Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/76233352
It's bad enough that the route we did today is called "The Puke Route." However, we added an additional intensity twist to it where I was interested in taking people completely out of their comfort zone. After all, what are friends for, right? Rather than racing up all the hills as we typically do, today's drills involved climbing NPC and Ridge Park seated the whole time, climbing Pelican ascents off-the-seat the whole time, and finishing up Vista with any method desired...just make it to the top!
It was rather unnerving to have Galen, Todd and Shannon be the first ones to arrive to the locker room after me. You just know it's going to be a long day. It was good to see Vin and Jeremy come in after them, although these two had attacks on their mind as well today. Adrian met us at the corner, so we had a pretty good sized group make it out.
When we started out, Adrian was up front but he was definitely soft pedaling waiting for someone to pass him on Health Sciences Rd. I opted to take the reigns and just tried to keep us at a good pace as we made our way to Anteater. I rolled to the back eventually after someone pushed up (can you believe I actually forgot who?) and immediately the pace picked up causing some early separation even before we got to Bonita Canyon. I think Todd, Jeremy, Shannon and Galen had gapped the rest of us, but we were fortunate that we were all able to regroup just before the climb up NPC.
When we started the climb, a couple guys started off pedaling off the seat but shortly after sat back down remembering today's exercise. Todd led early on with Galen, Shannon and me in tow, and it wasn't long before I looked over my shoulder to see there was some separation. Before we got to the 2nd light, I just could not hold the power the guys ahead of me were holding and I too dropped off and opted to just do what I could to climb seated and fight the urge to get off. I watched as the guys ahead continued to pull away, and I pretty much had to climb on my own. Jeremy had reeled me in at the top, and the two of us got lucky and caught Todd, Galen and Shannon at the left turn light to Ridge Park.
Jeremy capitalized on the light as it turned green while we had momentum and was able to pass everyone after the turn. I was able to get past Shannon and Galen, but could not get close enough to reel in Todd. Eventually, Shannon made his way past me and Todd subsequently, but I think Jeremy made it to Vista ahead of everyone. Galen got past me, but I was able to stay with him for the most part. I tried to reel him in near the top, and he accelerated enough to gap me before making the right turn to Vista.
Jeremy had kept going, probably because we forgot to mention how we were regrouping at the top since he came late, but Shannon, Todd, Galen and I waited for Vin and hopefully Adrian. Vin arrived, but Adrian was no where in sight so we ended up taking off in case Adrian opted for a different route.
We made the left turn to NPC and Todd led us up to an awaiting Jeremy. There was a little "racing" going on as we made our way down NPC toward the 2nd Pelican, but I didn't want any of that since I knew the standing climb exercise on Pelican would be challenging enough already.
When we made the right turn to Pelican, I was surprised to see Vin take off climbing off the seat and gapping the rest of us. I was able to make my way past the others as well, but Jeremy stayed pretty close and ultimately passed after the first ascent. He and Vin had a gap on us by the 2nd short ascent and ultimately the final one. I was in the number 3 spot, but I was passed by both Todd and Shannon early on in the climb. I did pass Shannon for a little bit only to have him show his climbing prowess subsequently and literally blowing by every one of us off the seat all the way to the top. Vin and Jeremy held the rest of us off, but they did succumb to getting back on their seat on the final part of the climb just after the bend. I was actually surprised to see Todd also get back on his seat before the climb ended(probably after seeing Vin and Jeremy do so), but he just came back from vacationing in Ohio for 5 days. We'll give him a pass.
I was lucky to have caught the others on the left turn back on NPC, and I guess Galen just made it (wink wink) and rolled up behind us as we all made our way toward Vista. I was kind of looking forward to being able to do a combination of climbing styles again as the forced seated and forced off-the-seat climbing for the entire length was just brutal.
