Hammer, schammer, the folks from the Valley Spokesman really love to crank it up on Tuesdays and Thursday. For me it is a chance to hold on for dear life and conduct a massive interval session. Today was a bit strange because the pace started out really pedestrian -- around 17-18 mph. I am not sure why, but it seemed that some folks just didn't bring their 'A Game' ... or so it seemed at first. I am pleased to report that I turned out to be wrong, wrong, wrong it just took a bit longer to get in the groove than usual.
As usual, the group broke up but the fast folks weren't in front this time.... kinda weird. Game time started after the re-group at the Sunol train station. As we headed up the short climb out of Sunol, the jets started to ignite. As usual, I got kind of blocked in since cars were coming by. Still, I was in the big ring motoring the whole way up, but they got away anyway, arrrggghhh.
As I went over the top with Ross, we started turning up the power volume and going after the missiles. With Ross pulling at first, I sat in for a bit, but then pulled around and opened it up. I think the much faster Ross was just stunned so he let me have my fun. The gap was about 500 yards, but my unthinking mind said we can bridge the gap. Therefore, I decided I would just keep hammering until I caught them or fell over spent in the ditch.
I don't know how long it took to catch them, but it felt like a chest-exploding eon. Once I latched on, "the catch" thought I should take a pull. Are you kidding me? I just pounded all the way up here I! "I couldn't lead now if I tried", I croaked. "It nearly killed me just to catch you." Ever the generous type, my compatriot dropped the hammer on me and I held his back wheel for dear life (having lost my tow rope somewhere during an earlier ride).
Oh, but the story isn't over. Having reach the fast men I now had to hold on. I was doing alright until Joel hit a short gradient and leaned into it. I tried to hold for as long as I could, but finally fell off a 100 yards from the top with my heart and lungs screaming "your killing me, wave the rest through"... so I did.
Not so fast, I did too much work to let them just ride away. I gave myself a short spell to recover and chased again. My God, I must be an idiot! Say it ain't so... I think they are slowing down and the turn, with a short downhill, is coming. I bridged and caught them again.
Sanity now completely gone, I managed to hang on the rest of the way and arrive back at Shannon Park with the front group. I should probably send work an email now to let them know I won't be in tomorrow due to extreme fatigue (and some giddiness over holding on).
One of today's photo is of the American flag getting blown around big time in Dublin as I drove to the ride. The second is of Ross, the guy who let me just hammer, so I could see what I could do without him merely pulling me back.
As usual, the group broke up but the fast folks weren't in front this time.... kinda weird. Game time started after the re-group at the Sunol train station. As we headed up the short climb out of Sunol, the jets started to ignite. As usual, I got kind of blocked in since cars were coming by. Still, I was in the big ring motoring the whole way up, but they got away anyway, arrrggghhh.
As I went over the top with Ross, we started turning up the power volume and going after the missiles. With Ross pulling at first, I sat in for a bit, but then pulled around and opened it up. I think the much faster Ross was just stunned so he let me have my fun. The gap was about 500 yards, but my unthinking mind said we can bridge the gap. Therefore, I decided I would just keep hammering until I caught them or fell over spent in the ditch.
I don't know how long it took to catch them, but it felt like a chest-exploding eon. Once I latched on, "the catch" thought I should take a pull. Are you kidding me? I just pounded all the way up here I! "I couldn't lead now if I tried", I croaked. "It nearly killed me just to catch you." Ever the generous type, my compatriot dropped the hammer on me and I held his back wheel for dear life (having lost my tow rope somewhere during an earlier ride).
Oh, but the story isn't over. Having reach the fast men I now had to hold on. I was doing alright until Joel hit a short gradient and leaned into it. I tried to hold for as long as I could, but finally fell off a 100 yards from the top with my heart and lungs screaming "your killing me, wave the rest through"... so I did.
Not so fast, I did too much work to let them just ride away. I gave myself a short spell to recover and chased again. My God, I must be an idiot! Say it ain't so... I think they are slowing down and the turn, with a short downhill, is coming. I bridged and caught them again.
Sanity now completely gone, I managed to hang on the rest of the way and arrive back at Shannon Park with the front group. I should probably send work an email now to let them know I won't be in tomorrow due to extreme fatigue (and some giddiness over holding on).
One of today's photo is of the American flag getting blown around big time in Dublin as I drove to the ride. The second is of Ross, the guy who let me just hammer, so I could see what I could do without him merely pulling me back.
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