Orlando, FL – Training Ride

Saturday morning February 3, 2018, TeamOne members (Dawn, Diana, Gail, Jodel, Kelley, & Z) banded together for a team training ride in preparation for the ADA Lake Nona Tour de Cure 2018 coming up on March 25, 2018.

The start time was high noon-ish. Starting the weekend with a team ride made for a fantastic day of fun, camaraderie, and pulling together.

The Ride

February came in with a warning of 6 more weeks of winter. Florida should not have cold temperatures. Saturday was not so bad, with a mid 61-degree start. Overcast and windy, winter’s presence was still here! Along with clouds, though, was also wind.

To start, the team’s music serenade was synchronized. The mix made by the creative genius kept spirits up. Today was a training ride, so the team targeted a slower pace to kick off the season. The pace — 13-14 mph. Wind gusts came from all angles. Even though the Florida winter is mild compared to most of the rest of the country, the wind had a chilly bit to it as well.

The team took advantage of the wind to practice changing leads in the group. Switching every mile kept legs fresher. A slight climb up a bridge allowed refresher for some on gearing. The scenery today offered up brown grass instead of the typical green fields. Chalk that up to the frequent frost-covered mornings. The mid-point of the ride let the riders get hydrated and catch a few minutes of rest.

After the short break, making sure not to take too long so legs didn’t stiffen up, the cyclists got back on the road. The wind didn’t budge. It kept coming today, even though the team was going back to their starting point.

Pushing, switching, pushing, switching. The grey day seemed a little gloomier, with more chill in the air. At times the pace seemed to only be slow motion. Starbucks was calling, though. A cup of tea, coffee, food, and time for visiting kept this group going. One last stoplight, then the sprint to the end!! Refreshments at last. The group of cyclists took time to enjoy not only the refreshments but also catching up with each other.

As always, this day was filled with great conversation, camaraderie, and the beautiful, if nippy, weather in Florida.