Sunday Post Ride

Another Sunday Ride come and gone. I wouldn't call myself fat per se as if I were a non cyclist I'd actually think I'm good shape, not as lean as I'd like but enough muscle in my upper body to pass as being in shape. But I am a cyclist, a racer by own account and the numerous cross country mountain bike races I've participated in over the last decade or so.

I am a racer. an athlete. And it is by those standards that I hold my definition of "fit." I am unfit. I am in training. I will get back into shape after taking a year off from my nasty injury that still affects me today.

Today was a Mid Hammer Loop ride: Route 3 North to Route 165 South, Left onto Woodyhill Road and back onto Skunkhill Road towards Route 3 again: just under 18 miles.

Funny thing about the 'hills' in these parts, they're the jealous type,they don't let you forget them. In my fitter days prior to the injury I'd knock off a Hammer Loop without a second thought, a double when time allowed. I'd occasionally through the Mid Hammer Loop as part of a 2nd loop with the Hammer as the primary. No big deal. Everything clicked, tick off like clock work: Ventoux, Climb 3 Hammer, Climb 3 Mid, even Heartbreak Hill, all had their place in time on the Loop and the Loop was my regular training ride.

With the Loop I always knew what I'd get in terms of muscle worked, times to beat sections to work on. I just knew it and could plan around it. "We're leaving in 2 hours...you'd better be ready to go" my wife would say. "Ok great" I'd reply. I'd say to myself I got time to bang out a Mini Hammer Loop with plenty of time, I'd have time for a Mid Hammer Loop if I wanted to push things and get my wife tense with my post ride antics like eating and showering. I'd could generally do a blistering pace Mini and feel like I've trained for the day. I'm sure every racer is like that with their local routes.

After my injury and the slow recovery of just being able to ride, road only for a few months. I experimented with different routes. I'd do the Big River Loop, a simple up and back run: Route 3 North to JCT 3/95 turning around at the Big River Parking area (where my Thursday Night Mountainbike Ride meets-Bat Patrol aka Genglers Gang). Nooseneck Hill is the major climb on that route. Its not steep, just long (for around here anyway), maybe a half mile or longer. Its a good climb, its what you make of it. You can JRA or hammer it and be just as rewarded. This was the only route where I'd see other riders, usually riding in the opposite direction but still, it was other riders. By that point I had been so isolated from my riding/racing community any sign of others like me was welcomed, even sought out. Mountain biking is different--you either start out as group and ride that way or you simply pass each other, criss crossing at trail intersections.

Seeing roadies on the road is a little different, if you you're going the same way there's the chance to match speed, drafting (after asking) and for short while share a little conversation for a mile or two.

It was during this time I started riding Big River Loop with greater frequency and throwing in a Mini Hammer Loop now and then, completely ignoring Mid and Hammer. After all Big River Loop had the same miles and almost same number of climbs. I became pretty comfortable climbing Nooseneck Hill, not as fast pre-injury but enough not to suffer like a wounded dog. I felt I could return to Mid and Hammer at any time with no ill effects. Climbing is climbing right?

The last few weeks back on my 'usual' loops gave me the answer. Ventoux let me know exactly why I named it Ventoux. Climb 3 on Mid Hammer reminded me how I used to look forward to that short level section mid climb, its only 2 rotations long but enough 'let-up' to allow some much need oxygen into my lungs and brain. Heartbreak Hill remains true as always with the Stump Sprint marker teasing me to go ahead and sprint for the last 20 yards, " Go on...GO...you use to pick up 5 mph faster when you started to sprint from here to the top...go on...GO..." the hill would whisper to me as began the ascent.

The hills around here definitely let you know what you need and where you've been. They also let you know exactly where you are. I crested Heartbreak looked at my HRM and thought I was going faster than yesterday. "I'm 4 minutes faster right now" I thought to myself, "I can beat yesterday's time" even though I captured the slowest times on all climbs and my legs felt dead and heavy. I could beat yesterday's time. I dropped the hammer and pegged the last mile home, feeling great, high with expectation of beating my time.

I pushed on. I felt like fluid, as one. I turned onto my street marked my mail box as the finish line as always, noted the kids playing in front. "Not to self, Don't run over children." I picked my line and darted between the kid and mail box crossing the finish line and stopping the clock. "I did it I did it. Holy Shit. I did it."

It was only after I looked at my training journal did I find out the truth. 6 seconds slower than yesterday. Oh well. No time to dwell, switch over to sneakers, throw on running pants and windbreaker with my kit still on and grab a leash. The dog would like a walk and so would I.