Feeding the addiction again, I was aboard the trusty steed (already 2,000 k's old) at 4:40 Saturday, setting south to meet Temple (AvantiMat also coerced) for a 35k prologue, extending the usual weekday effort to mix-up the muscle memory and seize the weather (16 degrees) while it's on offer.
Three loose skippy's caused an ease of the accelerator at Arcadia Downs, but then resumed the Mitchell-River-Boundary-Channel course on a calm cadence to deliver us timely back to town, just as a long Couldabeens train left the grid. (Boof, Nick, WhisperingJack, AvantiTrev, Jase, Cougar, Jen, Ange, Lynda, BigMat, Car+Mel, Lenny, Lucy, Wozz, Fisky, SuperMario, MasiMario, PistolPete, Pat, Rocket and Scott-not-BassoDave). Greetings and weekend agendas were swapped as I progressed to the pointy end, Boof's pointed toes, Rocket's new Zipps, MasiMario's cheesy grin, BigMat's remarkable revival, SuperMario's open gait, Fisky's squeaky clean Giant, Ange's crash of cogs, all part of soaking up the Saturday social nourishment. CatPhil was caught at the fig farm, my Boundary Rd turn with SuperMario was soon swapped for the 3k length of Old Dookie Rd beside Ange. The treat of a tailwind home was high on many hopes as our train steamed north to the Emu, Scott-not-BassoDave retiring rearward (fixing to frolic with felines), Car+Mel, Jen, and Lucy forging forward in a flocked femme fatale fellowship. The rubber band effect at the back was almost interval training as minor variations at the front turned monster at the rear, a big bunch disadvantage. Midfield approaching DECA, I'd decided to sit out the Wanganui waltz, Rocket, Wozz and Boof already whipping up the business end, the peleton a popcorn of small kabooms as mortals tried to match. The femme fatale train timed the Wanganui hill perfectly, murdering many mere males in their path. Composure on the Rudd Rd re-collection and banter along the Boulevard, I'd somehow ranked a 6th on the "coffee shop champion" stage (ranks high in the stupid Strava segment stakes). The din of discussion on the long Lemontree table centred on extreme distances #, BigMat's goals and the sprint post mortem, AvantiAndy abandoning the Muppet ride to join us for caffeine, a large dessert of motivation needed to arise and head home from 80k clocked. (# check out Steve Abraham and Kurt Searvogel's attempt to break Tommy Godwin's 1939 distance record of 120,805 km in a year. That's 339 k's a day!) Have a look at; <oneyeartimetrial.org.uk> <tarzanrides.com>
A solitary squirt Monday, minus the luxury of a bunch draft, just the draft between the ears as company on a Genesis lap. A quick kit-up time, 25 degrees at 5:20am needing the minimum. (remember the complex closet co-ordination just a few months ago, needing more layers than an onion to insulate). Against a northeaster on New Dookie Rd, progress was pleasing, keeping atop the 15 cog at 74 rpm tended to boil the heart rate to 174 to the Pine Lodge church. Conservation on an almost empty bidon by the Toaster, the turn west was an easier slog, to Boundary Rd with distant LEDs oncoming, then south, crossing paths with Vince en-route to a bit of Catabolism. PistolPete plied north at one tree dam, River Rd was empty for me to enjoy the ease of the east northeast. The heart rate hovered between 156 and 170 all the way back to town, topping-up H2O via the nearest tap.
Just a spit or two in the early Tuesday hours, but there was hesitation in the heavens if the forecast was to be believed. Torn between the luxury of a sleep-in and the frustration of a lost opportunity, it was the head's loss and the legs gain to can plans of riding. A short shower at 6:20 confirmed my inaction (though the hardcore put in a few k's).
