Saturday, September 20, 2008

I live for downhill!


Note: I added the elevation from Running Ahead for the miles that I could remember, I honestly don't have much of an idea of the route we took...I just followed. It just seems to look more like what it felt like. :)
Over 1000' of climbing total...pretty cool.


Well that was a workout! After not being on the bike for 3 weeks it got pretty tough in a few places. Not to mention this may be one the hilliest rides I've done. It was good though, really good. We climbed about 400' in the first 11 miles. We saw some miniature horses...oh my gosh they were cute! After mile 11ish it was so nice for awhile downhill and fast...I like going fast...well fast for me is 23-28...I love it! Especially when you have worked so hard to go up! We stopped for lunch about 17 miles in...one of the worst I've ever had at a small town diner type place.. and then faced some more hills.




This was around mile 25ish looking back at what we had just ridden up. Not a great picture, all I had was my cell phone. That last hill was kind of a killer. For the very first time I was in my very lowest gear...one and one. It was around there that we saw some llama's how cool is that! Miniature horses and llamas on the same trip. And some houses that were huge!! And I mean huge! And then it got hard. :) Miles 30 and up I was really afraid that I was going to get a cramp in my thighs...oh my gosh! But I just kept going and I did of course make it. Just about 39.2 miles and 14.4 average speed That's actually up from previous high of 14.2 so with all the hills and lack of riding I feel pretty good it.


And then...the pool...ahh...the girl who's house we choose to leave from has a pool, so we got in and cooled off and floated around. And then sat in the hot tub for a little while...you know, I don't know if it gets any better.....

5 comments:

Tea said...

Hi Julie! Thanks for stopping by my blog today.

Where is this bike route that you did? Have you ever gone down Quincy Ave (Aurora) toward Kiowa Bennet Road or out on Watkins? It's the Harvest Moon half iron course. It's a pretty decent challenge.

Are you doing the Denver Half Marathon )or full? I'm going to go read around your blog! I loved the picture of your first tri.

Tea said...

BTW!!! I just saw that you are doing the Turkey Trot! I do that one every year with my son. This year I'm doing it by myself because they will all be in Vegas.

Julie said...

Tea, Thanks for stopping in. :) I'm still very much a beginner to all of this. That sounds like a great ride. I actually live in the Westminster/Arvada area and we tend to ride from Longmont a lot because that is where one of the girls (the one with the pool :)) lives. This particular ride was from Longmont up the I-25 frontage road and across at Mead, to Berthoud over aways and back down to Longmont. Beautiful ride!! I'm only volunteering at the Denver Marathon. I'm not quite up to even a 1/2 yet. I'm doing my first 10k next weekend. And I'm nervous. :)I'm so looking forward to reading about your journey!

Anonymous said...

If you ever get to east Texas, you can admire my miniature llamas as you ride by. Our hills have nice gentle slopes, Piney Woods area, and the prettiest part of Texas.

Sara said...

Wow that looks like one heck of a hilly road! You rocked that ride!