Pass the Phendimetrazine my good man!

Post #536
29/2  Pressure (and the lack of it)

A flat front tyre (discovered just as I was ready to ride) put plenty of pace into Saturday morning, to reach the start line by six required a reasonable amount of extractum digitum.  Exerting energy early got me back onto agenda, arriving with a minute to spare at the rear of the grid gave me a moment to recover.  It was another good turn-up (TrekTrev, Bruce, Rocket, PistolPete, TatMat, GiantAndy, Trav, TheGodfather, Shorty, Bo, Wozza, Tina, Superman, Molly, TatPaul, Steve, Vince, Determined Dan, BeerMat, Kreeky, Dalts and Lenny meant it'd be a while before I faced the front.  That tyre was feeling a bit squishy though.  Happy to let the horsepower haul us south, I sat nearing the rear of the downline readying for the promotion forward.   Observing the rotational ritual, I joined the advance line at the truck route, Trav ahead and The Godfather behind, knowing the southwest breeze would be my bonus (should I reach the drivers seat with the wind prevailing)  I felt the care of concerns on how this old engine is running (post prang) and felt the faith from compliments, but I wished the physical feeling reflected the same sentiment.

The pressure to perform my part for the peloton was higher than that Michelin! (Pace was up on previous Saturdays, high time I hardened up anyway) My task of tempo out of the draft came at Boundary Rd's bridge, finding that 15% extra beside Trav (always the gentleman) to the fig farm then The Godfather (I made him an offer he couldn't refuse) to Old Dookie Rd gave a (short) sense of worth.  Colour bled into the horizon's sky as a sluggish start to the day, brief chats grabbed with Vince, TatMat, Rocket and Determined Dan as they advanced for duty in the drivers seat.  A calm was called nearing Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd, caution for Cats as our paths crossed right on Big Ring corner (vociferous greetings extended by The Godfather, of course)

Hard on the accelerator westward to catch the leading 8 stretched the bunch to breaking point, the low 40's attributed to the usual protagonists of pace.  By the main eastern channel, speed was still stuck at 40 and that stuck my position firmly at the back (along with Steve, Tina, MyRideTrev, Molly and Superman)  A dull thud as my front wheel struck the Grahamvale Rd rail line sank hopes, the bike now soggy in the steering would force a different finish than Wanganui Rd. I made it to the highway, telling MyRideTrev I'd short-cut to the café after an injection of CO2, safer than full steam to Mt. Wanganui with 30psi to guide me. Pressure in the tube relieved that pressure in the head, so a steady spin to the Lemontree and to talk on 'diminished responsibilities',  lawn and edging OCD and the variety of velocity the factions offer was a relaxed end to the ride.

2/3  Masochism Monday
The time had come to test my tempo rather than rest in a cruisy comfort zone, so Monday I made my way to the 5:45 grid. (an eye on the averages over the last two months said suffering was regularly served ; RIP recovery ride!)

Bo, Col, Tina, Lenny, Rocket, PistolPete, Kel, The Godfather, Bruce and Vince had assembled for the spin to start the week, so into the Channel Rd darkness we spun but right on the roundabout a fast deflating front tyre brought Tina hurriedly horizontal.  That carbon against tarmac grind is always a gut-wrencher, Bruce and Rocket expertly avoiding using her as a speed bump, but never fear, it was just a bit of bark off for tough-as Tina (she scores that title from now!)  Vic Roads would be called later to patch the big dent she left in the tarmac.  Puncture repaired, dusted off and away, the bunch made just a kilometre of progress before PistolPete punctured (thankfully remaining upright)   Yet another pause would only turn up the tempo for the rest of the route.

Remounted and reorganised, the bunch bore east and with Rocket ahead and Col behind, I was in quick company.   Just my luck, I scored the lead and that 30 km/h headwind in Central Ave.   Rocket paired patiently at my pace down to McFadyen Rd as I gasped my way onward to the cypress trees, Col the next to contend with.  In all fairness, Col was courteous to level with me to Beckham's bend but by then my head raised the white flag and called a roll. And wasn't that draft heaven! Trying to handbrake the heart-rate (170) was now the task, that wind blowing us into the 40's on Boundary Rd had it stuck in Zone 5 (and that stuck my position permanently at the back).  Pistol, Bo, The Godfather, Bruce, Lenny and Vince kept the swiftness at a simmer, a hope that the tempo would tame in Lemnos-Cosgrove Rd (with the wind at the left brow) was dashed as Rocket, Col and Kel kept the pace unabated.  These guys have got faster or I'm just slower, possibly it's both?  Pass the Phendimetrazine my good man and summon my Spanish Doctor!

Maybe I've been a bit too optimistic in my comeback calculations? Riding at the limit is supposed to make you stronger and Rule #5 says so, but enjoyment was evaporating rapidly.  By chance, The Godfather punctured as we breached Ford Rd, so the halt and some respiratory relief was certainly savoured.  The three minute pressure to perform was on and The Godfather (strangely silent) performed well, we were soon on our way working west again with a Verney Rd re-route to coffee.  For a silly second I reckoned I could cope with another turn, but that prior pace was primed again to make another shift almost life threatening. Just suck it up, sit tight and hang on Foss!   Even with the wind now head-on, there was no let-up in Verney Rd so with it timely to turn for work commitments, I thanked the folk for the flogging and headed homeward.

