The first group ride of the year

The weather forecast was promising, grey but at least dry and not to cold, so it looked like there would be a WRR group ride today. Keen anticipation at last night's swimming session we were all looking forward to getting out.
The morning dawned fine, cooler than the forecast but otherwise a good day. About a dozen were assembled at Wootton Community Centre for 9am, quick decision on the route and we were off. Several seemed to have similar riding plans with the intention to stop in a HR zone and work on keeping the cadence higher. The first half hour of the group ride was a bit faster than I expected pushing my HR into zone 3 when I should have been avoiding it, I didn't worry as I was enjoying the ride and I expected we would slow down as the ride progressed, which it did. The target was to spend 50% in HR zone 2 and rest in zone1, in the end I had spend 22% in zone 3. It's much harder to ride in a disciplined way to follow your training plan when riding as a group, but the group riding pulls you along and makes the whole experience more positive.
It was good to catch up with the group, what people had been doing, how their training was going, especially as the Ironman Austria group were all riding.
The roads were not to bad, some stretches with a poor surface and potholes, even craters in places, but all ride able. Road dry in most places, puddles some big especially on rural roads.
The route was out from Wootton towards Hanslope, Milton Keynes, Stony Stratford, Whittlebury and then home - just over 38 miles in 2 hours 31 minutes. Its a good route, rolling hills only a few sharp hills with plenty of places where it was possible to spin along and chat.
I am looking forward to more rides as the weather improves and the longer rides are planned.

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