Only 12 weeks left, where did the year go? Good roll up of 16 for Saturdays ride (six had escaped earlier) considering the threat of rain. Rolled up Mitchell to find about a dozen Cats out today, Sootie & the Fox adding some class to their act. A few drops of light rain fell to make the bike dirty, but a light southerly helped us up Boundary Rd, Chris's groan jokes didn't aid the rhythm! Good pace continued in Ford Rd, Temple returning to form well. Quite amused again at the ducking and weaving at Numurkah Rd of some to avoid the business end until the finish line. (shuffling the deck half way through a deal?) Opted out of the sprint and stayed on the rear, yet found a couple of us were being tagged & boxed in in the closing 400 metres...wtf? Bo at last became the bride, a great effort to get round Nev the masterblaster. Vince & Kel completed the quadrella, a 33.3 was pleasing. Filled the tables at the Butterfactory, tons of boisterous chat couldn't drown out the coffee grinder though.
Lost an hour to daylight saving, yet the eyes popped open at 5.30 Sunday morning. Doubted there'd be any takers after yesterdays GF, so rolled out a solo reverse P&W lap. (if only to take the bias off the tyres....constantly clockwise on the loop) Worms were being picked off the road by several arrogant magpies refusing to budge (licking their wounds from yesterdays clash too?) but i'd successfully tuned in to Rammstein, Grinspoon and System of a Down. Metal had motivated well, managed to inspire a decent pace, in fact giving the rectus femoris a fair bit of grief. The "burn" was almost telling the head to slow up, then a sole rider going my way appeared way ahead, un-intentionally dangling a big carrot to catch and pass. Hammered the next 2km (pondering Pavlov's conditional response theory) till the tensor fascias protested. Happy at SPC with a 35 @ 35, a great anti depressant ride, the endorphins flowing, the tibialis anterior glowing!
Just 8 ready to roll with Mondays P&W's. But i didn't look at the calandar, it was International Day of the Half Wheeler! In fact sometimes it was a full bike length! (Chris C is sacked as HWK!) I thought it was just me, but poor Meags wasn't even allowed to get near the front. Thankfully, real team riding over-ruled the over-achievers, the quickchicks showing how it's done with class & commonsense. One of those cool days where no direction has an advantage, the atmostphere like custard. Pleasing then to finish with a 33.4, train beaten too.
Nice to get an invite along with Guysy, Fee & Luke (newbie) for a Monday evening lap. The intention of a toaster loop was shortened with a puncture for Luke, further protracted with a lengthy repair using up 3 tubes!. (Note to exclude Guysy from a pit crew!) To be home at a reasonable time, a shortcut was taken down Old Dookie Rd. A pleasant 17 degrees made a 30 @ 32 very enjoyable.
17 Couldabeens lined up Tuesday (even including Goose and the Greendawg along for a 'secret' training session). Steve & Vince led a fine first leg, Bo & Daniel (freshly baited) pressed the N2O at the end of Channel Rd. Sensibility finally settled the pace, the boys and girls rolling out a super smooth 34.2 in barely 3 degree temperature. Almost a touch of wheels at Melbourne Rd (a moments inattention), Norms experience quick to avert drama. Speed built up at Arcadia Downs, and paired with rocket Rob, we both wound it up gradually to 50, unwittingly towing up fresh lads for their 50 metre sprint, Greendog, Vince, Matty & the Goose fighting out the places. 34.2 nothing to grizzle about, train beaten and coffee consumed.
Tuesdays hospital group had a dozen (Al even crawling out of winter hibernation), lots of twos and threes joining on over the next 8 km to build a 27+ peleton. Father & son Ford "chicanes" latching on made all a bit jumpy, instructions to FO seemed to go un-noticed. A light north easter made it easy going after the Emu, no trouble holding 38+ after the toaster. Great to have Bo & Kelly join in at the Broken River bridge. A good hum from a new pair of Fortezzas (the last pair fairly cut up after 5000 winter k's) was reassuring. Cruised Mitchell touching 40, the guns building the speed with 2.5k to go. Got lined up with Chris A, Adam F, Robbo, Nath etc but i hit the business end with 400 metres to go. Should have rolled quietly across Gools, but bolted instead. (gotta stop doing that!) Opened up the bunch but was swamped in the last 200. (May have to phone A.M.I. so i can last longer?) All part of the fun. 45k @ 36.5 worth noting, flogged by the youngn's while pushing 52km/h demoralises though!
