After a two-month layoff I made an appearance at the 6 o'clock Ride this morning. The thing to remember is that the ride actually starts at 5:50 am every weekday morning in the Highland neighborhood in Shreveport, heads towards downtown, then it's a fast pace for 1 1/2 laps of the Fant Parkway. This ride has been going on for nearly 20 years and there's a handful of the original guys still doing it. I've done it off-and-on in the past but started doing it pretty regularly between May and August of this year, which would give me between 40 and 80 extra miles during the week. I ride from my house in Bossier City, riding over the Texas Street Bridge, and meet the guys in downtown. I average about 21 miles in distance in about an hour's time including the cool down so that's not bad. Speeds on the Parkway average in the 22-24 mph range though sometimes it can get pretty spritely out there! Except for me and Marcus, the other guys aren't bike racers (they sometimes do triathlons) but they can push it pretty good.
This morning the temperature was 54F with a steady breeze so I put on some extra clothing and headed out. I have to leave my house at 5:45 am to ensure that I meet the gang downtown on time....and they're always on time! At 5:50 in Highland, they go and they don't wait for anyone! There were 8 of us and the pace wasn't difficult, but I hadn't been riding that much on my road bike since the Monroe races a month ago so I had to convince the legs do their job. With the time change it was nice to see it get light halfway thru the ride and it was nice heading back home. As long as the temps don't go below 50F (I've become a wimp in my old age!), I'll try to get back out doing this ride again. I also have to run more since the Louisiana Trails half-marathon trail run is in three weeks!
Just as well I do all this because I've been feeling fat! And I gotta look good for Jonnene when I see her!
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