3/3  E is for echelon

A spin 'round the golf course loop at stupid o'clock soon told me where that wind was coming from, the south southwester  (26-40 km/h) certainly stifled speed back to town. There'd be a struggle east, south and west on the clockwise Goat circuit but at least it'd be heaven homeward.  Only Sandy and Hommie had taken a Friars grid position by 5:58, wouldn't I have some work to do if no other Goat fronted. The arrival of Coggo, Belly, Phil and Snow saved my bacon in the moments leading up to six, so with new found enthusiasm, I was happy to haul the troupe out of town.  Collecting JB and DeepFry at SPC whittled down the workload so I stayed on to Dobson's bridge as a worthy opening salvo.  Sandy took the drive to Central Ave but Hommie's hurry beyond it dislodged her o.t.a.  (Hommie'd be doing the dishes tonight!)

In the interest of unity I towed Sandy back to the bunch, Snow, Phil and Coggo setting a survivable speed to Boundary Rd (though DeepFry had stolen the bulk of the draft to put the rear four in the gutter).  JB was in fine form flying the fast flag down to the pub, DeepFry now in the drivers seat shot south toward the Broken bridges, totally engrossed in his personal pace and oblivious to the calls of "easy" when bits of the bunch broke off the back.  Goats became Brown's cows down to River Rd, gaps opening, the rearmost fighting to find a draft and several trying to keep the pack intact.  Coggo's captaincy got the bunch united and back into a rhythm with a long haul to the Angora Farm before flicking me an elbow.  It wasn't rocket science to maintain the prior pace and keep the crew glued together  (doesn't take much to spy the speed and set it the same).  I handed the helm to JB at the dip but bits were breaking off the back again. With the speed reassessed at the bridge, nine stayed as one to Central Kialla where I peeled off for the tailwind treat back to town.

4/3  Racing rain

Both hands seized the chance of a Wednesday lap, a delivery of damp was due and Thursday's forecast was set to soak us.  BeerMat, Pelly, Laura, MyRideTrev, Kenworth, KillkennyPaul, Nick, SuperMario, Marion, Joe (not Tony) and Telly had consumed their Kellogg's Kommitment and arrived at the Archer St shop, so clearly Softa, WhisperingJack, Temple, Jase, Hollywood et al have already thrown the towel of "too hard" into the ring!   A single line of labourers (led by birthday boy Pelly) launched south at 5:50 toward Sanctuary's roundabout, Telly taking the task of forming the advance line.  Eleven, well make that ten, seemed pleased to share the task of tempo and squeeze in a sentence occasionally, and that's a rarity riding at six!  Clouds cloaked the moon and stars darkening our drive to Central Kialla, I drew alongside KillkennyPaul serving a strong (albeit short) shift to roll at his request, then match Laura to River Rd.

Eastward, that dog sprints excitedly alongside on the opposite side of the fence, we crest the bridge for another turn to roll, past Laws Drive then the k to the dip.  Another change of shift, past the church and along the seemingly endless rough reseal to the Angora Farm, searching and hoping for the rumble strips to appear to signal another shifts end.  Barely a breeze was blowing but it was a bonus to the Broken bridges, shifts a little shorter than normal but progress wasn't pokey. West along Channel Rd and I was positioned perfectly (5th wheel in the advance) as we rounded the bend into Central Ave, it was just a waiting game for the pounce near Prentice Rd while Kenworth and BeerMat towed us to Hopeful corner.  Running out of time and tarmac with 400 metres to go, I pulled out all the stops to charge at the line, beckoning Pelly to follow (as if he needed encouragement!)  200 to go and with my energy evaporated, Pelly poured on the power (SuperMario swift to snatch second) so I was pleased to hang on for 3rd while Pelly tasted his birthday cake.

6/3  Head vs heart

Friday and it was high time I went from Wanna to Coulda, so I stepped up to the speed of the 6am crew.  It is slower than the toil of Tuesday / Thursday isn't it?  I was telling myself the hurry was all in the head, but would my heart keep up?  Oscar, Rocket, Bruce, Shorty, Grumpy, tough-as Tina, Kreeky, Wozza, The Godfather, PistolPete and Kel rolled in as the clock rolled nearer 6, a southwester guaranteed I'd be hiding at the back in this fast fellowship. Pistol, Rocket, Wozza and Bruce are far more suited to speed than I.  Besides, the company in the caboose was cosy.  Pace was primed to the truck route but beyond it there was a slow for Col to catch on. My hopes for a respiratory recovery was short-lived, Col took the short cut via the truck route for a Central Kialla intercept, so it was on the gas again to Mitchell Rd.

Even with a tail wind through Central Kialla it was all too easy to stay sitting at the rear, the moment I'd guess a turn at the front would be possible, the tempo would turn up (and my heart rate was high enough at the back).  Watching Wozza, The Godfather, Grumpy, Shorty and Kreeky go through the motions at the front was easy, but even sitting on the back at windward side in River Rd was a tough task.  One shoudn't get too comfortable, even in the caboose! It felt somewhat anti-social just calling the drivers across into the advance line from the rear seat, spare oxygen for a chat wasn't exactly in abundance, though the assisting wind toward Channel Rd allowed an extra breath or two.  Despite that southwester, pace persevered in Channel Rd (need I say who was responsible?) and the tempo to come through town kept me cemented into the caboose.  Results of the ChaCha sprint were but specs on the horizon for me to call, so I was greatful for the few seconds of calm to the school for the reformation. The pace to the Butterfactory was no surprise though legs and lungs regretted it, the chance of coffee and chat after (on a rare RDO) made the work worthwhile.

This week  226km           YTD  918km