When we made the turn, I wasn't sure what I would have but immediately started the climb off the seat. Surprisingly, this allowed me to make my way past the others and lead the climb, and getting back on the seat eventually allowed me to hold everyone off until we hit the false flat. I could see someone looming in the background, but I wasn't sure who it was. Rather than trying to keep the break, which is often times impossible for me on climbs, I dropped it down a little waiting for the pass. when I saw it was Todd, I had to speed up just to be able to latch onto his wheel and have him tow me to the last part of the climb. From there, I took advantage and made my way around getting some momentum after getting off the seat again to climb. Mid-way up, though, the hill turned into that Poltergeist movie hallway that seemed to just keep getting longer and longer as I rode up it. I had to finish back on the seat, and I literally closed my eyes a couple/few times just hoping that when they opened I'd be at the top. Talk about pain!
We regrouped at the top and Todd and Galen led us down Ridge Park and got things started on the NPC descent. Galen got us going early on, so it was hard for me to take the front especially with a compact crank. I was able to get one pull in, but Shannon passed us subsequently and brought the pace up to where I was really spinning out my cranks just to keep up. It got a little hairy through the underpass due to a dangerous pass by a guy in an Audi among other things, but we made it down to the bottom unscathed.
When everyone was talking about how idiotic the driver in the Audi was and how close he came to us, I couldn't even talk. I was spent, so I just sat there trying to recover. When we got going again, Galen led early on followed by Shannon but Shannon waved me on to jump on Galen's wheel. I took the following pull, but after Todd relieved me, I was D-O-N-E, done! I was back in the line and thankfully we slowed due to a car turning right on one of the intersections. I thought I'd get a second to recover, but one he cleared out of the way, the immediate acceleration popped me off right away leaving Todd behind me having to fend for himself. Sorry. Todd was able to catch the group, but I opted to live to fight another day. Yeah, that's it.
Excellent training today, gents, topped with excellent efforts throughout. We'll have to do this again sometime, but let's wait another month to let me fully recover from today's ridiculousness.
Thanks for coming out!
It's bad enough that the route we did today is called "The Puke Route." However, we added an additional intensity twist to it where I was interested in taking people completely out of their comfort zone. After all, what are friends for, right? Rather than racing up all the hills as we typically do, today's drills involved climbing NPC and Ridge Park seated the whole time, climbing Pelican ascents off-the-seat the whole time, and finishing up Vista with any method desired...just make it to the top!
It was rather unnerving to have Galen, Todd and Shannon be the first ones to arrive to the locker room after me. You just know it's going to be a long day. It was good to see Vin and Jeremy come in after them, although these two had attacks on their mind as well today. Adrian met us at the corner, so we had a pretty good sized group make it out.
When we started out, Adrian was up front but he was definitely soft pedaling waiting for someone to pass him on Health Sciences Rd. I opted to take the reigns and just tried to keep us at a good pace as we made our way to Anteater. I rolled to the back eventually after someone pushed up (can you believe I actually forgot who?) and immediately the pace picked up causing some early separation even before we got to Bonita Canyon. I think Todd, Jeremy, Shannon and Galen had gapped the rest of us, but we were fortunate that we were all able to regroup just before the climb up NPC.
When we started the climb, a couple guys started off pedaling off the seat but shortly after sat back down remembering today's exercise. Todd led early on with Galen, Shannon and me in tow, and it wasn't long before I looked over my shoulder to see there was some separation. Before we got to the 2nd light, I just could not hold the power the guys ahead of me were holding and I too dropped off and opted to just do what I could to climb seated and fight the urge to get off. I watched as the guys ahead continued to pull away, and I pretty much had to climb on my own. Jeremy had reeled me in at the top, and the two of us got lucky and caught Todd, Galen and Shannon at the left turn light to Ridge Park.
Jeremy capitalized on the light as it turned green while we had momentum and was able to pass everyone after the turn. I was able to get past Shannon and Galen, but could not get close enough to reel in Todd. Eventually, Shannon made his way past me and Todd subsequently, but I think Jeremy made it to Vista ahead of everyone. Galen got past me, but I was able to stay with him for the most part. I tried to reel him in near the top, and he accelerated enough to gap me before making the right turn to Vista.
