The best part of being fast, redux...

[Zealot]

97 degrees, 90% humidity, 10 mph wind. The road has no shade.  22 hilly miles, 18.8 mph average.
 
After all the talk yesterday about being fast and what we like about cycling, I felt inspired. At about mile 10.5 I was approaching at my turn around point (out and back). It’s a long gradual climb that gets steeper at the end. About 100 yards from the top, I saw a female hammer coming back down the hill. She was flying. So, at the top, I stopped to grab a quick drink and then decided I’d give chase. On the way out that 10 mph wind was a headwind, so heading back it was mostly a tail wind. Damn it was fun. Caught her two miles later, waved as I rode by and never let up till I got back to my car. I never saw her again.
 
Yes, it’s fun being fast.  And I love the rabbits. 

[Dirtyhip]

Great thread.  Good job.

That heat sounds ridiculous. You are so fortunate to be able to ride hard in heat like that. My CNS doesn't like the heat.

[TrentonMakes]

2 hours ago, Zealot said:

 And I love the rabbits. 

I can vouch for this. 

though you will recall that technically she did pass us again - while we were in the 7-11 parking lot.

[Zealot]

18 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Great thread.  Good job.

That heat sounds ridiculous. You are so fortunate to be able to ride hard in heat like that. My CNS doesn't like the heat.

The heat is ridiculous.  On the climbs when going slow, it's like being in a oven. At one point I was going about 10 mph up this hill and realized I was moving at about the same speed as the wind. So I slowed a little just so I could feel some breeze!

No, you'd not do well in that. I know your CNS would flip out. 

[Zealot]

24 minutes ago, TrentonStrong said:

I can vouch for this. 

though you will recall that technically she did pass us again - while we were in the 7-11 parking lot.

i don't mind too much being passed when I'm loading my bike up !!!

[Zephyr]

I salute you riding in that heat.

I'm not a fan as I run hot anyway.  I did a century last summer in 99 degree heat with 80% humidity, and it almost crushed me. I ended up getting dehydrated and almost didn't finish.   I did another one this spring in 50 degrees, with 22mph winds and 40mm of rain.  Give me cold and wet any day

[Kzoo]

 

The best part of being fast

 

Something I'll never know about.

[Zealot]

1 minute ago, Zephyr said:

I salute you riding in that heat.

I'm not a fan as I run hot anyway.  I did a century last summer in 99 degree heat with 80% humidity, and it almost crushed me. I ended up getting dehydrated and almost didn't finish.   I did another one this spring in 50 degrees, with 22mph winds and 40mm of rain.  Give me cold and wet any day

I prefer the cold too. Seriously.

I did a 45 miler recently in similar weather and pushed it too hard - actually stopped sweating and knew I was on the border of heat exhaustion.  Got back to my car and fell down on the ground.  Only managed to get up because I knew I needed to get out of the sun. 

My wife thinks I'm an idiot. I think she's right.

 

[Kzoo]

I like the heat better.  I'll do 98 over 58 any day.

[Zealot]

8 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

 

The best part of being fast

 

Something I'll never know about.

Fast is relative. I'm sure you've ridden at speeds in your life that felt fast.

[Zealot]

16 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

I like the heat better.  I'll do 98 over 58 any day.

Where do you live?

When I lived out west, the heat was ok. I rode in the desert a lot and never had any problems with it. But the humidity here in the east just rips me up sometimes.

[Kzoo]

3 minutes ago, Zealot said:

Fast is relative. I'm sure you've ridden at speeds in your life that felt fast.

Sure......................... downhill.

I was an athlete all my life and one thing I was born with was speed.  Even today at 61 there are very few 18 year olds that can beat me down the basketball court.  When I was young I knew, without a doubt, that when I stepped on a field or court there was no one there faster than me.  My speed was all short sprinting speed.  I took up distance running at the age of 52 and that sprinters speed obviously didn't translate to half marathon times.  I took up cycling a couple years after running and again that sprinter's speed did not translate.  Most of my solo rides average in the 15.5 to 16 mph range.  That's as good as it gets.  I also know from experience that I could work on that speed but to what end?  

[Dirtyhip]

Kazoo is rad. 

[Zephyr]

I am the opposite.  I am slow out of the blocks (think big transport starting at a traffic light with a full load) but once up to speed I can hold it for long periods of time.

I think it is all about those slow twitch/fast twitch muscle percentages.  I am pretty sure Usain Bolt does not have a picture of me above his bed to motivate him to train hard for the 100m sprints.

I had next to no stolen bases playing ball, but everyone just thought that was because I was a catcher, and I am a guard playing b-ball so I am either feeding the Kzoo's sprinting for the fast break or being the last man going up the floor, bringing the ball.

[Kzoo]

4 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

I am pretty sure Usain Bolt does

I heard a report last week from Bolt's agent that he has never in his life run a mile.  I find that hard to believe but that's the report.  

[Zealot]

@Kzoo, sure, I'll never be as fast as I once was either.  But to your question, "to what end?" Well, for me it's simply for me. I want to always push myself, no matter what my age is. I know some day I'll have to give it all up. But not today.

Recently I was asking myself something similar. You know I'm a person of faith. I was looking at my life and thinking, "you know, I've never done any great work for God. Don't know that I ever will or that He even requires anything like that from me. But I believe simply in my 'being' I can give back to Him for the life He's given me. I do that with my family and for my personal offering of praise, in a way, I use the body He's given me. Again, I may likely never do anything if renown with it, But there's praise in every best of my heart; every turn of a crank - life in every breath."

This was my conclusion.

[Kzoo]

9 minutes ago, Zealot said:

Recently I was asking myself something similar. You know I'm a person of faith. I was looking at my life and thinking, "you know, I've never done any great work for God. Don't know that I ever will or that He even requires anything like that from me. But I believe simply in my 'being' I can give back to Him for the life He's given me. I do that with my family and for my personal offering of praise, in a way, I use the body He's given me. Again, I may likely never do anything if renown with it, But there's praise in every best of my heart; every turn of a crank - life in every breath."

Good words.