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Sweltering on Tuesday in Canal

8/10/2010

8 Comments

 
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The A group had a healthy turn-out of 12.  Check out this group of greyhounds....well.....almost all of them are greyhounds.

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Da Boss showed up and I asked, "Since you rode so hard Saturday, are you going to kick our ass as usual or something different?"  He chose something different.  Now, apparently, some people are smelling blood because of Craig being the bridesmaid at a major century ride,again.  One classless individual even suggested the pressure got to Craig when he was unable to execute a simple chain shift that led to his 2nd place finish.  In fact, someone even threw out the term "Choker".  This is absurd but I am obligated to report what I hear.

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Steve O, Contador's brother, Ted M, Dennis, Claude, Paul Stock, Poobah, Luke "The Kid", couple of Jenis guys, couple of B-1 guys, couple of other young guns and I headed out on a nice route put together by Craig.  You may have noticed I did not list Da Boss as a member of the A group.  Craig had run earlier in the day and so headed out with the B's.  The look on the B riders, when they realized who would be in their midst, was similar to the look of a gaggle of turkeys when the farmer with the ax suddenly shows up Thanksgiving morning.  On the other hand, it was also similar to Jack Nicklaus showing up in my Sunday morning foursome. For someone like Amanda, it was a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with royalty.  Mitch, Ryan, Jeremy, Mark R, Kevin H and others went out with the B group.  

It was an unusual start to our ride with seemingly no one wanting to take responsibility for setting the pace.  It was as if without Da Boss there to lead, no one knew what to do.  The pace was very moderate and at one point, Steve speculated Craig would catch us from the B group.  The route had a flattish beginning out Waterloo and into Lithopolis and then east and on to Elder and Winchester and slowly, the pace began picking up.  After Saturday's effort, I was curious how I would respond but everything seemed normal.  In other words, legs are too weak and lung capacity too small. We made a left on Perrill and then a left on Saint Paul and so far roads very flat. No attacks, everyone seemed mellow and I was happy to draft towards the back with fellow back drafters Dennis and Ted (who was also recovering from Mama).  We made a right on Goodman and a quick left on Madison Walnut and somewhere in there we began to hit more substantial rollers but throughout I don't think anyone was dropped. Ringgold Northern and then Winter finally brought us out to Cedar Hill.  At Todd's urging, Luke had attacked on Winter but we covered and maybe a Jenis guy was dropped in there.  Note to Luke: Ignore Todd except when he asks you to slow down.  

Gosh, the humidity was high and I regretted not wearing a full zippered jersey so I could liberate myself from the dripping mess. Fortunately, thin clouds umbrellaed us from the worst of the sun.  We turned right on Cedar Hill and then left on Westfall.  I think our average had now crept up around 22 after the slow start.  We paused at Amanda Northern and I wondered about abandoning the pace for a slow ride back via AN but kept going while we hit Rockmill and that series of climbs.  Ted, who had been content to draft and recover, suddenly put in what can best be described as a death pull. Paul jumped on then Steve then I and we gapped the group a little with maybe a Buckeye jersey dude in there too.  After the first significant hill, the road moderates before rising again.  Here, Ted ran out of gas and I was spewing hydraulic fluid out of every connection.  Paul, Steve, Buckeye Dude and one other went up the road followed by Ted with me clinging to his tire and we stayed that way to 188.  The thing is, most of the other guys, although getting dropped on the hill, came back strong and went around me after crossing 188 and a large group formed again up the road and all I could do is gasp. It was all such a blur but my group riding ended at mile 29. Claude and I rode together to the top of Rock Mill and I could see Dennis coming up.  Dennis and I rode in from there and finished with an average somewhere between 20 and 21.  My Garmin had failed to pick up the satellite and so my readings were goofy.  We had 42 miles and 1500' of climbing. Steve O and a few others finished with 22.5 average.

8 Comments
Ryan
8/11/2010 02:09:26 am

I got dropped by the B's. Mitch set a pace from the start that was too much, too soon for me. I think I burnt a majority of whatever I had just keeping pace up Waterloo. Then I didn't drink enough water and as we rode east on Winter, I began to have leg cramps. When we reached Cedar Hill, I decided to pack it in and head back north rather than continuing south with the group. It was a sad day.

Reply
Kevin H.
8/11/2010 04:48:45 am

I thought you had to go mow :)

Reply
da boss
8/11/2010 08:42:51 pm

The B group was not a B group with a 20.5 avg. The new svelt Amanda and Mitch hammered away at the front and the rest hung of for dear life. I could barely hold on..... No kidding.

As Mark knows all too well, the older we get the more time we need to recover.... However, at least I'm not yet needing to be in a constant state of recovery like him. But perhaps as I too hit 60 I will.

Reply
Pony
8/11/2010 11:49:14 pm

I laid down the law on Rockmill, then let up so Da Boss could pass me at the end. We thought we saw Mark on his shortcut, but not sure....

Reply
Ox
8/12/2010 02:42:01 am

I think my group ended with an avg. of 21.5 not 22.5. Definitely a different pace then when Craig is there!

Reply
Cindy
8/12/2010 03:07:29 am

Way to go Amanda & Mitch; a compliment from Da Boss, it don't get much better then that!

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Mitch
8/12/2010 05:33:31 am

I'm blushing.

Reply
Amanda
8/13/2010 02:06:39 am

I'm blushing too :) Getting stronger, dropped 10 pounds and hoping to do CFC this year and not die on it! BTW Mitch appeared tireless that night. I was hanging on too!

Reply



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    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

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