‘Cross the Line Into a New Season
Saturday 9.22.7
The time has come for ‘cross again. First up was Pikes Peak Velo Supercross down in Colorado Springs. A 1.4 mile course in Bear Creek Park. Start was on a graded dirt road then onto blacktop for a long climb with 2 speed bumps. Then up a bit in the dirt before a sharp descent to a 180 in loose dust. Run back up over 1 barrier and remount back to the road for a long, fast descent. At the end of the road it was back onto tight single track. Still dropping and pointed straight at the hay bales on the bridge. A little bunny hop over the bridge lip and still fast onto the loose curve. Steep run-up then a bitter grass and sand leg sapper until you get onto the dirt road. Back along the parking lot and into the woods again. A little sketchy at speed, but you’ve got to hold it for the last climb. Grunt up in the loose stuff. Short blacktop section then onto the choppy, off-camber segment. Another pair of barriers precede a 90* left onto the bridge and a fast section to the pits. Almost 180* around the pits in loose dust and 100 feet to the finish. Get out of that corner 1st and you win.
! ran the course to warm up. ! had just gotten to the start of the dirt section when the old guys started. ! heard noises behind me and turned to see 2 guys lying on the road. Several more were running off the side into the field and others were veering the other way. One broken collar bone. ! got back to the Z feeling nervous. ! told Big Al ! wasn’t sure ! was ready for this. “You’re not” he replied. What an inspiration. ! lined up in the back of the pack for 35+IVs. ! didn’t crash on the climb. ! didn’t crash anywhere. ! even got 17th place out of 27 finishers. 4 points. ! actually got points! Usually ! only get points on the day of the SWAP when everyone except the hardcore goes shopping.
7 laps. Only lapped by the winner. 9.3 miles, 12.1 avg. 28.5 max, 45:51
3:01 >170bpm 11:42<160bpm 31:08 in between.
Race 2. Regular 4s. No points this time. ! went back and forth with Evan Sandstrom in the Metro State jersey towards the end. ! was in front of him after the big run-up and knew ! had to hold him off so ! could beat him out of the last corner. He was right on my wheel the whole way. ! made the last turn in front. He came out of the corner and sprinted. He was gaining. ! held him off by ½ a wheel for 25th of 29. Only 6 laps and ! got lapped by the top 3 guys, but my average speed was 0.1 mph faster.
6 laps. Lapped by top 3. 7.9 miles. 12.2 avg. 26.3 max. 38:47
9:21>170bpm 13:52<160bpm 15:34 in between.
Sunday 9.23.7
Foothills ‘Cross at Dakota Ridge (Coalmine & Bowles)
Lots of the usual bits in the field and around the pond. ! ran into AJ & Courtney Johnson in the parking lot. Courtney was there to see what she was getting herself into. She wants to play ‘cross. She rode yesterday so she was too tired to race today.
Same start on the dirt road. All the way up and then a 90* right onto wide single track. Straight across fast and a 90* right to descend for a sharp left and barriers. Really loose dust and a steep climb. The remount was flat and firm. Fast downhills with some tight turns until the next barrier. The remount from that one was on the double track along the North side of the pond. It was flat and fast. Some loose sections that looked worse than they were. Turn right on the sidewalk then off the edge to another right onto the shore. One big step up and onto a short climb before descending a graded dirt road. Headwinds all the way down. Hard left onto the single track section along the shore then over the road onto the soft and bumpy section. Legs drained climbing the grassy hill. Then twisty downhill with loose turns. A somewhat straight section led up to the steep climb. 15 feet at the top to shift back to the big ring, reclip and steel yourself for the steep drop. A couple loose turns and then up the dirt road for half a mile. 110* right and another 0.1 mile to the finish.
Bigger fields today than yesterday. Here’s the secret thing about this venue. You can pass everywhere. It’s basically a big, overgrown field. They go out and mow the course so you know where to go. It probably gets walked on a lot too so the old route is still findable much later. Other than a few prairie dog holes the dirt is all the same under the grass. Everyone seems to fear getting off the beaten path to plow through 2’ tall weeds. Or worse, at the bottom of the steep descent is a left turn. Lot’s of riders, especially the girls, held onto the brakes all the way down, terrified of running off the trail onto “treacherous” terrain so they lost a lot of time and energy. !, on the other hand, used that knowledge to get by any time ! felt like it. With nearly 60 starters in each race, the first bit of single track was slow going. ! went just off the side and blew by a dozen guys. The long straight after the 2nd barriers was a Jeep road. Two tracks from occasional driving with weeds sticking up in the middle. Often there was a long train of bikes in the left track since it looked smoother and the center strip didn’t look smooth at all. No good reason for me to dink around when there is an open lane. Another dozen guys passed. That trick worked repeatedly if not as effectively on subsequent laps.
