Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/73254901
The only way you can test your truly limits is by allowing yourself to go beyond them. Today was such a day. My calves and quads were cramping, my lungs struggled to get any more air in, and my heart rate was maxed the hell out. And that was only half way into the ride!
Shannon, Vince, Jeremy, Hiroshi and Vin came out today, so I knew it was going to be fast. I was trying to be respectful of this fact in the beginning of the ride, and didn't make my way to the front until we got past Bonita Canyon. When I finally took the front after the intersection, I thought I'd help to amp it up and brought the pace up to a respectable speed. When I got relieved by Shannon or Vince, I rolled all the way to the back to recover. Of course, Shannon amped it up to a ridiculous pace up front and strung the group out pretty much immediately. Vince was able to stay with him, but the rest of us worked to try and not let them get too far away.
Jeremy was ahead of me, so we worked together to try and close the gap. We could see Shannon and Vince looking back every once in a while keeping an eye on us, but we just kept pushing forward. Vin even got in the rotation to help, but we seemed to only be keeping the gap from growing if anything.
As we climbed toward Starcrest on Turtle Rock, Jeremy and I closed the gap some but the damage from the effort to mitigate the effects of the earlier breakaway was done. I tried to hang with Jeremy on the climb and help reel in Vince, who had dropped a little behind Shannon, but I just didn't have anything left. All I could do was watch as the three guys pulled away. When I got to Summit Court and didn't see them, I was somewhat elated only because that meant I wouldn't have to struggle anymore. Then I saw Shannon, Vince and Jeremy sitting by the curb just before the turn to Ridgeline. Damn!
We regrouped with Vin at that corner, and after not seeing Hiroshi coming up behind him, we rolled out.
Normally, I wouldn't fret the rest of the route given it was mostly flat. I did what I could to help keep the pace up when I could as did others. When I had the front as we got on Jeffrey to make our way back to the bike trail that lead back to University, Shannon launched an attack that was just downright wicked. It caught the rest of us off guard for sure, but I tried to respond and give chase hoping to at the very least to just latch us all back on. In doing so, I felt my right calf go first but I tried to ignore it hoping I could recover later once we catch Shannon.
Jeremy and Vince helped to work their way back to Shannon with Vin in tow, but it took a ways after going through the tunnel to do so. Before they did, I did the unthinkable...I threw in the towel. My quads started to cramp, so I just lost all interest in riding anymore. HA HA. I told the guys to go ahead, and I was just going to try and hobble back to work on my own. It was bittersweet watching them roll away together and pull away from me. Bitter because I wished I was with them, but sweet because I'm glad it was over.
Riding solo on the way back was rough. The headwind was ridiculous, so I was actually content to hold a pace of ~18-20 mph. It took me a long time just to reel another rider ahead of me who was wearing an OC Gran Fondo jersey. I was certain he'd latch on only because I passed him so slowly...but he didn't.
I was chugging along when I saw Jeremy stopped and waiting ahead of me. He indicated he felt bad that I dropped off, so he waited to help tow me back. What a guy! He was towing us at a respectable 24 mph against the headwind, so I wasn't even sure I could hang on. I took probably one pull after but just didn't have anything left. Given that he had come back for me though, I pushed us past CA to do the whole route, so that we do the complete route at the very least. When we got to Jamboree, we could see Vin up ahead so I told Jeremy to go ahead while I tried to figure out how to get to the top.
When Jeremy and I got on Bison, we actually saw the three guys ahead of us waiting for the light at McArthur. We hoped we could catch them but got stopped at the light just before the intersection. That was pretty much it as far as those guys go, and Jeremy kindly towed me in all the way back to work. Thanks again!
Looking at the ride stats on Strava, the turning point was definitely on Shady where Shannon acquired a couple KOMs for that section. It's those vicious attacks, aided by Vince's participation, that set the tone for the rest of the ride. And that tone goes by the name of PAIN. Nice work, gents! Thanks for reminding me what cramping profusely was like. HA HA.
