Two days ago, in Aledo, Texas, I did my second bike rally of the year and my 496th overall. The rally is known as the Ride for Heroes, since it honors police officers and fire fighters. I've done all nine of the rallies in all sorts of weather: warm to cold, sunny to rainy, windy to calm. Two years ago I almost got frostbite on my feet. A year ago, I got drenched in pouring rain.
This year, fortunately, the weather was nice. It was chilly at the start, but warmed up gradually as we rode (reaching a high of 75º in the afternoon). I warded off the morning chill with a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of cheap cotton gloves. My average speed of 16.36 miles per hour (for 60.36 miles) wasn't high, compared to other rallies, but it was my highest ever for this rally. The low speeds in Aledo are due to two things: (1) the fact that the rally comes early in the season, before I'm in good shape; and (2) the fact that the course is hilly. Up and down we went, all morning long! Some of the hills were long and gradual; others were short and steep. The average wind speed was only 8.0 miles per hour for the day, but it was enough to slow our pace much of the time. I'm glad I didn't try to do the 82-mile course.
Three of my friends showed up: Phil, Randy, and Bryce. Bryce did his own ride, so we didn't see much of him. Randy turned off on the 44-mile course, despite our attempts to shame him into going farther. That left Phil and me to ride around Lake Weatherford. Phil, now 60 years old, rode well all day. I was under the weather from allergies, a cold, or a virus, so I appreciate the help Phil provided. He broke the wind for me for much of the final 10 miles, by which time my legs were weak.
My average speed for the first two hours was 16.53 miles per hour. My average speed for the remaining 1:41:15 was 16.17 miles per hour. The rally attracted lots of people, which is good to see. Cycling is alive and well in the DFW Metroplex. My maximum speed for the day was 33.0 miles per hour. I burned 3,403 calories. My average heart rate was 102 and my maximum 142. This was my 10th consecutive weekend of riding. I'm gradually extending my endurance and increasing my strength. By late August, I'll be riding 100 miles at the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls at over 19 miles per hour.
I hope you had an active and enjoyable weekend, as I did. I ran 3.1 miles Friday, rode 60 miles Saturday, did a long walk with Katherine Sunday, and ran 4.3 miles today. I exert; therefore I am.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 