My other big advantage/pet peeve is guys who just quit racing before they cross the finish line. So what if you have no shot at winning 3 laps in. You paid to race. Race. Beat everyone you can. Learn to hit it harder and faster. Learn to reach in to your guts and pull out a pass or a sprint or just a bit faster pass through that section. Going balls out and finishing DFL is a better race than toodling into the top 10. It’s all about what you put into it that counts.
! felt good during the first race. ! was worried that ! would still be sore from Saturday and that would slow me down. As always the first two laps really hurt. Then something just clears up and ! can kick it up a notch and not feel as bad. ! really need to get a more thorough warm-up and start on the front row hard. Get those painful laps done before it counts. ! passed a guy in about the worst place on the course and it really cost me. Just over the dirt road into the field is a long uphill grind. It’s loose and bumpy and just sucks your power out. Also, there was a headwind. ! had been on this guys wheel for a little while. Just couldn’t get by him. He hit that and ! had no patience. ! jammed onto the edge of the trail where the dirt was looser still and grunted by him. ! really overdid it and he got back by a little later.
Last lap ! came out of the dirt section onto the final road stretch 100 yards behind 2 guys working together. Half a mile of climbing to the finish. ! had dropping into my little ring after the turn-around before the final straight. This time ! had to hammer it. Out of the saddle. My chances of catching up were slim, but ! was gaining. By the turn ! was 2 lengths behind them and closing. ! kept it in the big ring and went for it. ! knew they would hear me coming and attack. ! was wrong. They were too focused on each other and trying not to jump too early. Screw that strategy crap. ! rode right past them. The faster one was now on MY wheel. They knew what had to be done now. The first one jumped. He was pulling on me. ! jumped. The other guy was not in my peripheral vision, but he was still a threat. ! wasn’t over the line yet. The first guy was out of the saddle, jamming as hard as he could. Unless he just exploded now or fell down, anything less than everything ! could lay down loses this sprint. Even that might not be enough. The other guy was back there somewhere too. Fast guy was still there. His wheel was just ahead of my bottom bracket. Dig, dig, dig. 50 feet to go. ! think every bit of me burned. My eyes were on the line and on his wheel. ! think he’s gaining. One more time to the well. No thinking just attack. This is not about survival. It’s about destruction. One of us will destroy the other. One of us is undoubtedly the most powerful. The fastest. The strongest. Domination, destruction, brute force. No excuses will salvage a loss here. ! must win. What other option was there? 25 feet to the finish. He is still there. ! have 6 inches on him. The other guy could be dead or coming around the other side. No way to tell. ! have to be faster than his best just in case. ! must reach in and pull out a kick that is faster than the fastest that either one can go on his best day under the best conditions. ! must do that today, this instant. NOW. 5 feet to go. Go!!!! Over the line. 2 more hard strokes. Maybe a ¼ of a second passed between us. Probably 6 inches at over 20 mph. ! am victorious.
! rolled up to the pits on momentum. Once ! had both feet on the ground ! slumped over the bars. ! couldn’t find enough air to breathe. 5 liters/gasp was not enough. My eyes fell onto my heart monitor. Still over 170bpm. Maybe 180. Muscle cells desperate for oxygen were rioting. Heart was racing to strip all the O2 from those 5 liters of air and repay my oxygen debt before bankruptcy. That vanquished gladiator was now beside me, hand extended. No longer was he a warrior battling for the last 6 inches. He was here to pay tribute to the one who had bested him. Tribute to me. Without him ! would not, could not have gone that deep. ! took honor from him. Not from his supply. Not to dis-honor him, but newly forged honor. He gained honor as well. Not from his defeat. From his glorious attempt at victory and from his graciousness after the battle. Good man. Jonathan Lane.
We were racing for 44th place. Out of 62 finishers.
1.9 miles/lap. 5 laps. Only lapped by top 2 guys.
9.6 miles. 12.7 avg. 21.5 max. 45:48.
1:00 > 170 bpm 24:33 < 160 bpm 20:15 in between.
My average speed was 0.5 mph faster than yesterday even though my maximum was 7 mph slower.
Race 2.
