Riding with Cosimo, custom cycling tours in Tuscany: Low intensity fun ride, as I try to approach my rides to maximize my performance next spring.

A couple of days of rain made for some needed rest for me. By this morning, I was ready to get back on the bike and do some riding. There has been a discussion on Facebook, with a few articles referenced, on timing of rest and workout intensity to create peak performance for some of the big events we are entering next spring as a team. I am not real good at resting, but I did translate the articles, and thought about it, and have an approach for the next three months of having 80% or so of my rides be "low intensity", which to me means not getting my heart rate up above around 130, which I recall from my days of heart rate monitors to be the middle of my aerobic threshold. I am going to keep riding a similar amount of kilometers, just keep the pace mellow on 4 out of 5 rides. We shall see how that goes.

Today was my first effort for low intensity, and it was really quite nice. Every time I found myself pushing the pace, I backed off and reduced the gearing, which works for me. I really enjoyed the ride, so perhaps this approach will work. I do have an ambitious schedule of event / races next spring / early summer, so I hope the approach works. I had some errands to do this morning, and have a commitment to pick up my granddaughter this afternoon, so I had to limit the time out anyway. I have two days of team rides this weekend, so a shorter ride today was nice. I rode out through the Cascine to Signa, then continued on the river road to Montelupo. Back up a different valley to Ginestra, and a stop for cafe and a slice of pizza at a new place I have noticed recently. Good cafe, good pizza, and a great price. I will stop there again. The cafe is right at the turn to climb to Valiano on a little road I had only ridden once before. Really nice and fun today.

Taste treat has to be a veal roast Emily prepared last night with it roasted in a milk based sauce that cottles the milk and turns into a great sort of glop on the roast. I realize this description is not that good, but believe me, the roast was. Super yummy. Italian phrase is meno intensitiva (google translate said bassa intensitiva), meaning less intensity, which I hope describes my riding the next few months. Still, got to have the kilometers, I am not giving up on the 20,000 km goal. 62.8 km (39 miles) today in 2:39 for an average speed of 23.6 kph (14.7 mph) with 512 meters (1680) vertical climbed. 17,306 km for the year to date, leaving 2694 to get to 20,000km.

The trees are turning now, here in the Cascine on the way out of town.