The Evening Standard

In other news: Cheesehead Roubaix cuesheets (with detour) are now ready.

On a nice summer weekend when daylight is virtually limitless, it’s a pleasure to explore unfamiliar roads and ride without a plan.  But on a weeknight after work, sometimes it’s best to stick with the tried and true.  Like many cyclists, I have a couple of standard routes.  On Tuesday I did my Eisenbahn State Trail standard: West Bend to Campbellsport and back, 32 flat miles.  Tonight I did my road bike standard: West Bend to Newburg and back, 26 rolling miles on popular cycling roads like Rusco, Paradise, Wausaukee, Congress, Hickory, Newark and Wallace Lake.

I always try to achieve a negative split on the Eisenbahn, returning to West Bend in less time than I needed to reach Campbellsport.  On Tuesday I achieved that thanks to an unknown rider who was behind me—perhaps pursuing me—from County Highway H to Decorah Road.  It might have been this guy.  Whoever it was, I was determined not to get caught and pushed myself a little harder than usual.

On my standard road ride I don’t have a specific target other than to climb the hills well and to keep my heart rate in whatever range my training plan requires for that day.  I had good legs yesterday but I worked for my 16 mph average on the Eisenbahn.  Today I averaged 17.5 mph on much more demanding terrain, albeit on a much more efficient bike.  My average heart was just 122 bpm, 66 percent of maximum.  That’s barely working, and I’m taking it as a sign that my fitness is improving.