Woke up early on this morning (<>) and got ready for the Bisikleta ride. It was cool but over 40, so I was hoping to see more riders show up. In the end, there were only four of us: Arnold, Jed, and Zac. This wasn't going to be a slow day with these riders. Zac had a rear tire with low pressure, so we decided to stop by our house on the way and fill it up. Over to RB Rd, then down to W Bernardo Dr and home the normal way from there. Zac filled up his tire, Arnold and Jed took bathroom breaks, and I dropped off my second pair of full-fingered gloves. We were off then, heading down by the park and then over the pedestrian bridge and through the mall parking lot to Beethoven Dr, turning left there and getting over to El Ku Ave via the paths in Kit Carson Park. Up to Escondido Blvd, taking it to Citracado Pkwy, where we turned left and took that short, very steep (I didn't remember it being this steep) climb and fast descent down to the freeway. We rode through to Gamble Ln, taking it to Bernardo Ave and turning right. Another little climb and descent to get us to the road riding parallel to I-15 on the west side. It's a gradual climb up to 11th Ave, then a sharp descent to a left turn onto Del Dios Rd. I was leading the others all the way up to this point, since I had mapped out the route. Right turn onto Avenida del Diablo, taking it (poor road condition) over to Citracado Pkwy, where we turned right, then left onto Harmony Grove Village Pkwy. Around here is where Romeo joined up with us, and the pace of the ride kicked up a notch. We turned left onto Harmony Grove Rd, and he and Zac were off the front, racing each other. I had turned my camera on, hoping to get some video of the ride through this nice area, so I rode at the back to capture the others in action. At some point, I put in a big effort to pass the other riders but couldn't hold the lead for long, with Zac and Romeo getting out ahead again. I was at the back again as we turned onto Elfin Forest Rd, but I took my time, working to get up to the lead riders, who were Romeo and Arnold at this point. Arnold dropped off, then Zac joined us as we three raced up this road to get to the village at San Elijo Hills. On the flatter sections after the climbs, Romeo would get out in front, then we would track him down. Zac then made a push for the lead near the top of the last climb before the descent into the village, and I had enough left to pass him and create a gap. Romeo rode up to me after that, but I pushed a little harder to finish in front, setting a PR for this stretch up Elfin Forest Rd (9:43, 241 W, 162 bpm). That was as hard as I've ridden in quite a while, not sure I could have gone any faster. I waited for Arnold and Jed to get to the village, then we took a break at the gas station there. It was shorter than usual, and then we were riding down San Elijo Ave to Rancho Santa Fe Rd, turning left there. Up the little climb, then the fast descent to La Costa Ave, where Romeo split off to head home and we continued straight. We turned to stay on Rancho Santa Fe Rd and dialed the pace back a bit as Zac and I chatted at the front. Over to El Camino del Norte, turning left and taking this road in the reverse direction to our normal route. I was out front, and Zac was on my rear wheel. I ended up setting another PR on the modest climb up to Via de Fortuna (4:49, 238 W, 152 W). I didn't let up on the pedaling, which was a hallmark of my riding on this day. We turned right there and took it to El Montevideo, turning left and riding down, then up, to Paseo Delicias. Zac and I waited for Arnold and Jed, then we rode Stud Loop in reverse. Zac was on a mission, I could tell from the start. There was no way I was going to stay on his wheel, and I basically succeeded in keeping him in sight, setting a PR in the process (7:28, 218 W, 157 bpm). Again, not sure I could have put more effort into this segment than I did on this day, legs were starting to feel it. We rode back to Via de la Valle, turned left, then took it down to Via de Santa Fe and El Apajo. Zac and I gapped the others a little bit, so that at the turn onto San Dieguito Rd we were in front. I decided to keep riding, and Zac was right behind me for a bit. Again, on the climb, I chose a cadence and pushed as hard as I could all the way through. I finished in front but only because Zac stopped when he noticed somebody's phone with DL and credit cards in the bike lane. I didn't see it at all, was probably in tunnel vision mode. We waited for the others at the turn onto Camino del Sur, then I dialed the pace back again, sitting on Arnold's wheel for a while until just before Paseo del Sur. We stayed on the road, and it was Zac and I matching each other for pace and pushing the other. We finished together, that last section was pretty fast for both of us at the end of this somewhat challenging ride. Arnold and Jed were both pretty wiped out, so it was definitely a group workout on this day. I rode home via Camino San Bernardo and then through the neighborhood, legs were fine at the end, but I could definitely feel the effects of the effort on this day.
Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 48.4 mi
Avg speed from my analysis program = 16.7 mph
Bisikleta route avg speed = 17.1 mph
Avg power = 162 W. Weighted avg power = 192 W
Total elevation gain = 3550' (3840' from my program)
Avg heartrate = 135 bpm (Coospo)
Relative Effort = 134
Training Load = 243
Intensity = 85%
When I got home, I had some lunch, then laid out the tarps for the more extensive painting of the skylight area. I used the short and long handles for the large paint roller, and it was a challenge to get the angles and forces necessary to cover the surfaces on all four sides of the skylight area. Was eventually able to get it done, and it looks much better than it did. I cleaned everything up, then did the dishes in the kitchen and vacuumed the dining and living rooms before wet-vacuuming the kitchen. After that, I needed a break, so I watched a little TV and then got caught up on my blogging. I helped with the dinner by making the mashed potatoes, then Emily came over for her belated birthday celebration. She liked the card I made for her, which included a couple of her creative literary inventions from her school days. Dinner was good, lots of conversation afterward about cats. Caleb was still recovering from a cold and having to work through it.
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