BRCM Lunch - Humbling Portola OAB

Strava:  http://app.strava.com/activities/132772487

Attendees:  Jaffe and Shannon on road bikes, me on TT

Route:  Portola OAB + Jamboree

Highlights:

• Weather was nice with a SW wind that felt okay on the way out but was more difficult on the way back.
• I was planning a solo tempo ride not thinking anyone would show up, but it turned out to be a high intensity intervals type ride that literally abused me.
• I led initially on the bike trail trying to keep the pace up for a good training day, but not so much so that I would be taking unfair advantage of the fact I'm on a TT.  
• It was after Shannon passed me, however, that I realized I didn't need to hold back at all.  In fact, quite the contrary.  I was pushing way above my FTP just trying to keep up!  I even would drop on occasion where I would regret it given it was pretty insane just trying to catch up.  
• I was fortunate that we didn't cross right away as we got on Harvard.  I led originally once the light turned green, but it was more of the same where Shannon and Jaffe kept getting away.  
• This abuse continued on the Peter's canyon bike trail and eventually, I tapped out and just didn't even try to hang on anymore.  By the time they got to Portola, I was still working my way up where I told them just to go.  So they did....
• On the way back, the wind was pretty harsh so that was probably my only saving grace.  It still took forever to catch up to Shannon and Jaffe (on Harvard).
• I would take pulls now when I could, and I figured with the headwind, the guys might find it difficult to stay on given my lower profile.  Not only did they stay on, but more of the same kept happening where they would pass and I would be playing catch up.  
• It pretty much went like this the whole ride, and I seriously wanted to go up California just to end the misery and pain.  I kept going though.
• Things settled down a little on Jamboree with Shannon and I making our way up together.  Jaffe finally dropped at this point but this was after he was taking some pulls too.
• I was hoping to give Shannon a lead out for a sprint to California on Bison, but he had taken off on McArthur and just kept going where I was barely able to make my way up to him after the 73.  
• Looking at my power numbers, it kept bouncing well above where I would normally be making for some seriously intense interval-type training.   I'm just glad I was on my TT bike today, or I would never have been able to keep up.  Nice work, gents!