Cedar River Trail team ride

Our team ride today started in the fine town of Renton. We did the Cedar River Trail, which is a lovely flat, paved, mixed use trail that follows the - you got it - Cedar River. Kele joined us and as we rode in a double paceline she coached us through a variety of drills to get us riding more smoothly and more confidently in a pack. First it was just bunching together and getting used to being a few inches from our buddy and the person in front of us. I'm finding that I really need to work on the paceline thing because I'm so independent I've lagged on riding smoothly behind someone's wheel. I can stick on a wheel comfortably, but when the speed slows I tap my brakes and the person behind me chirps "breaking" and it messes up the paceline. I'm supposed to keep spinning, albeit slowly, that doesn't seem to screw up the people behind me. Did better today than last week.

Kele then had us do some one-legged spinning drills. I've always heard of these, but being perfect [cough], I've never seen a reason to do them. I know I spin well. I've been tested and my legs show an even, powerful energy transfer. Who needs silly drills? Everyone! With my right foot unclipped, my left leg showed almost immediate weakness in its spin. After only a dozen pedal strokes it left a "hop" in the rotation, which indicates uneven pedaling. Crap. My right leg, however, was much smoother and only developed a "hop" after 30 or so strokes. Kele pointed out that once we felt that "hop" to stop pedaling with that leg because your core starts to overcompensate and makes you even more out of whack.

Then we did no-handed riding which wasn't particularly challenging. When I was sick this summer and too stubborn not to ride, I'd make myself ride Rosemary all the way home from Sandpoint with no hands. It would force me to go slow and not exert myself, but entertain me enough with improving my balance and skills. I never got good enough to stop at an intersection with a no-handed track stand, but I could navigate bumps and varied terrain really well.

The most fun drill Kele had us do was to practice moving through the pack. One at a time we'd start at the back and pry our way through the middle of the double paceline. It was a game of waiting for the right opportunity to sneak between two girls and quick reflexes and timing to charge through. Everyone had a blast doing it and agreed this was the most valuable and something to do again and again. Evidently this is the way Mason Lake is for the entire race. Good think my frame is steel.

The ride out and back was only about 20 miles so 5 of us went back out for another hour to get some more miles in. The morning was a beautiful and dry, a perfect fall day with peeks of Rainier coated in fresh snow. The Cedar River was high and fast, although well within its banks. There were a number of cute small houses along its shore and it seemed that weren't damaged by last week's flooding. Their yards were full of typical rural belongings like lawn tractors and lawn ornaments. Maybe the river didn't get that high? Seems improbable given the destruction everywhere else. At one bridge crossing we saw a team of Search and Rescue and firemen working along the riverbank below. I initially thought they were out doing Saturday morning drills too, but someone else thought given the number of vehicles they were out for search and recovery. Somber.

And if anyone is still reading this boring training entry, you've made it to the part where I sing the joys of being bonded-less in the winter. Yes, Denny, the girls are free and it's the highlight of my day. No extra Houdini-style layer of lycra, just the natural feel of skin on a tight, warm base layer. Heaven. It's like the release of ripping off your work clothes and putting on your jammies to get ready for bed, but better, because you're going on a bike ride!

Some girls are going on another ride in the morning, but Sunday is my designated sleep in day. Mass amounts of sleep has been the #1 remedy for my low energy (ok, #2....but I'm out of Vitamin Z!) so I embrace it whenever I can. I'll go to the gym later and meet with Kele tomorrow night to go over my training. Over the next few days I gotta save my energy for the 2nd Annual Ride for the Pies on Thanksgiving. 45 miles followed by mass amounts of pie and other Tday goodies and obligatory naps. I wish my Z could be here for it this year, but I know we'll have much more together later.