Strava: http://app.strava.com/rides/5167769
It was a slightly cool day for a ride and arm warmers definitely made it more comfortable. Todd, Shannon, Mitchell, Vin, Jaffe and Paul B. came out today, but I think most of us weren't figuring that Todd was looking to put the hurt on like he did. The man is definitely anxious about this weekend's race, so what better way to find relief than beat up on the rest of your team? HA
Jaffe started out up front on the ride, but I brought us down to University. Once on the bike trail though, Mitchell got up front right away (wha?) and had pulled us all the way out to the Jamboree underpass. LTJ took over after and kept the pace up where Paul B. ended up being the first casualty just before Back Bay. Keep coming out, Paul!
On Back Bay, we did have a pretty good pace but in some instances, I thought Todd was held out a little longer. I realized later on, however, why since I ended up doing the same thing to him on PCH (more on this later). For the most part, however, people were taking a turn or two up front and I just waited patiently behind Shannon until it was my turn. One guy did jump in our paceline, but after not wanting to get up front, decided to roll out. At the end of Back Bay, Shannon dropped the hammer for a sprint to the gate and I went with him to test out my sprint legs too. I couldn't get by him so he nosed me out at the gate.
We made our way through the trailer park bike trail to Bayside. When we turned left to go up PCH, I thought I'd ratchet it up a little and see if I can hold a good pace up the climb to Jamboree. It felt good but everyone stayed on to keep me humble.
After the light on Jamboree, Todd decided to break away right away and while I chased him, I was still far from being his draft on that whole run to Avocado. I was close by the time we rounded, but so was everyone else. Nice.
After the run through Ocean and Poppy, we came out on PCH with Jaffe being up front initially. I took the reigns after and was holding a pretty good clip when Todd decided to pass. It took a lot just to be able to latch on and hang on all the way to NPC where I too, held him out just because the boy never really slowed down. Plus, with NPC to follow, do I look that dumb?
A guy with a Capo jersey was sitting waiting to cross as we arrived at the bottom of NPC. Todd took off first followed by Capo guy and I gave chase as well. When Capo guy was passing LTJ, I had momentum as well and was trying to pass both of them. However, Capo guy held a good pace where I decided to try and duck in behind him. Todd was a little behind the both of us, but after I popped off the back of Capo, LTJ went by where I tried to keep his pace only to fail miserably. I was trying to hold a decent pace up NPC, but somewhere in the middle of the climb, Shannon pedals by seated in his big ring like I was just sitting still. Demoralizing. I gave it what I could but lost all sense of confidence where near the top, I didn't even know how I wanted to climb and just spun up to where Todd and Shannon waited. Thankfully, I called out that we should regroup at the top before the climb. Mitchell, Vin and Jaffe came in probably within a minute or less after me.
Once we got going, LTJ once again took off and while I thought we can chase him down on the other side, we got stuck on the Ridgepark light and then at a subsequent light just before Bonita Canyon. We were moving at a pretty good clip down NPC too, but what'cha gonna do.
When we got on Bonita Canyon, we were moving pretty fast and Vin brought the pace up on his favorite part just after the 73 under pass on the little sprinter hill. Shannon kept the pace going after again slowing for a light, but we did have to stop at the McArthur light subsequently. Once we got going, Shannon peeled away from the group early on. I had started to bring the pace up as well enough to where the other guys fell off a little bit, but I was saving some for Jamboree.
Shannon rounded the corner ahead of me but I was able to find a good rhythm climbing the hill and made my way past him only to be slapped silly after Bison, on University and subsequently up California. As we tried to chase Todd down, a lady had pulled out from a side street just in front of Shannon and pretty much stopped on the road once she saw him coming and dangerously blocked him...while he was descending. She wins today's prize for the most idiotic driver out there by a mile. We did see Todd again, but as we chased him, we were once again stopped by a couple lights. The other guys had caught us by the time we were at the first light on California, but Shannon's pace was too high to have them latch on. Vin did make his way up to us by the time we crossed the intersection though...good job!
If this ride is any indication of what's to come on Saturday, Todd shouldn't have a problem getting top honors. Thankfully, he's in the next age group above mine. I just need to figure out how to not pop on the climb for the race (EPO?), and I should do okay. Maybe I won't wear BRCM just to be sure. HA HA
Thanks for the training, gents!
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