Humbled by hills
Pre-pandemic, I was doing group rides 1-2x/week with a group that's 25 miles north, and the group then usually road further north, meaning hillier terrain.
During pandemic, with no group rides, I was naturally staying closer to home on flatter roads. It's not like the mountains vs. the sea, but probably 1,000-1,500 climbs vs. 2,000-3,000 on typical rides of 30-40 miles.
So my first group ride back earlier this month, I surprise myself and average 20.5 mph over a 43-mile group ride, climbing 1,250 (which is relatively flat for that distance around Raleigh). This is near home. I'm thinking I'm as strong as I've ever been.
Days later, I go north with my old gang and get dropped on 18 mph rides twice in three days on 40-mile routes climbing 2,400. Now, I'm thinking I've lost more ground than they have over the pandemic.'
Not that it matters, just having fun, but I'm curious. How did that happen?
I should add that I weigh about 10, maybe 15 pounds, more than I did when riding w/ the northern group in 2019. But I'm posting similar times on my old solo routes around home.
So, what is the best explanation for these recent performances?
-Haven't been riding hills enough lately. Give it a month.
-Engine is fine, as evidenced by good speeds over flat, but added weight is taking a toll up hill.
-Hills are just the devil. That's all it is.
I also might've just been more ''up'' for the first ride. It was my first group ride back, and I didn't think I could hang w/ them, so I was busting it. On the hillier ones, I was overconfident and perhaps not mentally ready to grind.