"The Race"

The Ride Route: Neighborhood Crit, 10 laps

Miles: 19.0

Time: 1:14

Ave. Speed: 14.7

Weather: Nice! Sunny and 54. Wind 5-10 mph

Total Outdoor 2017 Miles: 1,498

Total Indoor Season Miles: 51.4

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The Story

The story of this ride comes in two forms.

First of all, the weather.

After exiting my studio to take the dog for a walk I realized how nice it felt in the sunshine. When we got back from our walk I checked the temperature....over 50 before noon.

There was no way I would pass on the chance to soak up a little of this nice day in while in the saddle. Heck, I even ditched wearing my booties today, figuring my feet would stay warm enough without the covers. I was right.

The second story of this ride came on Lap #3 of 10.

As I was just getting warmed up, a rarity occurred.

Only a couple of blocks into the third lap another rider turned onto my course and was up ahead of me by about a block.

Now, from the nice road bike and the good winter gear this guy was wearing I could tell he was a cyclist like me, not just some guy riding to the grocery store.

So of course instinct kicks in and my brain figures a way to use this guy as a carrot. Yes, I would pretend I'm in a time trial and that's my two-minute man up ahead.

The television commentators (yes, we have those in my mind in these occasions) are now wondering out loud if the big Italian who is all over his machine now can actually catch and pass the rider who started two minutes in front of him in this historic time trial race.

Steadily onward I went, using the opportunity given to me by tailwind to grab a gear and a couple of miles-per-hour extra to close the gap.

Grunting, snorting, snot running down my face I lower into the drops and make another push at my enemy up there.

Ah-HA!

I have an evil plan.

I shall make the final catch while going INTO headwind up the little hill on each lap. He'll never see it coming.

Do or die time!

Up out of the saddle I go to begin my valiant push, when BAM, a sharp pain shoots through my right knee. Back down into the saddle I go, limping up the rest of the hill only to see some of his advantage grow in front of me.

For several more blocks I begin to close in on him again.

But alas, just as I near my house where I turn right, he went straight.

Game over.

Funny part about all of this though?

Someone once told me this very true passage:

"It ain't racin' unless the other guy knows about it."

This guy never knew.

How embarrassing....for me!