Coach Cyndee often puts her personal training schedule out for her clients. It's pretty cool really- you can work out with her for free, but obviously there is no personal training involved...or is there.
Coach is an accomplished age grouper and a six-time Ironman finisher. If you are paying attention, there are always lessons to be learned. Lessons in form, lessons in gear selection, lessons in when to go and when to hold back and lessons in the mental game that is competition. I always try to take advantage of these opportunities to train with her when I can. Sometimes, she will comment on things as well. Finally, there is the fact that I always seem to get more out of myself when I train with her.
Sadly, my schedule has been a mess lately and has not been matching with hers, so I have not been able to hook up with her for some training. As I reported previously, I overslept on Shawn, blowing my Brick workout. In the land of the half-full glass however, Cyndee was doing a 40/4 workout the next day. Perfect! I text in my RSVP from work that I will be at the start Sunday morning.
I arrive to find two personal trainers: Coach Cyndee and Nancy along with Michael and Nick. I wish I had a picture of these four together. Scary! Not an ounce of fat anywhere. Where are the students? Where are the people who are trying to get into shape? Where are the people I can keep up with!? I have visions of being dropped after the first five minutes.
I focus on getting myself prepped for the ride. I am set as they all finish morning pleasantries and we start to ride toward Red Rock. The last time I did this ride (with the loop thrown in) was last year. I did the ride then with Coach, but we started seven miles closer. She dropped me after the first three miles, let me catch up again and then dropped me in the first quarter mile of the loop. On the steepest section (locally called "the wall", I walked my bike up the last third. The additional mileage we are spotting today is all uphill. I do not have visions of sugar plums dancing in my head.
The ride starts out easy as everyone warms up. Hanging in the back, I carefully mark every change in speed, mindful not to get caught at a traffic light as odd man out. As we reach the top of the first sustained uphill effort, I jump ahead and begin to pull the group up the next section. Not sure that this is the smartest move, but it felt right. Better to set the tone for a little bit and see if they will follow. Maybe this way, I can control the pace and postpone the inevitable. I know at some point, they are going to drop the hammer and I will be toast.
I hang in there for most of the way to the turn off into the loop. Ironically, I get dropped again at just about the exact spot where Cyndee dropped me the previous year, but not nearly as bad. I am still in contact, but can't seem to catch up. Just like last year, I catch everybody at the pay station.
As we pay, two guys ride up and start to admire Nick's bike (a pretty sweet Wilier). You don't have to ask me twice, I take off. They're going to ride past me anyway. I get as far as halfway up the first serious hill before they casually ride by me. First Nancy, then Cyndee and Michael (having a conversation) and then Nick with his admirers in tow. Well, I made it farther than I expected. I can be proud of that effort. There is always next time.
And then a miracle!
Nick has to stop and use the restroom. It's like Andy Schleck, Alberto Contador and "Chaingate"! Everyone stops and I tackle the middle climb while they wait. I get passed again, but now all I have is "the wall". If I can somehow survive that, I can seriously be in this ride with everybody probably 3/4 of the day, plus they are putting in an extra five miles on the back end, which means I could potentially finish the ride with everybody if I get lucky and they don't drop the hammer.
Nancy and Nick pass me and then Cyndee and Michael. I grind my way up the wall. This is where confidence becomes so important. Map My Ride calls this and Ink Grade Road in Napa Valley both Cat 2 climbs. The climb on Ink Grade is more sustained however. After making that climb, there was never any thought of walking the last portion today. So much is mental and my confidence has pushed to another level. (For the seasoned cyclist, all of this drama over what is listed as Cat 2 may sound silly, but when you weigh 250lbs, you have different considerations and challenges than the 150lb. cyclist.)
While they all regrouped at the top of the climb, I again kept going and used the downhills to my advantage. The descents on the second half of the loop are a lot of fun. I enjoy attacking the corners and trying to work on my bike handling skills.
Michael catches me at the very end of the loop (probably just to show me that he can) with an evil little grin on his face. I grin back. Hard not to like this guy. He stops at the end of the loop as we hit Hwy 159 and I again keep going. I TT
I miss everybody in the transition at Blue Diamond as they keep going out to Hwy 160. This is my 5 mile cheater. Again, I don't wait, because there is one hill at Bonnie Springs that always slows me down. I figure I will be caught there. If I can somehow get to the top of that hill, I can ride in with everybody. When I reach the top and they are not in sight, I keep going.
When I get back to the cars, they have not returned. I make my transition to the run portion of the Brick.
So did I keep up? Not really. While they were not exactly in Victorian dress having a leisurely stroll in the country, neither were they killing it either. The reality is the varsity could have dropped me at any point and I never would have seen them again for the day. I think what made the day such a victory for me was that I showed myself that I could make climbs that I couldn't make in the previous season, followed by a hard effort that held up. In short, I am obviously improving and that is the kind of news that is very welcome a couple of months before I tackle the toughest physical effort of my life.
A huge thank you to Cyndee, Michael, Nancy and Nick for letting me tag along and making it so much fun.
2:50:18 / 44.83 miles (bike)
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