Many made up for a Tuesday abandonment, Wednesday's carpark turn-up including Pistol, Wozz, Boof, Jase, SuperMario, Cate, Chops, Nick, Temple, Cougar, Trav, BigMat, Car+Mel, Shorty, AvantiTrev, Nev and visitors Rene and Nicholas. Headlight shy traffic split the getaway, Wozz lending the wattage to the six dislodged to catch onto the squad spearing south on Archer. AvantiMat ahead was engulfed at the truck route to fill the ranks to 20, our crank east made easy by the westerly. Wozz was wary of the wobbles Rene had in abundance (as scary as Trump in the oval office!), Boof's puncture halving my turn at the front with an intermission in River Rd, AvantiTrev the ever present pitstop mechanic to the rescue. Oncoming Cats and 51 craved the tarmac's width, P&W's chipped Chops but we were underway and Boundary bound with just a few minutes lost. On the front for the northern assault, I'd lucked avoiding the headwind of Channel Rd. Sitting in the second last seat into Kinder corner, I was drawn along the 300 metre dash to Hopeful corner then 500 beyond, zoning in on Temple's wheel ahead and catching a sideways glimpse of Rene's kaboom at Prentice Rd. I hit the front with 400 metres left to burn, punished by the 20km/h headwind, with Boof, Trav and Chops closing in for the kill behind. With my soft-edged focus on the finish line and drawing on all reserves, the archangel Gabriel appeared blurry in the windswept clouds, Cherabims and seraphims harmonising hymns reached out........snap out of it! Trav and Boof were nipping at my heels! Opening up the angry tank gave me the gap to take a rare win, spending the 3k cruise back to Archer in recovery.
Tried an early effort with team FDC (don't ask!) on Thursday, it's not quite FdJ but Oz, Jed and Troy can crank. With flag fall at 5:15, we departed Kialla lakes for a Channel, Boundary and River trajectory, single filed 1k track turns the ride recipe. A handy heart starter in the high 30's, Jed toasting the tempo into the 40's, chat was capped as the Indian filed procession divided the workload in a disciplined drive. I bowed out at River Road's end (to get in a go with the Goat gathering), the truck route and Archer not short enough to reach Friars by six though. It was déjà vu taking Channel Rd to intercept the herd, almost to Boundary Rd's pig pen before u-turning, a lengthy line of lads and lasses (AvantiAndy, MeridaAndy, Tim, Tum, Phillo, Phil, Brendan, Bickers, JB, Belly, Coggo, Dipper, Kate, Jen, Deb, Heady, Baz and Snow) swept south. Promotion from the tail to the top took just 2 k's, up at the helm with JB from one tree dam to River Rd after Deb's determined drive. A brief bout of boisterous Belly banter babbled before being drawn into the draft from others on duty, till my turn came again in Mitchell Rd. Legs were lively by Galbraith's gate, plenty contributing to the cause, but workers were whittled down to eight as we cornered into Conrod. I sat out a turn to draw breath, Tum towed me to the rushin' front, I applied maximum throttle, but the youth of MeridaAndy edged up alongside to dead heat the finish.
A quiet little tap around the golf course loop as a warm up to the pain train turned toasty glancing at the clock, time tested to tap a tempo to get me to the church on time. Coggo, Belly, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, Heady, Phil and Tum had enlisted, Heady then Dip taking us in tow to Central Ave. The southwester helped my haste to School Rd before a handover to AvantiLeigh, Geoffrey was passed at considerable knots, unable to climb aboard. Tum, Coggo then Belly poured on the power to the pub, a brief gasp of oxygen waiting for a car to cross, then the order resumed till my shift came again from the bridges to River Rd. We swung wide for Couldabeens almost on the corner, heads down and effort up fighting the southwest breeze, a peculiarly pensive and placid Poppa, parked prostrate and possibly peeved, punted (per puncture) prior from a pussycat peleton. I scored the south slog to Mitchell Rd, oncoming cars throwing gusts at the pace. There were a few cracks appearing in the train cadence as time and tempo took its toll, a surge here and there, a shorter turn, a wandering wheel. Belly took us half way to the Raftery right hander, Heady to Roubaix, Dip to Galbraith's gate for my drive to Conrod, an exercise in excess exertion. I'd almost lost the draft as AvantiLeigh and Coggo sizzled their swansongs, all finishing suitably smug with a 37.8 average.
Week 50 293km YTD 15,048
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