dull, cold and slow

i thought i was done with this cold weather stuff. i'd even put my extra pair of tights away. then i wake up and it's 34 degrees out. well, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. (never did like that saying.) so i layered up - balaclava, double tights, shoe covers, the works - and headed out. i didn't regret one piece of clothing i had on. i only regretted not putting on more. it got colder and colder as i rode. the temp when i returned home was 30!

my ride was pretty unremarkable. my legs were cold and would not warm up. my mind was numb as well. there were times that i'd notice that i had spaced out for a mile or so. couldn't remember passing a landmark that i always notice. i was on autopilot and i was flying slow and under the radar.

on the way out, i kept changing my mind on how far i would ride. i first thought i'd turn around at 13 miles out and race home to get a time for the TT challenge. (more on that in a bit.) that would've brought my total for the week to a nice even 150 miles. then i thought i'll go to harper and turn around. (by to harper i really mean through harper.) numerous times i thought, "i should just turn around now." but i kept pedaling through intersection after intersection until i found myself on the far side of harper turning around.

the outbound journey took over an hour. somewhere around 1:04 or something like that. the return was just slightly faster. part of the reason for the increased speed was the wind. with it at my back, i could go a tad faster without any more effort. the other reason for the higher pace was my attempt to pick it up and get a TT time. (i told you i'd get back to that.)

at 13 miles from home, i reset my odometer (it had been acting up anyway) and accelerated sharply. i was going to make a go of it and at least get a time on the board of boni's race. my lungs were soon heaving and my heart was pounding out of my chest. my legs pushed hard, but i knew it wasn't going to last. it just felt wrong. as wrong as my TT attempt on wednesday felt right.

after less than a mile of hard effort, i settled back into my earlier pace. i just kept my cranks turning out of long established habit. at 12.42 miles i checked my time - 43.02. i decided not to post that to theTT challenge. it would require all kinds of math to do that and roopak, the challenge's current leader, set the standard high with a time of 31:33. i doubt i'll ever beat that, but i'd like to be closer before i post.

so this ride survives as a single uninspiring workout. (31.87 miles @ 15.9mph)