Temple and Wozza were keen to crank early, departing A Mart at 5 we inherited Rocket on the rear (predicting the usual punters would be following the Saturday tradition). 13 degrees had drawn base layers and arm warmers out of obscurity, spearing into the darkness of Raftery Rd two k turns soon warmed the legs up as the subject of Strava junkies made light relief. An errant kanga bounding Mitchell Rd forced a slow, a cruisier crank in Central Kialla hinted some SSE assistance. With the grind of River Rd done, Temple, in prime performance, had us well ahead of schedule on Channel Rd, five minutes of social stimuli to spend before launch. Fisky, Boof, Car+Mel, Jen, SuperMario, Shorty, Pistol, Cougar, Jase, Ross, Ange, Lynda, Vince, Trav, AvantiTrev (and yet another newcomer) set forth, but barely 100 metres were covered when Rockets bus stop puncture halted the train. A little more chat, repair done and the wheels turned east, a meet and greet with KillkennyPaul (aboard a white Giant), an apprentice to bunches, taking up the addiction 4 months ago. Nath managed an appearance in Boundary Rd, Old Dookie Rd was particularly porky palace pungent, but there's that scenic sunrise to divert the senses. I'd finally reached the rear stalls turning at the Toaster, two rows of praying protagonists counted (22) needed a keen eye. The rubber band effect (front runners accelerating from a corner the backmarkers were still braking for) tested the sprint capabilities at the caboose end, half a k later all was well, everybody tucked in for a tow home. A turn at the front came up again as we entered Ford Rd, zoning in on relaxing everything but the legs to keep pace with Pistol till the Grahamvale Rd change-over. Panting, I was putty in the plumbers hands of SuperMario to Verney Rd, back into the tow to Numurkah Rd was a welcome change from the usual front-of-house work in Wanganui. Wozz and Rocket drew the short straw of driving to DECA, Rocket self sacrificing himself dragging the masses to the base of the ascent for Boof and Trav to thrash out the honours. Kits left of centre and zoning on ascents too'ed and fro'ed at one end of Lemontree's long table, the noise of natter indiscernible at the other.
Continuing questions on why I do this, I pointed the Corretto to the golf course at 5:15 Monday, reducing wear and tear on bed linen?, enhancing Michelins' production?, maybe just trying to keep an old engine in tune to keep up with the young'uns. (Probably best not to self examine in case of frightening oneself!) It was another cool excuse for summer, 11 degrees prompted base layer and armwarmers, a spin on the 17 cog putting some warmth into a 25k prelude to the peace train. I caught Tina entering town in time to u-turn aboard a Goat/Cat conglomeration, just Sly, Trav and Liam had fronted the feline grid, so joined the Goat gathering of Belly, Coggo, Brendan and Phil. It was a peace train at a (feline influenced) faster idle, finding the convalesced Greendawg in the dark nearing Boundary Rd's sow savoy, congrats to Liam on the Australia Day sports award, a gong too for Coggo, Tina and Belly with a Saturday squirt up Buffalo. The slightly faster roll allowed me time for a full circuit, no sprint launched keeping things civilised to the end.
Being first to arrive at the Tuesday turtles had a price to pay, doing the hard yards (all 1859 of them) with Ange to the truck route on leg one got the metabolism motivated. The turtle team comprised Chops, Lynda, Nick, Shorty, Kenworth, AvantiTrev, AvantiMat, Temple, Vince, SuperMario and, surprise surprise......WhisperingJack was back. SuperMario had the dream draft of Kenworth (but then had the task of matching the torque beside him), Vince with a cogitated call for a rare case of traffic at the kinder. WhisperingJack braved a turn at the business end (albeit a tame tap beside AvantiTrev) from one tree dam to half a k into River Rd, his sole performance being a legacy of a month off two wheels. AvantiMatt was harried by high heart rate (20 below most), Lynda belting out a beaut burst at the rushin' front. Thoughts of the 6am hares hunting behind kept pace in the pedals, freaky to find fog in the fields for February. A drag race up Mt.Nicolaci with Ange peaked my pulminories, only eight drivers were left by the time we rounded Roubaix. Kenworth hit the front in Conrod straight, the wise quick to sit in his draft, Ange and Vince lay in wait and pounced at the last dip, the lap clocked in 45:50, a headcount confirming none were missing in action.
