I have a ways to go

Yesterday afternoon I did one of my "push for an hour" rides. It didn't start that way. I left from home and started out to do my circuit around Greenville -- the one I did when I first started riding. However, once I got in Cleveland Park, I saw other riders and I wanted to catch up with them, so I decided to stay in the park and push it.

I did beat my highest average MPH -- though not by much. The highest before was 19.1. This trip I managed to move it up to 19.3. Once again I hit the max heart rate of 185. I also had the high average bpm of 172. So, I figure my legs are starting to get strong enough to give my heart a workout. Overall, I was able to leave my house, ride 22.24 miles in 1:12:45, and average 18.3. That is 3 minutes faster than the last time I did that ride.

I came up behind a guy who had an Assault on Mount Mitchell 2006 jersey. I asked him if he had done the climb. He said he had done it this year. One look at the muscles in his legs and you had to believe him. I told him what I was doing and he suddenly said, "Well, hop on and let's go!" He then took off. I jumped on the back of his rear tire and before I knew it we were hitting 27 mph on the flat. He sustained this for the entire length of the lower part of the circuit. Before we finished my heart was going through the roof and I was really pushing to stay up with him -- and I was in his draft!

Yep, I've got a ways to go...