The Muffin ride is supposed to be relaxing. It should be an easy spin to shakeout the legs. It started out that way. I joined up with the usual crew and we started on our usual loop. My legs were feeling great from taking yesterday easy. I had so strength going up the hills on the Custis Trail. We picked up Metro and Fristik on the W&OD.

We'd only been only the W&OD till just past going under Carlin Springs Rd., when I noticed my ride was a bit harsh. I looked down and found my rear was flat. I pulled over and tried to pump enough air into it so I could finish out the ride. Unfortunately, there was a hole and it wouldn't hold air. The guys went on and I stayed behind to patch it up. I couldn't find what caused the pin sized hole. Usually it's a small piece of glass, but I couldn't find this one. I patched it up anyway and reinstalled the tire.

From then on, I was riding hard to catch the guys. My HRM was reading 180 for most of the time I was trying to catch up. I got in what turned out to be a solid Zone 4 effort. I was turning hard and going about 25 mph or so. I should have been faster, but my wheel only had about 70 psi in it. I just kept going as best I could in hopes of catching back on. Brad Evans had turned around and so had Rich Fristik as usual, so I passed those two guys and had a guess at a time check.

When I got to Gravelly Point, I thought for sure that I'd see them if it was possible to catch up, but they weren't in my field of view. Around Memorial Bridge, I was just about to give up, when I spotted a Coppi Blue jersey hanging off the back. I'd found them. A little more time pedaling hard and I was back with the group for the last few miles.

This was probably stupid. I should have gone home or just rode my normal pace and got in my rest. But I didn't and so I've got to deal with the consequences. I don't think it's going to matter much for Sunday, however. I'll need to ride some tomorrow to shake things out--and also to insure that I've fixed the flat problem. Flats are what I'm worried about mostly.