Frostbite Tour Ride Report

[JayC]

Karen G and I went out to do the Frostbite Tour this morning. As we were not preregistered, we needed to get there early to ensure a spot in the ride as well as get parking at the event facility. The organizers had emailed me and told me that auxiallary parking was 2 miles away. Didnt look that way to me but that's neither here nor there. I arrived at about 7:45 and Karen was already there. Start time was 9:00. We paid our money, Karen got us some tshirts and we waited.. and waited.. and waited.

About 8:35 we went out and started getting our gear on and unloading the bikes. The event organizer said a few words and mentioned that the past year only had 1 rider sag. As there was also a 40 mile route, I just cant believe that anyone would need to sag without mechanical difficulties anyways. I believe they were a few minutes late starting but everything went pretty smooth. I didn't see any crashes on the start.

Based on years of doing inline events, I figured cycling mass starts were probably similar. This was the first event Id done with this many riders that did not have a staged start. We went out in the first 1/3 of the riders and I grabbed someone's wheel and started going. My thoughts are the farther in the front you are, the less likely someone will crash you on the start. Also, you can always slow down and grab another pack but its much harder to catch up to one (More on that later). So I was cruising along and I looked in my mirror and Karen was nowhere to be seen. I moved over to the center of the lane and slowed down and let other riders go by as I waited for her. She came along with one of the other packs and I jumped on the back and away we went. The first 18 miles were pretty fast. Karen said she averaged over 18MPH. That sounds about right, I havent downloaded the ride to look at it yet.

That was the first paceline ride Ive done in 6 months and I was amazed at how easy it was. I was cranking along at 18-20 and felt like I could have gotten a better workout at home on my couch. We rode with a large pack to the first rest stop. Pulled in, waited a couple of minutes and headed back out alone. Karen was having trouble breathing in the cold so a couple of miles after the rest stop, a 7 or 8 rider line came by and I jumped on. I stayed with them until the next rest stop and again, the pace was 18-20.

Here is where I made a fatal mistake I paid for the rest of the day. When the group I was riding with left the rest stop, I was convinced that they had gone the wrong way. I had put the route in my GPS and either I routed it wrong or the cue sheet was old or wrong on the website. After about a mile of the GPS telling me I was off course, I decided that we were going the wrong way and I told the group I was with I was going to turn around and go back. I went back to the rest stop and asked for confirmation about the route and found that what I thought was the wrong way was in fact the right way. Again, I dont know if it was me or the cue sheet.. probably me.

So I set out again alone and didnt really see any more riders for a while. I passed a couple of guys and got lost in Bailey. I was sitting at a stop sign riding in circles thinking "WTF am I gonna do now?" when I saw the riders I had passed before make a turn way back up the road. I went after them and eventually caught them outside of Bailey. It was only 3 guys and they were just kind of cruising along so I rode with and chatted for a bit. I kept hoping there was another pack that was going to catch us so I could jump on. It never happened.

Got to the last rest stop and saw a girl who rode with us a month or so ago and talked to her for a few minutes and figured I'd ride in with the other guys since no other groups were coming. I turned around and they were already gone. I considered waiting and riding in with Rebecca (The girl) and her significant other but eventually just set out on my own. I rode the last 12 miles in and didnt catch any other riders until about 1/4 of a mile from the end.

I ended up doing a little over 65 miles (I got lost and the double back) and averaged just a little over 17. Considering I rode half the event pretty much solo, I thought that was pretty good.

Overall I enjoyed the event. I thought it was ran pretty well and the rest stops were okay. I'd definitely do it again if the weather cooperated.

[KarenG]

My thoughts: I hate really fast, cold weather riding. When Jay dropped me just after we left, I was trying to suck all the air I could and it just wasn't happening. I eventually caught back up to him (thanks for waiting) and we hung on to a group till the rest stop. I knew I couldn't continue at that pace with my breathing difficulties, but I tried anyways.

He caught up with a group that passed us and I just let him go and thought "have fun, see ya at the end". I managed to latch on to quite a few wheels and had an 18 average at the Shoeheel store, where I stopped and bought water to refill my empties. When I left there, I hooked up with two tandems and hung with them for a while, then dropped back on my own for a while.

When I got the 2nd rest stop, Mike & Todd were there and I talked with them a little. A couple of my mtb friends showed up as well and we chatted a bit. Refilled the bottles again and headed off in the 100k direction. I wasn't feeling real good at this time; maybe not enough to eat, the breathing, or what, but about a mile down the road, I decided to turn around and do the 40. I also figured that this route was gonna do Flower Hill and I didn't have the energy to do that one.

Also, at some point, my Garmin got stopped and didn't record about 3.5 miles from the 2nd rest stop. So, my stuff was messed up. I think my stats below are fairly accurate.....