There was an SUV parked next to me between races. The guy changing shoes noticed ! had a copy of “Cyclocross: Tips and Technique” The classic primer on ‘cross. A gift from Ed. He was one of the photographers for this new and improved edition.
Dr. John was not around. He had hoped to play today. His first ever ‘cross race. Less than 30 minutes to start time. Time to pee and get that final drink. There he was. Over-dressed and not registered yet. ! pointed him in the right direction then pinned his number on. He was last to sign up. He’s wicked fast on a bike. We all know that. He has the power and speed to place high up in the Cat IVs. He is not a ‘cross racer…yet. Time Trialing is not the same as ‘cross. The intensity is not the same as an IM ride. There is a lot to learn. As a first timer and with no warm-up, he decided to start in the back of the pack. Wise move. He can stick on someone’s wheel and watch their lines. Pass when he feels able. 58 started. The road was crowded. ! was in the back too. ! passed up the edge of the road until we got near the turn. Two bikes lying on the ground. Riders OK. One picked up his bike and stepped right in front of me to the side of the road. Move around him and up to the corner. ! was way back. John was still behind me. Onto the edge there ! was flying by guys. Onto the next wider section and guys stronger than me were just starting to sprint out of the cluster. 2 or 3 came by. Up to the long double track section and, again, they were all queued up. Onto the other track and more were behind me. ! tried to pass running over barriers. ! tried to pass riding slow sections. ! tried to pass riding fast sections. If ! could see someone ahead of me ! tried to pass. There were small clusters strewn about the course. Grunt up the slogs a little faster than they did. Push the descents a little faster than they did and soon ! was right behind them. Then ! was past them. Repeat.
! was moving up steadily. One guy was on my ass. He stayed there. The wind was getting stronger. He would draft into the gale. ! was there to work, not to relax, but ! didn’t want this guy taking my finish spot by sitting in all day. ! pulled away whenever ! could. Make him do his own work. Then he would pull right back up to me and worse he would pull ahead each time across the finish line. ! could hold his wheel up the long grade to the first corner. Then ! would jump. ! could not concede the front going into the tight section. If he slowed down in front of me it might cost me the next guy up the road’s position or let the next guy back make contact. It would also be of no consequence to him. Better to suffer for a moment than to allow him to dictate the pace. To be in front meant that if he slowed he would just fall back then fight for my wheel again if he could. Do your own work. He hung on.
Every gap he would close then recover in my draft. ! could outrun him on the fast sections only to have him close in when ! got on the brakes. Last time on the back road, into the wind, he was tucked in. Protected. It was time for him to work. We had a long leg to clear into the wind. ! wanted him to work for me so ! could recover and take him apart at the finish. ! soft-pedaled so he could come around. He slowed down too. ! touched the brakes. He slowed again. He knew what ! was doing and was having none of it. He knew if he didn’t bake me here, now ! would rip his legs off where it counted. He needed everything he could save to have a chance. ! had shown him by doing all the work so far and commanding the pace. Screw it. We caught another guy. ! got on his wheel then decided he was costing me more time than ! wanted to lose. He got onto the narrow section before ! could take him. Into the weeds ! went. My pimple balked. He waited for the wide section to make the pass then climbed back to my wheel. Sheltered again, but we were turning away from the wind. This section was just as steep as what we had just covered, but it always felt easier.
! eased off here and yielded the trail. Not to my enemy. The leader was overtaking. Etiquette requires it. The other guy used my pause to close the gap. Mostly down from here. Twisty and technical. ! had to control. The next obstacle was the steep climb. ! needed to hit it fast to get to the top. ! didn’t know if he would go as fast as ! needed to. If he baubled if front of me ! would stall. He would take the advantage. Unacceptable. ! made the top. So did he. ! wrapped my fingers around the bars in the drops. ! did not cover the brakes. ! was committed to this plummet. The best he could do was match my pace. Every touch on his brakes opened up my gap. Would he choose to stay with me or stay in control? He would answer his fear as would !. Would his reply be obedience or defiance? ! chose defiance.
! glanced over my shoulder as ! got onto the final road section. Still a long way to go, but he was behind. To win ! had to drive on. To attack, break his will, leave him no chance. ! attacked. He conceded. Still ! raced across the line. Only then was ! finished.
35th of 45 finishers. 5 laps. Lapped by only one guy. 9.6 miles. 12.6 avg. ? max. 47:44
6:41 > 170 bpm 34:45 < 160 bpm 6:18 in between. Times are questionable.
