After a year of almost no riding (only about 250 miles total) I'm now able to start up again.
At my age (70) a year off takes more of a toll on your conditioning than it used to.
I've finding that even the club "C" pace rides (15-16 MPH average) are too fast for me. I started riding in Zwift, trying to increase my speed. Not a good idea. My bad knee (rebuilt in 1976, re-injured in my auto/bike accident 3 years ago) is having no part of pushing the watts anymore.
Time for Plan B.
Plan B is basically riding at a comfortable cadence while keeping an eye on the power meter readings and using the gears to keep the watts below the "you're not listening, and I'm not going to let you walk tomorrow" threshold. Whatever speed that averages out to (currently around 14.4 MPH) is fine with me.
Oddly enough, I've been contacted by several of the 'more distinguished' (older) club members that, like me, join every year, but seldom are able to participate in the club rides, which are either too fast, too long, or too steep (or a combination thereof.) I've been looking at several of the usual club ride routes with RWGPS, and have determined that, in many cases, the routes can be modified to both reduce the distance and eliminate some of the steeper climbing sections. That way, we can all start at the same place and time, but the "D Group" will take the shorter route at a more relaxed pace, and probably arrive at the finish around the same time as the younger, faster crowd.
I like Plan B.