So, I headed down the 40mi route. This was all solo here. Those hills on Antioch weren't fun and a coupla times I either almost fell due to the really low speed or about ran off the road. Felt like I was lightheaded too. A good day just turned into a bad day (well, really it turned earlier). That last hill on Covered Bridge looked awful with the way I felt, but I managed to get up it without incident.

Upon returning, I went inside and changed, then decided to wait on Jay. He arrived about an hour later. We chatted for a while then we both left - him for home & shower, me sight seeing and heading to the Ale House.

Overall, it was a good ride, but I've gotta see the Dr this week about the breathing problems. It's not the first time this has happened. Used to happen when I ran outside in Feb/March & sometimes April. Lungs just feel like they are closing up - can't get any air in or out very well.

Anyways, overall stats were 16.5+/-, 42miles, 2hr 32min+/-. I would ride this event again, if the weather cooperates and I've got the breathing problem solved.

[TomG]

This could have been my worst ride ever. I did the 100K. After 40 miles I start getting cramps in my hamstrings. I have never had that happen on any ride. I had to stop 3 times in the last 10-12 miles and I couldn't maintain even 17 MPH without the aid of a downhill.

I was so dehydrated that when I got back and got off my bike my feet started cramping. When I took off my jacket and shirt they were soaked with sweat. I drank 3 full bottles of Gatorade before I left and a fourth for the drive home.

Mental notes:
1) Cold and windy can dehydrate you just as much as hot and humid.
2) Riding a metric in February is probably not a good idea after not riding for about a month. Unless your first name is Lance or Levi or Jan.... :)

[JayC]

The weather was kind of odd. It got a lot warmer the last 10-12 miles or so. I started to overheat and had to play with the zipper on my jacket trying to keep warm without overheating or freezing.

If nothing else it was a good way to evaluate your progress from winter training. I definitely felt stronger than last year and Karen did really well the first 18 miles. Once it warms up a little and she doesnt have problems breathing, she's going to be fast in pacelines.

[JayC]

Just dumped the ride data and was looking at it. The first 18 miles when we were in the huge paceline, my average heart rate was 137 and my speed was 19 MPH even. After getting out of that paceline and pretty much riding solo the best of the day, my average heartrate was 150ish. Even the time I spent with the small paceline from rest stop 1 to rest stop 2 had a higher heart rate but I think that was more due to the wind.

Elevation for the ride was 2680 feet of downhill and 2682 feet of uphill. Considering the route started in a slightly different spot, that's fairly accurate I'd imagine.

[KarenG]

I really think I coulda done a lot better. I was really disappointed that I didn't ride the 65mi ;) , but once I can't get air in or out very well, Im done. It usually takes a good 12-16hr before I stop coughing/hacking, spitting junk up, and feel better.

I uploaded my stuff and up to the first rest stop my average was like, 19.4! I couldn't have done that the whole way, but I feel like I coulda done 17 for the whole thing, if I had felt differently.

Oh well.....

[JayC]

I bet if you compare heart rates from previous rides we've done to the first 18 miles of that ride, you're going to see it was much easier. I think the speeds are fooling you. I was bored to death those first 18 miles.. I felt like I wasnt doing anything and the only thing interesting going on was keeping those two chatty girls from running into me.

[KarenG]

well, mine was 158 over those first 15-18 miles. i'm telling you i was working really hard to hang on to mtb guy! we need to fix it so you only get half as much air and see how hard you haveta work.

[JayC]

I coulda rode that pace holding my breath :)

[KarenG]

I coulda rode that pace holding my breath :)


:hands over ears: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah :p

[JayC]

Once you get your breathing problem straightened out, you'll be able to also. I wish I would have had my Powertap on the bike yesterday so I could have seen what the effort was like. Im telling you, we ride WAY harder than that on our training rides.

[skiffrun]

I wasn't feeling real good at this time; maybe not enough to eat, the breathing, or what, but about a mile down the road, I decided to turn around and do the 40. I also figured that this route was gonna do Flower Hill and I didn't have the energy to do that one.

about the breathing problems. It's not the first time this has happened. Used to happen when I ran outside in Feb/March & sometimes April. Lungs just feel like they are closing up - can't get any air in or out very well.

You started too fast. Slow down & you won't have to gasp for air. Slow down and you will be able to breathe at a rate where your body can warm the air some on the way in. You know what the doc is likely to say: asthma.

Also, slow down and train your body to burn fat instead of requiring carbs from the first moment. slow down and you will eventually be faster than if you don't retrain your body to burn the fat. For source on this idea: see any recent bike training book.

[skiffrun]

y'all may want to make sure you understand pace-line etiquett re joining an existing group & deciding to join an existing group.

Watch the group for awhile to see if the skills are such that you care to trust your body to these strangers, before asking to join. And since they don't know you, they may not want to trust their bodies to you.

