Sunday December 21 Easton Shore Zone 2/Zone 3 Training RideThe Wheelsucker Report

The Masters Team has planned one or two monthly rides together in preparation for the racing season. While some were thinking of starting after Christmas, Mike Brown offered to lead a "zone 2/zone 3" four hour ride on the Eastern Shore last Sunday. Eight riders showed up, Mike Brown, Ace McDermott, Stu Waring, Steve Owens, Alex Pline, the Wheelsucker, and new members Mike Faber and Phil Stratton. There were regrets from several other masters riders.

It was cold, though the two Garmins reported it above freezing for the entire ride. With the windchill it felt cold. The wind was not initially that apparent, as the group was riding through tree covered areas and the wind was from behind; but doing 25 mph riding third wheel while not pedaling was a good clue.

The Wheelsucker has decided that reducing bike weight won't be enough as Ace and other strong riders would still beat him up a climb even if the wheelsucker's bike weighed nothing! So now the Wheelsucker is working on being more aero as well. He is working on a new position on the bike, with his forearms on top of the handlebars and part of his forearms and his hands dangling in front. The Wheelsucker thinks of this as the Floyd Landis TdF solo breakaway look (though sans PEDs, of course).

Being aero was key on the way back, into the wind. Using this uncomfortable – "my taint hurts, badly" – position, the Wheelsucker was able to hold the high end of zone 2 power and ride away from others (who were presumably also holding their zone 2 or less) until someone like Ace or Stu got serious and took a higher-than-z2/z3 pull. But after one long pull the Wheelsucker was following Stu up a climb after crossing a creek, and found himself struggling. A glance at the Powertap revealed why; the wheelsucker was holding more than 300 watts, well over zone 3. So the wheelsucker sat up and went back to the group to rest (by wheelsucking).

Then there was the "whose z2/z3" issue. Ace can ride his z2 and some others might be at zone 4 trying to hold his wheel.

Mike Brown claimed it was not any sort of a planned route; he knew roughly where they were and would just call for a turn when he felt like it. Some areas had tree cover, others were through open fields. Road surfaces were 99% dry; the group detoured around one unplowed road. Car traffic was almost non existent on the route. The route was not quite dead flat; there were shallow descents and climbs carved by creeks, but elevation probably varied by only 70 feet for the ride.

Wheelsucker Data (av/max):
Time: 4:00:20
Distance: 71.74 miles
Speed: 17.9/29 mph
Hear Rate: 126/154 bpm
Power: 169/600 watts
Cadence: 92 rpm
Energy: 2437 calories

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60141690 Alex Pline
http://mapmyride.com/routes/view/26253074/
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Queenstown-70-miler
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/60134675 Mike Faber