Activity: road cycling
Location: Dupont Circle, DC > Potomac/Avenel, MD
Distance: 27.6 miles (moderately hilly)
Duration: 1:41
Weather: sunny, 70 degrees
Avg HR: 136 (max: 165)
Type: aerobic

PPTC “Downtown Breakaway” ride. Each week has a slightly different, slightly longer route, owing to longer daylight hours as summer approaches. Today’s route included the Mountain Gate hill in Avenel: 3/4 mile of steep, unrelenting hill. Basically, you’re stuck in whatever gear you start in at the bottom, so planning is key. It catches new riders by surprise, and the swearing heard among the ranks of fast, new riders as you pass them is quite an experience. But I managed to keep up with the fast BB/slow A riders today, even after their paceline made a break on the ride back along MacArthur Boulevard – my solo spin on moderately flat terrain is getting better. I think they broke away when I developed a tiny cramp in my right calf. It worked its way out as I spun along (higher cadence in a slightly lower gear – about 106 rpm. – allows for the quadriceps to take over for a while). Allergies didn’t do much, with a slightly runny nose that was easily cleared.