“RE: Ride #89: An Interesting Ride (and a Looooooong Story)”

On 8/31/2006, Daniel Berlinger said:

> Two things... I often find I'm faster after a few days off. Not always, but
> enough to make me realize that it happens. Second, you had a nice long break
> after getting all your systems warmed. When I run into some of the folks and
> we stand around somewhere talking for a while, and then I start up again,
> I'm almost always faster, even when it's been 30 - 40 minutes. I suspect the
> break tends to flush things out, gets everything caught up *and* I suspect
> that you also do not normally stop for any length of time. So you're not
> used to the feel of the recovery time.

With all the years I've been doing this, it's a safe bet that I've stopped a few times during my rides. :-) I know all about the boost you get from taking a couple/few days off, and from taking a quick break during a hard ride.

This wasn't like that. First, the surge didn't hit me until I'd been back on the road for at least fifteen minutes, but the boost from a quick break is immediate. Second, I felt like I'd been drugged or something, especially on that last 1/2 - 3/4 mile of Rt. 184 just before the turn into my neighborhood. I was riding into a headwind (it's *ALWAYS* a headwind, there), on a slight incline, at 24 mph. I was breathing as deeply and as fast as I possibly could. I slowed for a couple of turns, and then blasted again for the last 500 feet to my driveway (which is on a much steeper hill).

I leaned the bike against the front of the truck, so I could take off my shoes and socks before rinsing the bike down at the hose. Everything went

I stumbled out to the front yard. The effort of walking brought it back again, and I had to just lay there gasping for air until it passed.

Jed (my brother) came out front to make sure I was ok. I tried to explain what happened, but I couldn't really talk until I had caught my breath.

It really did feel "out of the ordinary." Usually when I get back from a hard ride, I stand there panting for a few seconds, then I'm fine.

Sorry I didn't provide all the detail last time. It was very weird, and I just wrote enough to trigger the memory if I ever read it again. (In spite of the length of my reports, I do that quite often.)

Seth