effect.  John, Dave, and Jim showed up.  Jim had a work meeting, so we rode down into Sorrento Valley.  Headed up to RB Rd, then over Camino del Sur to San Dieguito Rd and down into Fairbanks Ranch.  We rode through the flats essentially together, Jim lagging a little bit behind.  On El Camino Real, I started at a modest pace and kept it going for awhile but couldn't maintain a good pace all the way to the top, slowing just before the last stop light on this little climb.  We gathered at the top and rode together basically all the way to Sorrento Valley, following the reverse of the Fourth of July course.  Jim turned off here, and the three remaining riders headed up Sorrento Valley Rd.  This road has a gradually climbing section, then a fairly short (<1 4s="4s" 56="56" a="a" ahead="ahead" all="all" and="and" at="at" back="back" backed="backed" basically="basically" before="before" behind="behind" black="black" bumps="bumps" but="but" camino="camino" canyon="canyon" capricorn="capricorn" carmel="carmel" climb="climb" complaining="complaining" continues="continues" couple="couple" didn="didn" dove="dove" e="e" end="end" even="even" far="far" felt="felt" fine="fine" for="for" garbage="garbage" gathered="gathered" get="get" going="going" got="got" grade.="grade." had="had" have="have" high="high" hydrated="hydrated" i="i" into="into" it="it" john.="john." just="just" kept="kept" left="left" levels="levels" little="little" me.="me." mi="mi" min="min" modest="modest" most="most" mountain="mountain" my="my" n="n" nbsp="nbsp" neighborhood="neighborhood" notably="notably" o="o" of="of" off="off" on="on" one="one" other="other" our="our" out="out" output="output" over="over" p="p" pace="pace" periods="periods" places="places" point="point" pushed="pushed" quads="quads" ranch="ranch" rb="rb" rd.="rd." rd="rd" really="really" relatively="relatively" rest="rest" retracing="retracing" ride.="ride." ride="ride" rode="rode" route="route" ruiz="ruiz" saddle="saddle" section="section" short="short" slower="slower" stayed="stayed" steep="steep" steeper="steeper" street.="street." strong="strong" stuck="stuck" sustained="sustained" t="t" than="than" the="the" then="then" this="this" though="though" through="through" time.="time." time="time" tiring="tiring" to="to" together.="together." too="too" took="took" top="top" truck="truck" turned="turned" two.="two." up="up" us="us" usual="usual" valley="valley" was="was" way="way" we="we" were="were" westwood.="westwood." where="where" with="with" y="y">
Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 42.0 mi
Avg heartrate = ??? bpm
Total elevation gain = 1720'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/131540131