Most accidents at big charity rides (e.g., MS-150) come from riders unfamiliar with each other riding pace-lines together.

Ask RickF for info on last year's GSK MS-150 experience. I am confident he is knowledgeable about the two riders that hit face first in the asphalt - one unconscious for a couple minutes - I came up to the group within 2 minutes of the crashing - it was not a pleasant sight; accident caused by 2 unfamilar riders that didn't ask to join. And the one that caused the problem, never stopped to offer help or anything.

[KarenG]

You started too fast. Slow down & you won't have to gasp for air. Slow down and you will be able to breathe at a rate where your body can warm the air some on the way in. You know what the doc is likely to say: asthma.

Also, slow down and train your body to burn fat instead of requiring carbs from the first moment. slow down and you will eventually be faster than if you don't retrain your body to burn the fat. For source on this idea: see any recent bike training book.

i'll preface this to say that i'm not in a very good mood today - if this comes across wrong via internet, well, just remember, i'm in a very pissy mood.......

i can and do sometimes start this fast on rides Jay and I do, but the air hasn't been cold/dry on those rides. sometimes it has, but most of the time not. i don't need someone to tell me to slow down and eventually I'll get faster. you don't have a clue. i'm faster now than last year and by the end of this season, will be still faster. my body fat is going down as it is, so just don't go there. not today.

jay and i rode way harder than what he did or i coulda done on Saturday, last thursday in the wind. i didn't have any trouble riding then, and we averaged 16.5 that day. my last solo ride at home was 17, so don't tell me i need to slow down to go faster. i'm there now.

yes, i know exactly what the dr will say, i've been there, done that already. had the lung function test, xrays, the whole sheebang. i want an inhaler and i'm going be walking away with a prescrip for one this evening.

i've got friel's book and one by burke. i don't need another training book. again, been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

y'all may want to make sure you understand pace-line etiquett re joining an existing group & deciding to join an existing group.

Watch the group for awhile to see if the skills are such that you care to trust your body to these strangers, before asking to join. And since they don't know you, they may not want to trust their bodies to you.

Most accidents at big charity rides (e.g., MS-150) come from riders unfamiliar with each other riding pace-lines together.

Ask RickF for info on last year's GSK MS-150 experience. I am confident he is knowledgeable about the two riders that hit face first in the asphalt - one unconscious for a couple minutes - I came up to the group within 2 minutes of the crashing - it was not a pleasant sight; accident caused by 2 unfamilar riders that didn't ask to join. And the one that caused the problem, never stopped to offer help or anything.

i am familiar w/ paceline etiquette. i know to watch the other riders and to let them know i've joined and/or left. i didn't start riding yesterday. i know to keep my distance farther than if i'm just riding w/Jay. i've been riding with him for prolly close to 6mo now, and i know how he rides; i'll be pretty damn close to his rear wheel cuz i do trust him.

that's it. i'm not talking about this anymore. just read it, drop it, let it go, whatever. i'm just not in the mood for this today. sorry.

[CharleyM3]

My thoughts:
I thought that Michael was the only one from the group that was going on the ride. I tried to find him and failed. I did see David Cole. Parked next to him. He said that he'd see me after the ride. After a long pause I reminded him that he'd be having lunch some where by the time I finished. I was right. 3.5 hours. Averager 15.3 for 63 miles.
In the opening leg I was running at 18.4. I never formed up in a pace line. I rode with a few folks that I'd never met. Mostly I enjoyed the scenery. By the time I got to the second stop, my average was 17.6. When I picked up my bike again, it was 17.2 WTF?!?!? I hate wireless speedometers. It's going in the trash.
From there on, I was pretty much alone. I met to occasional rider along the way, but no one that seemed to want to be social. Then a group formed around me right before Flower Hill. There was much groaning, but I was ready. At the final stop, I over ate and over drank. My stomach was knotted up for 6 hours after that.
My bike crapped out about 3 miles out. A bolt had backed out of the middle sprocket of the crankset and kept binding the chain on the small sprocket. My small chain wheel was out of commission for the balance of the ride.
The only incident of the day and in fact of any ride I've been on was in the last mile. A tandem, towing two other bikes came around me. The tandem left plenty of space. The next bike pulled in a little close and started sucking me into the draft. The last bike tried to push me out the the way. When I declined to be bullied he remembered his manners and spoke politely and I let him in. Then to show that there were no hard feelings I let them pull me in.
The small sprocket may have to be replaced. The chain looks like it was dragged behind the bike rather than driving it.
I remembered to stretch out after the ride. I felt a lot better than last year. And sure enough, David was long gone by the time I got in at 1:35. I haven't downloaded the GPS info yet. It should be fun to look at though.

See y'all for a DST ride?