This is the fourth time I've started tonight's post. The other 3 are fan-effin-tastic, but just not ready. Since I have to get something posted, I'm just going with the stupid boring old WNW report.
Last night was the first Wednesday Night ride I was able to attend this year. I want to work something out where I can go every week, but we'll see.
Recently I talked about inspiration coming from strange places. Well, I'm going to talk about it again.
On last night's ride was Jordan, Paul Webb, Lucas, Grant Rotunda (probably a real last name), Brady, Leah and that bad mofo on keyboard right now. Check it! [plays awesome keyboard riff]
I went on this ride having no idea about my fitness as it relates to the others. I haven't been on any group rides in a very long time. I didn't care if I got dropped, I just wanted to see where I was and decide what to do from there to kick everybody's ass next week.
The temperature during the ride went from about 60F to 40F. It was a strong NW wind. So the way out was brutal. We tried to paceline - but it was a mess. Echelon would have been ideal if the roads were closed, but what do I know?
The way back though - all tailwind. Nice. From Ft. Calhoun, we headed east toward Boyer chute. Spinning comfortably at 30MPH. Then we turned to the south and got organized. The paceline was going pretty smooth when there were murmurs of "we lost one."
Guys were kind of sitting up and saying, "Should we wait?"
I think the answer was "No."
Actually, I think if I hadn't dropped off, they would have wondered what to do for a while. But it was a gray cold night getting colder and grayer, and I've been alone on that road before and it really sucks. So I stopped pedaling. As soon as the rest of the group saw that I was going to wait for Leah, they moved along. They knew she wouldn't be left alone. All was fine. The race was on or whatever.
For me, it was a complete switch. Well, the rest of a complete switch. The first part of the switch happened a few days earlier. My son is getting excited about mountain biking and I'm finding myself putting his training before mine. It's a realistic look at life. Where am I going to take this bike racing thing? I'm 49.
Do not misunderstand. I will compete as hard as possible and do everything I can to reach my best. But some things are just more important. Big picture.
Big picture is we're on a remote road on a quickly darkening and chilly night. We should not leave somebody out there alone.
And here's the change. Normally, I would have done everything I could to stay with that front group. I probably would have lasted until the final big climb.
But on this night, I couldn't care less. There was this wonky feeling in my chest. I think people call it "compassion" or something. Not that Leah needs it. She's one of the toughest people I know. If you drop back to her on WNW, you better be serious or she'll kick your ass.
Unlike a lot of people, she doesn't gripe about it. She knows she's going to get dropped on this ride. That's why she's so strong. That's why she often laps the field in real races. She doesn't shy away from the dreaded WNW. If everybody was like that, we'd have 30 people show up every week.
There are a lot of guys who show up, get their asses kicked and never return. They could learn from Leah. They'd get faster if they rode with faster people.
After I had lost contact with the group and Leah was making her way to me, I noticed Brady was also drifting back. Nice. I've seen Brady do this on many occasions in the past, but only as I was continuing with the lead group.
So in the end, I rode back in with Leah and Brady. While we were riding I realized how much I admire these two riders. They are nothing alike, but there's a common attitude I see in them, that I see in few people.
They are up for any challenge.
Last winter, Rafal led a few of us on a cold 50MPH windy gravel ride in Iowa. It was brutal. We were exhausted. As we were heading home on our cross bikes, I joked to Brady, "Hey you wanna do a lap of Lewis and Clark real quick since we're right here?"
Brady said, "Not really, but I will."
That's the attitude. If somebody would have asked me if I wanted to do a lap, I would have said, and I quote, "No."
Oh say, that reminds me. Let me back up. I may have given the impression that I think these 2 are somehow special. I'm so sorry. I did not mean to do that. I mean, I'm sure they're great and everything, but certainly the rest of the group is a bunch of champions too. It's just that I'll never know about it because they insist on riding so far in front of me.*
And sceeeeene!
* Samuel L. Jackson is a genius: Sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know 'cause I ain't eatin' the filthy mother-fucker.
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