A sense of being stalked on the golf course loop turned up my tempo on Wednesday, a light in the rearward distance kept up the heartrate till the southerly (20-41 km/h) punished progress to the Couldabeens start. Shorty, Boof, Pistol, Wozza, Nick, Car-Mel, Cate, Rocket, WhisperingJack, AvantiMat, SuperMario, Chops and AvantiTrev had aligned at the car park, Chops falling on the sword of first turn into the wind. A few spits from the heavens suggested a possible drowning, but the damp held off, the usual 1.5 k turns at the front quickly ditched in favour of brief belts into the bluster, and I'd chosen to pair with Rocket! It was relief reaching Mitchell and utopia northbound in Central Kialla, peak hour traffic fronted in River Rd with passing peletons and the odd car crowding the tarmac. Wind gusts were whipping wheels wildly, close concentration needed in a somewhat erratic echelon, the rearmost struggling at the roads edge. A smoother straighter line was possible headed to Channel Rd, mid fourties cranked as the tailwind advantage was taken. I'd lucked the rear berth of the bunch as we ploughed into the kinder corner (Rocket ahead meant I'd be lucky just to score a minor place), so spurred Cate to follow as we carved through the expirees imploding beyond Prentice Rd. Car-Mel had joined our charge to score the fifth spot, the final k's enjoyed recovering oxygen and basking in accomplishment.
Being squeezed through a roundabout by an impatient Territory wanting extra territory bumped up the h.r. starting a 20k solo Thursday, another stiff southerly (22-34 km/h) guaranteed rest was off the agenda, but back to town as slow Cats then fast Cats exited east. Coggo, Snow, Dipper, Heady, HG Phillo, Tum, Sandy and Tina Goats grouped for a slow saunter out Old Dookie Rd, numbers down as many had traded in duty for doonas. Up front, Tum was on for a chat while Heady was craving oxygen, HG Phillo struggled to reach the front at Coggo standards, and Sandy sat back while others rued a second day of southerly slog. I had a manageable berth between Snow and Heady, keeping a cautionary pace so as not to flog the horses (Heady's last Friday scars still a bit fresh?) Phillo however, thrashed his attempt at River Rd's bridge, an exalted punch of the air cresting the climb first was soon swapped for a face full of flabbergasted fatigue a moment later. Time was ticking away turning into Mitchell Rd, Coggo keen to apply the wattage up Mt.Nicolaci, the aero (haircut) Tina capably matching his ascent. Anticipation of being blown home by Rafterys tailwind buoyed the boys driving to Galbraith's gate, I threw the curved ball of an early break at Arcadia Downs drive, if only to twist the routine of the ride. Plus fourties only lasted 600 metres when Coggo, Tum, Dipper and Snow busted my breakaway balloon, Tum pouncing the pertinent podium precisely to perspicaciously pinch the prime prize, per perspiration.
A blend of trepidation and transcendence filled the cranial cavity on Friday, would the Pain Train score or scar me? I guess AvantiLeigh, Tum, Dipper, Belly, Phil, Coggo, Manny, Col, BigBen (too late for Cats, too good for Goats?) and Tina felt the same, but something drives that urge to attend. 6 bells and the train departed Friars, my deliberate position at third wheel was to prepare for the pointy end instead of diving in at the deep end, Coggo and Tum taking the first and second shift (nothing quite prepares you for slicing the atmosphere the first time, the task of towing the carriages and their expectations is quite the burden of brain baggage). Pain Train trainee Col hit the front in Boundary Rd and went ballistic to 46, snapping Phil's chain and sending Tina scurrying for caboose cover, but Coggo and Tum soon settled the speed back to Vox populi to the Pub, my go to Channel Rd had barely enough in reserve to climb back aboard. SuperMario was spied solo in River Rd (Couldabeens in puncture arrears), many Goats now preparing for what Col's next surprise would be (turned out a tamer 42). Manny and BigBen put in solid performances, great work by Dipper, Belly, Coggo and Tum keeping the kettle boiling too. Col cut loose again at the Kialla hall, Swiss cheesing the line (futile with the Mitchell Rd turn looming large). Turns were becoming brief beyond the highway and gasping to Galbraith's, I'd hoped Tum would deliver me to the front half way along Conrod, but his elbow gave me the lead at the first dip. Despite BigBen's encouragement, my legs and lungs had resigned (187 bpm) with 200 to go, i was swiftly swamped by all as Col then Manny made a sprint of the finish. That was a whole world of effort to shave just four seconds off a P.B., but the 40.4 average suitably satisfied.
Week 5: 340km. YTD 1,614 km
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