“Ride #16: Competition is Very Good”

Last night's ride was fantastic. In fact, I had the highest average speed since I started recording them last year: 18.69 miles per hour, for 15.77 miles.

Three days without riding, thanks to the disgusting weather we've suffered through, convinced me that I'd be off my rhythm last night and would have some catching up to do for the next couple of rides. In fact, that's how the ride started out: I just couldn't seem to push myself up the hills like I wanted to.

Then, about five miles from the house, I was surprised by another rider coming out of nowhere. I was struggling up another hill, and didn't hear him until he said, "HI there," on his way past. He was what I call a "lightweight". A very skinny cyclist of average height, in full gear, riding a very light road bike. My bike and I probably had 80 pounds on him (remember, I'm 6' 10").

No, no, no. That's not allowed. Suddenly the hill didn't seem so steep and long. All that mattered was this guy that had passed me.

I caught him near the top of the next hill, in spite of his best efforts to leave me behind (which only made it better). I actually decided not to pass him, because I'm so much bigger that he'd have no problem drafting me, but I regretted it later because I found myself hitting my brakes to avoid running him over. I stayed between 5 and 50 feet behind him for the next 5 miles, until our paths diverged.

He actually refused to talk to me, other than the salutation as he first passed me.

I'm guessing that he saw me up ahead of him, and burned a lot of his reserves trying to catch me in the first place, and then didn't have anything left to leave me behind. Maybe it was his first ride of the season, or he was ill or something. He certainly looked like he shouldn't have had any problem leaving someone my size behind.

Whoever you are, Mr. Lightweight, thanks for the adrenaline rush, but if I see you again I won't be hanging behind you. }:->

I re-learned a lesson on this ride. Cycling performance is as much a result of state of mind as it is of physical conditioning. There's no way my time would have been that good if not for the competition. I need to teach myself to make the hills shorter on my own.

My rides are going to start increasing to 20 miles tomorrow (too rainy today).