I'm relaxing watching the ITU triathlon world cup race in Ishigaki, live. After the Arizona Ironman time zone dilemma last night, I was pleased to see that the world cup race was on at triathlon.org. The women's race just finished with the win going to Fernandez from Portugal, followed by Snowsill(Aus) and Tanner(NZ). All three are running machines, but Fernandez ran away from the other two like they were standing still about 3km from the end. Now for the mens' race.
I rode for just under 4hours this morning. 2hours of it was with a triathlon riding group that I often ride with on the weekends lately. I was feeling fatigued from yesterday. As long as I just kept turning it over I felt good, as soon as I hit a small rise or got up to crank it, there was no gas left, which was illustrated in the sprint we had over a small bridge, which I held my own on but hurt it like hell. Luckily it was right before the cafe we decided to stop at for a few minutes and some caffeine. I sure am going to enjoy next weeks recovery.
Riding with a group, triathlon/Ironman specific or not, is a great way to get those long miles under your belt. There are a number of benefits, you get to meet like minded people who are often keen to meet up at other times during the week to train. The more experienced riders are usually happy to give you some pointers if you ask politely (many even if you don't ask, heh). Often you can find new rides you haven't discovered on your solo riding expeditions, while still being able to get home afterwards. The time seems to pass much faster to as you chat with your cycling companions. The main benefit I experience is the motivation I soak up from other athletes. I like to talk about how their training is going and what their plans are for the coming season. The excitement for racing is contagious. If you can find a weekend cycling group that fits with your experience level I strongly recommend giving it a crack to see if its your cup of tea.
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