First Long Training Ride

We took our bikes to the bike shop for a tune up and to get new tires in preparation for the race. Yesterday was suppose to be our first long training ride, but we delayed it until today based on the temperature outside.  Yesterday's ride would have encompassed 35 degree temperatures where as today we were able to ride in temperatures around 50 degrees.  

One mistake was deciding to ride our local rails-to-trails, which is all gravel.  The first three miles of our ride were pretty smooth, but around mile 4 we started into terrain that was filled with soft mud and larger rocks, not the best situation given the new tires we just had put on our bike.  This affected our time but the ride was a test of our endurance while allowing us to increase our muscle strength.  When we turned around we got on the road at the first available intersection and found it was a lot easier to move at a faster pace even with the uphill climb. Next week's long ride will be on pavement.   

Total Distance:  15.41 miles 

Time: 1:19:15

Average Speed: 11.67 mph 

Maximum Speed: 25 mph