The time has come for ‘cross again. First up was Pikes Peak Velo Supercross down in Colorado Springs. A 1.4 mile course in Bear Creek Park. Start was on a graded dirt road then onto blacktop for a long climb with 2 speed bumps. Then up a bit in the dirt before a sharp descent to a 180 in loose dust. Run back up over 1 barrier and remount back to the road for a long, fast descent. At the end of the road it was back onto tight single track. Still dropping and pointed straight at the hay bales on the bridge. A little bunny hop over the bridge lip and still fast onto the loose curve. Steep run-up then a bitter grass and sand leg sapper until you get onto the dirt road. Back along the parking lot and into the woods again. A little sketchy at speed, but you’ve got to hold it for the last climb. Grunt up in the loose stuff. Short blacktop section then onto the choppy, off-camber segment. Another pair of barriers precede a 90* left onto the bridge and a fast section to the pits. Almost 180* around the pits in loose dust and 100 feet to the finish. Get out of that corner 1st and you win.
! ran the course to warm up. ! had just gotten to the start of the dirt section when the old guys started. ! heard noises behind me and turned to see 2 guys lying on the road. Several more were running off the side into the field and others were veering the other way. One broken collar bone. ! got back to the Z feeling nervous. ! told Big Al ! wasn’t sure ! was ready for this. “You’re not” he replied. What an inspiration. ! lined up in the back of the pack for 35+IVs. ! didn’t crash on the climb. ! didn’t crash anywhere. ! even got 17th place out of 27 finishers. 4 points. ! actually got points! Usually ! only get points on the day of the SWAP when everyone except the hardcore goes shopping.
7 laps. Only lapped by the winner. 9.3 miles, 12.1 avg. 28.5 max, 45:51
3:01 >170bpm 11:42<160bpm 31:08 in between.
Race 2. Regular 4s. No points this time. ! went back and forth with Evan Sandstrom in the Metro State jersey towards the end. ! was in front of him after the big run-up and knew ! had to hold him off so ! could beat him out of the last corner. He was right on my wheel the whole way. ! made the last turn in front. He came out of the corner and sprinted. He was gaining. ! held him off by ½ a wheel for 25th of 29. Only 6 laps and ! got lapped by the top 3 guys, but my average speed was 0.1 mph faster.
6 laps. Lapped by top 3. 7.9 miles. 12.2 avg. 26.3 max. 38:47
9:21>170bpm 13:52<160bpm 15:34 in between.
Sunday 9.23.7
Foothills ‘Cross at Dakota Ridge (Coalmine & Bowles)
Lots of the usual bits in the field and around the pond. ! ran into AJ & Courtney Johnson in the parking lot. Courtney was there to see what she was getting herself into. She wants to play ‘cross. She rode yesterday so she was too tired to race today.
Same start on the dirt road. All the way up and then a 90* right onto wide single track. Straight across fast and a 90* right to descend for a sharp left and barriers. Really loose dust and a steep climb. The remount was flat and firm. Fast downhills with some tight turns until the next barrier. The remount from that one was on the double track along the North side of the pond. It was flat and fast. Some loose sections that looked worse than they were. Turn right on the sidewalk then off the edge to another right onto the shore. One big step up and onto a short climb before descending a graded dirt road. Headwinds all the way down. Hard left onto the single track section along the shore then over the road onto the soft and bumpy section. Legs drained climbing the grassy hill. Then twisty downhill with loose turns. A somewhat straight section led up to the steep climb. 15 feet at the top to shift back to the big ring, reclip and steel yourself for the steep drop. A couple loose turns and then up the dirt road for half a mile. 110* right and another 0.1 mile to the finish.
Bigger fields today than yesterday. Here’s the secret thing about this venue. You can pass everywhere. It’s basically a big, overgrown field. They go out and mow the course so you know where to go. It probably gets walked on a lot too so the old route is still findable much later. Other than a few prairie dog holes the dirt is all the same under the grass. Everyone seems to fear getting off the beaten path to plow through 2’ tall weeds. Or worse, at the bottom of the steep descent is a left turn. Lot’s of riders, especially the girls, held onto the brakes all the way down, terrified of running off the trail onto “treacherous” terrain so they lost a lot of time and energy. !, on the other hand, used that knowledge to get by any time ! felt like it. With nearly 60 starters in each race, the first bit of single track was slow going. ! went just off the side and blew by a dozen guys. The long straight after the 2nd barriers was a Jeep road. Two tracks from occasional driving with weeds sticking up in the middle. Often there was a long train of bikes in the left track since it looked smoother and the center strip didn’t look smooth at all. No good reason for me to dink around when there is an open lane. Another dozen guys passed. That trick worked repeatedly if not as effectively on subsequent laps.
