Ride distances
I know we have a lot of dedicated riders here. Some of us go hard and heavy, some of us slow and steady, some of us just do whatever it is we can do. But I'm curious to know what's a "good" ride for you. Do you enjoy the distances? Elevation? The challenge? Scenic views? Just getting out and clearing your head?
As for me, it's all about pushing myself. I push the whole time, but that limits me. No centuries in my future. Depending on the mood, the conditions and what I have planned, I have three basic distances I go. A "short" ride is 20 miles or less. I'll really try and push myself on these rides, maintain a 17-18mph (or better) pace if I can. A "regular" ride is 21-34 miles. These are more of my training rides I do preparing for triathlons. I try to maintain a good pace and finish as strong (or close to) as I started. Finally, a "long" ride is 35-50 miles. I don't do these very often, mainly because of conditions. The only time it's suitable to do a ride that long for me is probably October into early December or maybe late February into early April. I find these rides drain me and I have to plan accordingly, pace myself and pay attention to conditions like wind and elevation. The long rides are bad for me because my competitive nature compels to push to failure and I really have to focus on pacing so I don't hurt myself.