The only way you can test your truly limits is by allowing yourself to go beyond them. Today was such a day. My calves and quads were cramping, my lungs struggled to get any more air in, and my heart rate was maxed the hell out. And that was only half way into the ride!
Shannon, Vince, Jeremy, Hiroshi and Vin came out today, so I knew it was going to be fast. I was trying to be respectful of this fact in the beginning of the ride, and didn't make my way to the front until we got past Bonita Canyon. When I finally took the front after the intersection, I thought I'd help to amp it up and brought the pace up to a respectable speed. When I got relieved by Shannon or Vince, I rolled all the way to the back to recover. Of course, Shannon amped it up to a ridiculous pace up front and strung the group out pretty much immediately. Vince was able to stay with him, but the rest of us worked to try and not let them get too far away.
Jeremy was ahead of me, so we worked together to try and close the gap. We could see Shannon and Vince looking back every once in a while keeping an eye on us, but we just kept pushing forward. Vin even got in the rotation to help, but we seemed to only be keeping the gap from growing if anything.
As we climbed toward Starcrest on Turtle Rock, Jeremy and I closed the gap some but the damage from the effort to mitigate the effects of the earlier breakaway was done. I tried to hang with Jeremy on the climb and help reel in Vince, who had dropped a little behind Shannon, but I just didn't have anything left. All I could do was watch as the three guys pulled away. When I got to Summit Court and didn't see them, I was somewhat elated only because that meant I wouldn't have to struggle anymore. Then I saw Shannon, Vince and Jeremy sitting by the curb just before the turn to Ridgeline. Damn!
We regrouped with Vin at that corner, and after not seeing Hiroshi coming up behind him, we rolled out.
Normally, I wouldn't fret the rest of the route given it was mostly flat. I did what I could to help keep the pace up when I could as did others. When I had the front as we got on Jeffrey to make our way back to the bike trail that lead back to University, Shannon launched an attack that was just downright wicked. It caught the rest of us off guard for sure, but I tried to respond and give chase hoping to at the very least to just latch us all back on. In doing so, I felt my right calf go first but I tried to ignore it hoping I could recover later once we catch Shannon.
Jeremy and Vince helped to work their way back to Shannon with Vin in tow, but it took a ways after going through the tunnel to do so. Before they did, I did the unthinkable...I threw in the towel. My quads started to cramp, so I just lost all interest in riding anymore. HA HA. I told the guys to go ahead, and I was just going to try and hobble back to work on my own. It was bittersweet watching them roll away together and pull away from me. Bitter because I wished I was with them, but sweet because I'm glad it was over.
Riding solo on the way back was rough. The headwind was ridiculous, so I was actually content to hold a pace of ~18-20 mph. It took me a long time just to reel another rider ahead of me who was wearing an OC Gran Fondo jersey. I was certain he'd latch on only because I passed him so slowly...but he didn't.
I was chugging along when I saw Jeremy stopped and waiting ahead of me. He indicated he felt bad that I dropped off, so he waited to help tow me back. What a guy! He was towing us at a respectable 24 mph against the headwind, so I wasn't even sure I could hang on. I took probably one pull after but just didn't have anything left. Given that he had come back for me though, I pushed us past CA to do the whole route, so that we do the complete route at the very least. When we got to Jamboree, we could see Vin up ahead so I told Jeremy to go ahead while I tried to figure out how to get to the top.
When Jeremy and I got on Bison, we actually saw the three guys ahead of us waiting for the light at McArthur. We hoped we could catch them but got stopped at the light just before the intersection. That was pretty much it as far as those guys go, and Jeremy kindly towed me in all the way back to work. Thanks again!
Looking at the ride stats on Strava, the turning point was definitely on Shady where Shannon acquired a couple KOMs for that section. It's those vicious attacks, aided by Vince's participation, that set the tone for the rest of the ride. And that tone goes by the name of PAIN. Nice work, gents! Thanks for reminding me what cramping profusely was like. HA HA.
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