The Ride
Sunday was bright, sunny, cool, and breezy! Spring felt like it had arrived. Low humidity and sunshine always make for a great day. The TeamOne riders started the day off at a reasonable time (for a change). Yet today there was an incredible wind. The riders planned out the route to minimize the headwind, starting out going into the wind and saving the tailwind for the last 15 miles. Today was about practicing in the wind. There are some techniques with shifting that help with riding in the wind. Practicing these skills today would be perfect preparation for the wind that will surely come on March 26 at the Tour de Cure. The riders dared Mother Nature to beat them! They had a strategy for the ride — trading off taking the lead position every few miles. This would allow them to conserve energy. Wind speeds were averaging around 17 mph (Garmin provided) or 23mph (weather website), not including the gusts. As the riders took off, Jodel led them out of the suburban beauty of Laureate Park, Lake Nona. It was a nice warm-up. But already they could feel the wind’s strength. At about 5 miles out, Diana took the lead for the next several miles. Then the switch came to Z. He pulled for an amazing length of time. Then the wind picked up even more. The riders started to switch lead a bit more often. The wind was ever increasing, and of course there was inevitable traffic to watch for. The training ride was challenging. The wind switched unexpected to a headwind the last 15 miles – so much for planning. Their average was 17 mph! Getting ready for the Tour de Cure is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. Every day someone with diabetes has to think about overcoming challenges with diet, exercise, and medication. The riders knew that the challenges they experienced in today’s ride with the wind are nothing compared to that experienced by those fighting diabetes.Event Day Statistics
Let us talk about some facts and figures about the wind that day according to Weather Underground … If you take an average man’s weight (180lbs), the minimum (12mph) – maximum (23) – gust (32mph) wind velocity for the day, along with average speed (17mph) and use an Aerodynamics principals this is what it takes in effort to maintain 17 mph average over the varying wind speeds.Maintain 17 mph Average
For more details: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1605299739
Nice presentation.
Jim, thank you for taking the time to read the story and leaving a comment! Diana, Jodel, and Z always go that extra to share their rides with those who couldn’t be there in person.