My other big advantage/pet peeve is guys who just quit racing before they cross the finish line. So what if you have no shot at winning 3 laps in. You paid to race. Race. Beat everyone you can. Learn to hit it harder and faster. Learn to reach in to your guts and pull out a pass or a sprint or just a bit faster pass through that section. Going balls out and finishing DFL is a better race than toodling into the top 10. It’s all about what you put into it that counts.
! felt good during the first race. ! was worried that ! would still be sore from Saturday and that would slow me down. As always the first two laps really hurt. Then something just clears up and ! can kick it up a notch and not feel as bad. ! really need to get a more thorough warm-up and start on the front row hard. Get those painful laps done before it counts. ! passed a guy in about the worst place on the course and it really cost me. Just over the dirt road into the field is a long uphill grind. It’s loose and bumpy and just sucks your power out. Also, there was a headwind. ! had been on this guys wheel for a little while. Just couldn’t get by him. He hit that and ! had no patience. ! jammed onto the edge of the trail where the dirt was looser still and grunted by him. ! really overdid it and he got back by a little later.
Last lap ! came out of the dirt section onto the final road stretch 100 yards behind 2 guys working together. Half a mile of climbing to the finish. ! had dropping into my little ring after the turn-around before the final straight. This time ! had to hammer it. Out of the saddle. My chances of catching up were slim, but ! was gaining. By the turn ! was 2 lengths behind them and closing. ! kept it in the big ring and went for it. ! knew they would hear me coming and attack. ! was wrong. They were too focused on each other and trying not to jump too early. Screw that strategy crap. ! rode right past them. The faster one was now on MY wheel. They knew what had to be done now. The first one jumped. He was pulling on me. ! jumped. The other guy was not in my peripheral vision, but he was still a threat. ! wasn’t over the line yet. The first guy was out of the saddle, jamming as hard as he could. Unless he just exploded now or fell down, anything less than everything ! could lay down loses this sprint. Even that might not be enough. The other guy was back there somewhere too. Fast guy was still there. His wheel was just ahead of my bottom bracket. Dig, dig, dig. 50 feet to go. ! think every bit of me burned. My eyes were on the line and on his wheel. ! think he’s gaining. One more time to the well. No thinking just attack. This is not about survival. It’s about destruction. One of us will destroy the other. One of us is undoubtedly the most powerful. The fastest. The strongest. Domination, destruction, brute force. No excuses will salvage a loss here. ! must win. What other option was there? 25 feet to the finish. He is still there. ! have 6 inches on him. The other guy could be dead or coming around the other side. No way to tell. ! have to be faster than his best just in case. ! must reach in and pull out a kick that is faster than the fastest that either one can go on his best day under the best conditions. ! must do that today, this instant. NOW. 5 feet to go. Go!!!! Over the line. 2 more hard strokes. Maybe a ¼ of a second passed between us. Probably 6 inches at over 20 mph. ! am victorious.
! rolled up to the pits on momentum. Once ! had both feet on the ground ! slumped over the bars. ! couldn’t find enough air to breathe. 5 liters/gasp was not enough. My eyes fell onto my heart monitor. Still over 170bpm. Maybe 180. Muscle cells desperate for oxygen were rioting. Heart was racing to strip all the O2 from those 5 liters of air and repay my oxygen debt before bankruptcy. That vanquished gladiator was now beside me, hand extended. No longer was he a warrior battling for the last 6 inches. He was here to pay tribute to the one who had bested him. Tribute to me. Without him ! would not, could not have gone that deep. ! took honor from him. Not from his supply. Not to dis-honor him, but newly forged honor. He gained honor as well. Not from his defeat. From his glorious attempt at victory and from his graciousness after the battle. Good man. Jonathan Lane.
We were racing for 44th place. Out of 62 finishers.
1.9 miles/lap. 5 laps. Only lapped by top 2 guys.
9.6 miles. 12.7 avg. 21.5 max. 45:48.
1:00 > 170 bpm 24:33 < 160 bpm 20:15 in between.
My average speed was 0.5 mph faster than yesterday even though my maximum was 7 mph slower.
Race 2.
