| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
51.87 miles
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Altitude Gain:
3,066 ft
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Avg Speed:
17.85 mph
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Route:
Tour de Perry
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 158 bpm
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Avg HR: 132 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Hills
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Bike: custom built Cipollini RB800 Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 75 F Wind NW @ 6 mph |
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Headed over to Perry, NY for a fifty-mile-long event that includes a climb through Letchworth State Park that is NY'S version of the Grand Canyon. Plan for the day was to ride conservatively as have two time trials and a road race at the Empire State Senior Games tomorrow. Wasn't feeling too bad despite still having a sinus infection that appeared to be settling in my ear. Teammates Doug and Joe showed up for the festivities. Course starts out with five or six miles of downhill with one quick trip through a glen and a mile long gradual climb before getting to the bottom of the state park. The course climbs fifteen miles through the park starting with a fairly steep half mile climb before tapering off into sections of long grade. Ride through the park ends with two or three very steep though short climbs. After leaving the park there is addition climbing and a section of flatland before descending into Pike for a rest stop. Course then climbs out of Pike and has sections of long fast descents and a couple more gradual climbs before returning Perry. Not sure how many riders were present, but it looked like well over one hundred. The fifty milers and short course thirty-mile riders started together. Ride started fast with a descent through town and had my first event as lost a water bottle running over a manhole cover. Wasn't really too much of a concern as still had one and planned on stopping at the thirty-five-mile rest stop and I'd be lighter for the climbs. Had a couple of flyers go off the front and caught up to them going into and out of a steep walled glen. Stayed near the front with Doug and Joe for the remaining descent. Stayed with the front group on the first climb until I got to the point of having to dig deep to hang on and then bailed. Doug went by in pursuit of three strong riders and that was the last I saw of any of them. I soft pedaled until Joe caught up being passed by many riders. After the climb Joe and I caught up to what I think became the second pack. I climbed with the pack over the top of the first steep grade in the park then waited for Joe at the top. Tried to latch on to a couple of riders as the grade lessened and drafting became viable, but Joe was not having a good day and faded away. Continued to draft the two riders until they pulled off either to the first rest stop or onto the thirty-mile loop. Picked up the pace a bit and climbed steadily catching a few riders. Kept pace with two racer type hot chicks that didn't appear in any rush but when I passed them, they would speed up though not draft. Soon got passed by a large group when the course flattened a bit, and I increased my pace to stay with them as did the hot chicks. Stayed with them until the final steep climbs near the top of the park. Stayed in the saddle and started to climb well enough to pull away from the group when one of the hot chicks went spinning by me. Stayed with her until she faded then came out of the saddle and accelerated up the climb. Was actually surprised that the legs responded so well after days of poor performance. Now that I had displayed myself as a showoff, I felt I needed to keep the momentum going so I didn't look like too much of a jerk. Gained quite of distance on the group and felt pretty good although these were pretty much a mix of second and third pack climbers. Pushed the bike through the remaining climbs and felt great but was using energy that would probably been saved for the races tomorrow. Exited the park with a good lead and figured I would try to hold it until the rest stop at Pike where I would wait for Joe. Saw one rider in a green jersey ahead that was climbing well and set my sights on catching him. I almost caught him on the last climb before the flatlands and figured I would ride with him to Pike when he missed a turn. I yelled at him, and he got the message, but I opened up a quarter mile on him before he got turned around. I kept good pace on the flats and saw that the green rider was gobbled up by a pack on the flats and spent some more energy picking up the pace. There was one climb left before Pike and I was able to climb well enough that the pack wasn't able to catch me. Filled my water bottle and got some quality beef jerky and pistachio nuts at the stop. Pursuing pack came and left before Joe arrived. Climbed out of Pike with Joe and hammered the downhill sections with him and another rider. Once we were out of downhill though Joe again fizzed out and I went off in pursuit of some staggered riders up the road. I rode strong and steady for the last ten miles trying not to get my heartrate over eighty percent. I caught and dropped a half dozen or so riders before once more catching the two hot chicks and another rider. They hopped on my wheel, and I pulled the small group back to the finish. Ended up with a little under an eighteen average, while the stronger riders averaged over twenty. Felt pretty good after the ride as had climbed very well and had good leg strength. Didn't want to get too overconfident though as I had sandbagged over most of the course and only concentrated on certain sections and stayed away from the strong riders for the most part. Even so had a good day and had done much better on the sections I had struggled with last year. Rode much easier than last year and had a much better time. Sinus problems were lost somewhere along the route for which I am grateful. Great course and good day on the bike.
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