Here comes Peter Cottontail...

So, after two days of recovery, I cut loose again this morning, with mixed results.

Speed-wise, it wasn't great, at 17.0 mph.  But my power numbers were very good.  The 500W 20s peak was very close to my record (actually, though, that was according to cyclemeter.  I found a 20s stretch on Strava that claimed an average of 574W), while the minute number was a bit further off (429W, vs a record of 458).  I would bet that both numbers are still my second best.

Anyway, the five-minute number was 326W, which was a record, as was the 293W ten-minute peak.  The 277W twenty-minute peak is also a record (and theoretically raises my FTP by a few, though I might not bother to program that in), while the 242W hour peak is a couple Watts off.

Of course, my power meter did cut out at least four times, for a total offline time of at least three minutes.  And I'm sure that would have at least affected my hour peak (possibly the 20-minutes as well, though that doesn't seem terribly likely).

But all this definitely begs the question of how my speed could be so much off my record.  Unfortunately, I don't have power data from that day, but I averaged a full mile per hour faster with a lower average heart rate (no cadence data either).  The temperature certainly had nothing to do with it; it was colder that day than today.  There was a lot of rain today, which might have factored in (especially as I had my rear fender on, to cut down on dirty water on my back).  I suppose, too, the rain clothes aren't as tight-fitting as the other stuff.  But I have a hard time believing those would make that much of a difference.

Overall, I wonder.  My speed was frequently way off; why?  Just not enough time in the drops?  Not enough time standing on the pedals?  Color me confused, for sure.

Anyway, biking is all about sustained power, and I feel good about having made improvements on that today.  Easy rides tomorrow (actually, with Christmas, I'm going to have trouble getting in any kind of ride tomorrow.  But I'll find a way; I don't want to break my streak) and Friday.  Saturday remains to be seen.

Update: I just noticed that there's a bit more than a hundred feet of elevation difference between the two runs as well, although I can't see any differences in where I went.  Dunno what to make of that, either.