There was an SUV parked next to me between races. The guy changing shoes noticed ! had a copy of “Cyclocross: Tips and Technique” The classic primer on ‘cross. A gift from Ed. He was one of the photographers for this new and improved edition.
Dr. John was not around. He had hoped to play today. His first ever ‘cross race. Less than 30 minutes to start time. Time to pee and get that final drink. There he was. Over-dressed and not registered yet. ! pointed him in the right direction then pinned his number on. He was last to sign up. He’s wicked fast on a bike. We all know that. He has the power and speed to place high up in the Cat IVs. He is not a ‘cross racer…yet. Time Trialing is not the same as ‘cross. The intensity is not the same as an IM ride. There is a lot to learn. As a first timer and with no warm-up, he decided to start in the back of the pack. Wise move. He can stick on someone’s wheel and watch their lines. Pass when he feels able. 58 started. The road was crowded. ! was in the back too. ! passed up the edge of the road until we got near the turn. Two bikes lying on the ground. Riders OK. One picked up his bike and stepped right in front of me to the side of the road. Move around him and up to the corner. ! was way back. John was still behind me. Onto the edge there ! was flying by guys. Onto the next wider section and guys stronger than me were just starting to sprint out of the cluster. 2 or 3 came by. Up to the long double track section and, again, they were all queued up. Onto the other track and more were behind me. ! tried to pass running over barriers. ! tried to pass riding slow sections. ! tried to pass riding fast sections. If ! could see someone ahead of me ! tried to pass. There were small clusters strewn about the course. Grunt up the slogs a little faster than they did. Push the descents a little faster than they did and soon ! was right behind them. Then ! was past them. Repeat.
! was moving up steadily. One guy was on my ass. He stayed there. The wind was getting stronger. He would draft into the gale. ! was there to work, not to relax, but ! didn’t want this guy taking my finish spot by sitting in all day. ! pulled away whenever ! could. Make him do his own work. Then he would pull right back up to me and worse he would pull ahead each time across the finish line. ! could hold his wheel up the long grade to the first corner. Then ! would jump. ! could not concede the front going into the tight section. If he slowed down in front of me it might cost me the next guy up the road’s position or let the next guy back make contact. It would also be of no consequence to him. Better to suffer for a moment than to allow him to dictate the pace. To be in front meant that if he slowed he would just fall back then fight for my wheel again if he could. Do your own work. He hung on.
Every gap he would close then recover in my draft. ! could outrun him on the fast sections only to have him close in when ! got on the brakes. Last time on the back road, into the wind, he was tucked in. Protected. It was time for him to work. We had a long leg to clear into the wind. ! wanted him to work for me so ! could recover and take him apart at the finish. ! soft-pedaled so he could come around. He slowed down too. ! touched the brakes. He slowed again. He knew what ! was doing and was having none of it. He knew if he didn’t bake me here, now ! would rip his legs off where it counted. He needed everything he could save to have a chance. ! had shown him by doing all the work so far and commanding the pace. Screw it. We caught another guy. ! got on his wheel then decided he was costing me more time than ! wanted to lose. He got onto the narrow section before ! could take him. Into the weeds ! went. My pimple balked. He waited for the wide section to make the pass then climbed back to my wheel. Sheltered again, but we were turning away from the wind. This section was just as steep as what we had just covered, but it always felt easier.
! eased off here and yielded the trail. Not to my enemy. The leader was overtaking. Etiquette requires it. The other guy used my pause to close the gap. Mostly down from here. Twisty and technical. ! had to control. The next obstacle was the steep climb. ! needed to hit it fast to get to the top. ! didn’t know if he would go as fast as ! needed to. If he baubled if front of me ! would stall. He would take the advantage. Unacceptable. ! made the top. So did he. ! wrapped my fingers around the bars in the drops. ! did not cover the brakes. ! was committed to this plummet. The best he could do was match my pace. Every touch on his brakes opened up my gap. Would he choose to stay with me or stay in control? He would answer his fear as would !. Would his reply be obedience or defiance? ! chose defiance.
! glanced over my shoulder as ! got onto the final road section. Still a long way to go, but he was behind. To win ! had to drive on. To attack, break his will, leave him no chance. ! attacked. He conceded. Still ! raced across the line. Only then was ! finished.
35th of 45 finishers. 5 laps. Lapped by only one guy. 9.6 miles. 12.6 avg. ? max. 47:44
6:41 > 170 bpm 34:45 < 160 bpm 6:18 in between. Times are questionable.
posted by Doug!! @ 8:51 PM
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