Okay, here are the numbers for yesterday's ride: Overall distance of 27.2 miles in 3 hrs 25 min = 7.96 mph. Final 20.8 miles (after rest stop, and "pushing" myself moderately all the way) in 2 hrs 14 min = 9.31 mph. I felt like I'd had a really good workout when I was done, although I was in no sense exhausted. I even rode back out a few miles to do some shopping.
And today I feel pretty good. A little stiff, but plenty of energy, and we walked about 2 miles (r.t.) to get groceries this morning.
So if I take the same ride day after tomorrow, by which time I should be completely rested, it should give me some idea of whether I'm getting any stronger.
Riding the final 20.8 miles at 10mph or better would be important for my morale, and it's beginning to become clear to me how important morale is. If I'm meeting my goal, I'm elated. If it looks like I'm falling short, pleasure is transformed into work. I suddenly find myself laboring under an oppressive load. (This is a product of aging. A few decades ago, feeling as though I was falling short just made me try harder.)
It looks like I need to set goals that are reasonable, because if this stops being fun, I'm going to stop doing it. I'm going to assume that 10mph is a reasonable goal for the final 20.8 miles on Friday. If I can't keep up a 10 mph pace for 20 miles, how am I going to do it for 80 miles, seven weeks from now?
I have a couple of days to think it over.
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