22 MPH

Last night, I hit 22 mph on my guni, according to my very reliable cycle computer. My GPS watch only showed a top speed of 20.4, but it tends to miss those small bursts of speed that the cyclo catches. Even 20.4 is impressive to me because it means that I was able to maintain that speed for a short while.

I rode around Prospect Park in record time: 13.20 or so for the 3.35 miles of the course, averaging 14.8 mph for the ride. I kept the uni in high gear even for the heavy-duty uphill part -- I think that downshifting would have slowed me down considerably -- and could not have gone much faster, but I'm sure I can get the time under 13 minutes. I'll give it another try this evening.

I can tell you one thing: That ride wore me out! When it was over, I went for another 3.5 miles over a different route, and most of that time I could barely manage 10 mph. My watch is programmed to chirp if my speed goes below 10, so after my super fast ride, the rest of my exercise was punctuated by the unpleasant reminder of my own exhaustion. My watch is also programmed to alert me if I ever exceed 20 mph, but I didn't hear it due to the volume of my iPod combined with the rush of the wind. Bummer. I did want to hear that sound. I'll have to try for that one again today!