Legs breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, a steady pace was most welcomed. Pleased to see the P&W's were all together (rather that split up in various breakaways) but word had it the tempo lifted in Mitchell. A steady 25k ride for us seemed even better sense.
Rain was forecast Thursday, but the sky looked somewhat optomistic at 5.30am. Went by gut instinct rather than radar observation and rolled quietly to the start (lack of sleep last night had drained the tank) 12 Couldabeens were keen, Daniel on a shiny new Ridley to replace the stolen Oppy. Another considerate gentle first leg eased the pressure of a light east north east breeze. The grouping of Bo, Daniel and rocket Rob needs addressing though....troublemakers! (should get Conrad Murray to pour Propofol on their Weet-bix)
Pace almost went supersonic in Boundary Rd, but eased a whisker to a sensible pace with Chris & Marion quality at the helm. Daniel & Leon took their leave at Archer, but no-one had seperated Bo & the rocket, who hammered up the Col d'Kialla stretching the pack while Temple poured petrol on the fire calling "Faster, faster!" Thank heavens for a lot of Melbourne Rd traffic to regain our breath and lower the HR ! A good finish by Rob (sweet revenge on Vince from Tuesdays free tow?) leading the team to a 33.8 av. Ace work by Ryan, only started a month ago but riding like a pro. Just pipped by the boomgates back in town, but Cats nowhere.
Just a dozen at the library Thursday night, a mild 16 degrees yet quite overcast. Picked up another 5 out Ford Rd, Nathan quite keen to up the tempo & put a bike length on me when up the front. A good crew (minus most of the hitters) included Walshy & Alan out of hibernation again. The odd spit of rain and several km's of damp road had us predicting a wet finish, but we were thankfully proved wrong. Starting to recognise several faces now that daylight saving lets us see one another on an evening ride. Chris A considerately called his breakaway intention near Archer Rd, humbling us all just riding off into the sunset. Aint youth a wonderful thing?! The rest of us mortals turned up the wick just out of Raftery's Roubaix corner, a smooth rapid roll-over aiding all. With 700 to go Nath stretched a 4 length gap which wasn't being filled. Felt he & i should swap turns to consolidate a 1, 2 for us, but Sean, Brendan & co had hooked on and lay in wait. In the final 50 Sean lit the afterburner to take the chocolates. Happy with 2nd @53km/h, Brendan back on form had 3rd. 35.3av
Woke with a pair of led legs this morning, maybe a few too many k's? Rolled up to the P&W start to find 16 there, including the long lost Choppy. Great to have the little super-sledger back, but huffing and puffing was on todays agenda for him! Ryan too back from his mighty effort on the Sydney marathon. A good steady circuit by the crew, nice of Matty & Leon to "cross the floor" from the Couldabeens. Stace, the Harro's, Fee and Guysy had already tapped out 35 to start the day, ploughing their way through the unseasonal fog and 5 degrees. Rabbit bid his farewells near Channel Rd, not one taker for his breakaway. Great to have the whole team together for the duration, Greendog, Aka, Minto and others fighting out the top places. Great for a team finish into town (35.6av) , the bunny even escorting us (must have popped home for coffee & toast, then come back for our finish?) The train wasn't even out of its shed when we crossed the tracks, a caffine fix & yarn with the aforementioned early birds at Friars topped off a top ride. To round out the week's k's, rode another (brief) circuit, coming across Nick by chance, so joined in the Adams family lap (with much caution around a few riders) for an easy 28k. Old Don was on a hot tin roof in the closing stages, so Hoffys instructions were followed to stretch him out. Hovered around the 40+ for the last couple of km's, but Nick & Don bolted past briefly with one k still to go. (They were sprinting to their finish line, 1km short of the end!) Passed them again and went on to the real finish, but there were no takers! Another fix of coffee topped of the still unemployed week.
Week 40 503km 18,560 calories ( 51 footy franks & 68 party pies with sauce *) 33.8km/h average
Quote of the week "Chasing records doesn't keep me on my bike, happiness does" Lance Armstrong
(*thanks to supersprinter Kel for the calorie suggestion)
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