My longest ride yet...60 miles. This is about my 7th ride in my come back and so far so good. I have to admit I was a bit nervous....I even broke out the race wheels just to grab every advantage I could for fear of my lack of fitness and length of the ride. Starting off everyone (mostly team members) was pretty nice....they kept looking back to make sure I was there (for fear if they dropped me I would knock them off the team haha) and doing ok. For the first 30 minutes it was a slow roll and passing people and having some latch on. Finally we picked up two guys who wouldn't pull and were VERY twitchy in the line. Needless to say I was overcautious and getting a bit irritated. But I would have to think its bad form for me to be the jerk to say what everyone was thinking. After all we were all there at one time. So after one turn on to another road Eric took off...I couldn't help myself and with total disregard to my lack of fitness I launched out of the group (from the back) and chased....I caught him and even stayed on his wheel...then the rest of the group came and we started the pace that I knew would come when you do a charity ride with racers....OMG my lungs and legs were screaming but my pride would not let me quit. Finally we hit another turn in the road and we slowed down for a regrouping. Of course we looked around saw that we lost some....oops so sorry. Then it kicked up again...and OH MAN did it ever. Every long hard effort put in by what ever Shama Monster was on the front put me in the red and I had to REALLY work hard to stay on. We hit our first stop for a reload of food and drink and ran into more FOPs. Its so great to see everyone that I have become so accustomed to ride with and see...that I missed in these past 3 months. Finally in the last 6 miles with more FOPs in the mix Eric threw out a MAJOR attack. I was on the front at the time taking a VERY ill timed pull. When I saw no one really follow I though we would just slowly chase him back down....but that didn't happen. Two went off...then another two...then three. CRAP! I am blown...but I took off anyway thinking (that's what I get for thinking) that I can chase on. I get closer slowly to a well formed group of Chase 1 after the big guy. Laura was on my wheel so I had extra incentive to act tough and make it. You ever get with in 20 feet of the group but just can't close it down and trying not to totally implode only finally slow up and the group still stay the same distance from you meaning that they slowed up just as you did. AAAAHHHHGGGGG!!!!! Oh...but whats this? My free ride (Laura) jumps off my wheel and right up to the group no problem. DOUBLE AAAAHHHHGGGG!!!!!! So now I should just fall back to the main group behinf. But I don't...ether I will pick up who ever gets dropped or some one will catch up to me. After about a mile I look back and see a lone figure. Who is it....whats his name??? Its Lisa (soon to be Yarrow) coming. That is right! A GIRL! Out of a pack of guys! I was so proud of my little triathlete. I waited up and then gave her my wheel and I pulled with all I could to get us back to the school with out being caught by those chasing. We stayed away and came in just after the ones we were chasing. Of course Lisa's first comment being the pure triathlete that she is "WOW its so easy when you can draft....what an amazing difference...I could hold on at 25 26 no problem" Me? i was just happy I made it and on a pretty tough day. Everyone seemed a bit worked so I was very happy with my day.
I think we all ride or race and we all look back on our rides and get down on ourselves for different things on the ride that we didn't like or didn't perform well enough on or what ever it is. We all do it. Well that ride...I was all smiles. I got dropped and chick'd and all that...yet still I was SUPER HAPPY with my ride. I loved and cherished every second of it. What a great day! I love my team and friends and riding. So grateful to be able to do it all again.
Next up...Thanksgiving Day 70 miles. Black Friday Century from Shama Cycles. Saturday is another 60 miles. Lets see if I make it....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment