Putting the day before behind me, realizing I have nothing to be worried about and relax... I am hoping this will be my day to shine.
Training on our bridge had gone well, so I thought... went to VT twice to climb the mountain there and I am a confident climber... I never doubt myself, I NEVER worry about how I feel, I just go for it.
We pull out of the resort and it is game on. We immediately drop four girls. They had no idea what hit them.
It was fast, I was a bit surprised. The undulating terrain was a constant surge/slow/surge/slow
And as advertised, at 39.0km came 'the hill'. 3km with 8% average (or something like that...) As usual, not in the best spot for climbing, but .... hey.... I am a climber, right?
O
M
G
Apparently
NOT ANY MORE!
I am doing all I can to hang, but I don't. The leader is out of sight, I am not passing all the big boys I used to two years ago, this is NOT easy.
Is it the HEAT?
Is it the fact I rode SOLO for 85km yeaterday w/ a head wind
Is it that our training area SUCKS?
I am shocked....and a weeee bit mortified to be honest. I can't believe what is happening... I am climbing in slow motion... Now I aim to pass Siw Haller. If I don't get a lot of time on her, she'll drown me int he down hill and obliterate me on the flat... I manage to muster enough energy to put 30 seconds on her, but haul ass down hill.... sadly, my @$$ is too slow.... 1/2 way down, she catches me w/ a string of guys... I can't even hold their wheel.
Eventually, I get back on. We are four then six people. I see Glenn, my Hong Kong expat, Mui Ne buddy, Paul Dalton who we had a few jokes together earlier... This is great. We just ride to the turn aruond...
In the middle of this, I realize.... it will be Siw and I for the last 20km. I am trying to figure out how to beat her with this.... its a flat finish....she's the queen of sprints and I am the queen of mediocraty! What am I going to do...
I am sure she's thinking of how to drop me.
After the turn, I fall back a little to see what the game plan is...dare she go alone without me? Dare she not? She does as I thought, not go at it alone. Maybe she could have dropped me but with some of the hills, I doubt it. She opts to keep me. Okay.
We will finish together.... but I know the sprint is a bit out of my reach.
and it was...
3rd....
Redemption? No...not at all!
At the awards dinner, I simply say to Alex, "TEACH ME HOW TO SPRINT"!
Training on our bridge had gone well, so I thought... went to VT twice to climb the mountain there and I am a confident climber... I never doubt myself, I NEVER worry about how I feel, I just go for it.
We pull out of the resort and it is game on. We immediately drop four girls. They had no idea what hit them.
It was fast, I was a bit surprised. The undulating terrain was a constant surge/slow/surge/slow
And as advertised, at 39.0km came 'the hill'. 3km with 8% average (or something like that...) As usual, not in the best spot for climbing, but .... hey.... I am a climber, right?
O
M
G
Apparently
NOT ANY MORE!
I am doing all I can to hang, but I don't. The leader is out of sight, I am not passing all the big boys I used to two years ago, this is NOT easy.
Is it the HEAT?
Is it the fact I rode SOLO for 85km yeaterday w/ a head wind
Is it that our training area SUCKS?
I am shocked....and a weeee bit mortified to be honest. I can't believe what is happening... I am climbing in slow motion... Now I aim to pass Siw Haller. If I don't get a lot of time on her, she'll drown me int he down hill and obliterate me on the flat... I manage to muster enough energy to put 30 seconds on her, but haul ass down hill.... sadly, my @$$ is too slow.... 1/2 way down, she catches me w/ a string of guys... I can't even hold their wheel.
Eventually, I get back on. We are four then six people. I see Glenn, my Hong Kong expat, Mui Ne buddy, Paul Dalton who we had a few jokes together earlier... This is great. We just ride to the turn aruond...
In the middle of this, I realize.... it will be Siw and I for the last 20km. I am trying to figure out how to beat her with this.... its a flat finish....she's the queen of sprints and I am the queen of mediocraty! What am I going to do...
I am sure she's thinking of how to drop me.
After the turn, I fall back a little to see what the game plan is...dare she go alone without me? Dare she not? She does as I thought, not go at it alone. Maybe she could have dropped me but with some of the hills, I doubt it. She opts to keep me. Okay.
We will finish together.... but I know the sprint is a bit out of my reach.
and it was...
3rd....
Redemption? No...not at all!
At the awards dinner, I simply say to Alex, "TEACH ME HOW TO SPRINT"!
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