I went for a hill repeat workout yesterday evening while the girls were swimming.  I figured, as I loaded my Trek in the back of my car, I’d use it as an interval workout.

Makes sense, right?  Hammer the hills and rest on the flats.  19 hills, 14 miles.  Ten of them are actual baby ring climbs.  Eight are honest to God, “Why am I doing this to myself” climbs.

It all started out so perfectly.  The kids ran into the high school for their swim practice and I pulled my bike out of the trunk, put the front wheel on and checked the brake clearance to make sure I centered the wheel properly.  I put on my shoes and my brain bucket… turned on my light and took off at an easy 18 mph pace.  Perfect.  SO FAR…

79 marvelously sunny degrees, a decent wind from the south that I’d have to fight on the way out, but it’d help on the way home.

Within a quarter-mile I was up to 19.  Into the wind, and it wasn’t one of those baby breezes.  I figured 10-15 mph with gusts up to 20.  I hammered the first hill but on the way down I failed to rest.  I figured I’d rest after the next one.  I bombed down the back of the hill at 35.  A right turn and I was hammering up the next hill.  This was an easier one, barely warranting the middle ring (I always ride this one in the big dog on the Venge).  Then a little downhill where I should have been resting – but I had almost a mile before I hit my next hill… why bother resting yet?  I got down in the drops and held 21 all the way to the Coyote Preserve subdivision.  Into the wind.

Entering the sub, then it gets serious. To get my 17 miles, I have to do the sub twice.  There are no flats, you’re either going up or down.  And I forgot to rest on any of the downs or flats the whole rest of the way.  Oops.

I had every intention of taking it easy on the descents and flats, resting like you’re supposed to in an interval workout and coming home with a 15-1/2 mph average, the same my wife and I do the ride together.  Honest, I did.  Well okay, maybe 16… but you get the drift.

I pulled into the parking lot of the school with a 17.3 mph average, over 17.5 miles.

The problem is, how many 80 degree days do we get this late in October?  Not many.  I had to.  I think it’s a rule ‘er somethin’.

The plus side was the cyclist high after….  I was absolutely drenched with sweat, so I took my jersey off, used it to towel off, put some dry clothes and just sat there in my car, basking in the afterglow of a beautiful Fall ride.

Oh, I’ll pay for it tonight at the club ride but I don’t care.  I’ll be glad I did it next Spring.