Jeremy had kept going, probably because we forgot to mention how we were regrouping at the top since he came late, but Shannon, Todd, Galen and I waited for Vin and hopefully Adrian. Vin arrived, but Adrian was no where in sight so we ended up taking off in case Adrian opted for a different route.
We made the left turn to NPC and Todd led us up to an awaiting Jeremy. There was a little "racing" going on as we made our way down NPC toward the 2nd Pelican, but I didn't want any of that since I knew the standing climb exercise on Pelican would be challenging enough already.
When we made the right turn to Pelican, I was surprised to see Vin take off climbing off the seat and gapping the rest of us. I was able to make my way past the others as well, but Jeremy stayed pretty close and ultimately passed after the first ascent. He and Vin had a gap on us by the 2nd short ascent and ultimately the final one. I was in the number 3 spot, but I was passed by both Todd and Shannon early on in the climb. I did pass Shannon for a little bit only to have him show his climbing prowess subsequently and literally blowing by every one of us off the seat all the way to the top. Vin and Jeremy held the rest of us off, but they did succumb to getting back on their seat on the final part of the climb just after the bend. I was actually surprised to see Todd also get back on his seat before the climb ended(probably after seeing Vin and Jeremy do so), but he just came back from vacationing in Ohio for 5 days. We'll give him a pass.
I was lucky to have caught the others on the left turn back on NPC, and I guess Galen just made it (wink wink) and rolled up behind us as we all made our way toward Vista. I was kind of looking forward to being able to do a combination of climbing styles again as the forced seated and forced off-the-seat climbing for the entire length was just brutal.
When we made the turn, I wasn't sure what I would have but immediately started the climb off the seat. Surprisingly, this allowed me to make my way past the others and lead the climb, and getting back on the seat eventually allowed me to hold everyone off until we hit the false flat. I could see someone looming in the background, but I wasn't sure who it was. Rather than trying to keep the break, which is often times impossible for me on climbs, I dropped it down a little waiting for the pass. when I saw it was Todd, I had to speed up just to be able to latch onto his wheel and have him tow me to the last part of the climb. From there, I took advantage and made my way around getting some momentum after getting off the seat again to climb. Mid-way up, though, the hill turned into that Poltergeist movie hallway that seemed to just keep getting longer and longer as I rode up it. I had to finish back on the seat, and I literally closed my eyes a couple/few times just hoping that when they opened I'd be at the top. Talk about pain!
We regrouped at the top and Todd and Galen led us down Ridge Park and got things started on the NPC descent. Galen got us going early on, so it was hard for me to take the front especially with a compact crank. I was able to get one pull in, but Shannon passed us subsequently and brought the pace up to where I was really spinning out my cranks just to keep up. It got a little hairy through the underpass due to a dangerous pass by a guy in an Audi among other things, but we made it down to the bottom unscathed.
When everyone was talking about how idiotic the driver in the Audi was and how close he came to us, I couldn't even talk. I was spent, so I just sat there trying to recover. When we got going again, Galen led early on followed by Shannon but Shannon waved me on to jump on Galen's wheel. I took the following pull, but after Todd relieved me, I was D-O-N-E, done! I was back in the line and thankfully we slowed due to a car turning right on one of the intersections. I thought I'd get a second to recover, but one he cleared out of the way, the immediate acceleration popped me off right away leaving Todd behind me having to fend for himself. Sorry. Todd was able to catch the group, but I opted to live to fight another day. Yeah, that's it.
Excellent training today, gents, topped with excellent efforts throughout. We'll have to do this again sometime, but let's wait another month to let me fully recover from today's ridiculousness.
Thanks for coming out!
I actually made the light, sat down and hammered when the light turned green, actually beat half the cars in the line. Was still pretty fresh, my Pelican effort wasn't exactly stellar :)
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