# Bad training ride



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

So I went out for a 50 mile ride today and it didn't go well. Its 7 miles to the canyon and then 19 miles to the turnaround point. The climb is vary gradual and you can climb most of it in the big ring. We had 20 mph winds today that were at my back on the way up the canyon and a head wind on the way back down. When I got to the turnaround point my legs just kind of turned off. I couldn't make any power and ended up fighting the wind back home. It was so bad places were I normally make 30mph I was only doing 19. So what happened what could have caused it? I did a 25 mile mountain bike ride yesterday that had some tough climbing. And I had 4 days off before that.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

too many possibilities but my guess would be to examine your food in the 24 hours prior to riding, the 2 hours prior, and during. 

is this a ride you've already done this year, and held up ok?


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## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

Without knowing much about your training and recovery, I would say that the wind was the most likey culprit on the way down. Perhaps you should get a power meter, so you don't have to assess your ride on speed and feeling. You may have been putting out more than normal.

Maybe you have not fully recovered from the training leading to your rest days, or mountain biking took more of a toll than you realize.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Creakyknees said:


> too many possibilities but my guess would be to examine your food in the 24 hours prior to riding, the 2 hours prior, and during.
> 
> is this a ride you've already done this year, and held up ok?


I have been eating rather well lately. This is a ride I do regularly the last time I had wind gusts of 40mph on the way back down but it was at my back when I got out of the canyon. I had a gell on the way up and a PR bar at the turnaround point and 2 gells on the way down.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

johnlh said:


> Without knowing much about your training and recovery, I would say that the wind was the most likey culprit on the way down. Perhaps you should get a power meter, so you don't have to assess your ride on speed and feeling. You may have been putting out more than normal.
> 
> Maybe you have not fully recovered from the training leading to your rest days, or mountain biking took more of a toll than you realize.


I kind of figured it had something to do with the ride the day before. Or I lost the mental game with the wind. We get a lot of it this time of year. It can really mess with your mind. I wish I could afford a power tap. Its just not an option for me right now.


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## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

pulser955 said:


> I kind of figured it had something to do with the ride the day before. Or I lost the mental game with the wind. We get a lot of it this time of year. It can really mess with your mind. I wish I could afford a power tap. Its just not an option for me right now.


I could have just made this post after today's ride. I got hammered by a rough headwind going up a 10-mile 5% climb. My only solace was that I realized what I was up against when I hit 56mph on a descent that normally goes around 45-50mph. Since a new powertap costs almost as much as my bike, I'll just make note of the conditions, and track my performance over time, rather than a rough day in the wind.:thumbsup:


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## woodys737 (Dec 31, 2005)

99% sure it was the wind. 20mph is a solid 5.0 windsurfing which unless you wind/kite surf doesn't mean squat. Funny, when I lived in the Gorge and windsurfed for a living, 20mph wasn't really considered windy. Now that I ride all the time i consider a 10mph headwind annoying.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

woodys737 said:


> 99% sure it was the wind. 20mph is a solid 5.0 windsurfing which unless you wind/kite surf doesn't mean squat. Funny, when I lived in the Gorge and windsurfed for a living, 20mph wasn't really considered windy. Now that I ride all the time i consider a 10mph headwind annoying.



Yea the wind really sux. Unless its a 40mph tail wind then its fun. I took yesterday off to recover and did a short 1 hour mountain bike ride today. I set a new personal best time for the loop I use to test myself. Took 2 minets off my best time. And I didn't have to rip my legs off to do it.


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