Training encounter

cyco2

I was training with a local group who do Australian Pursuits on a two lap 11mile course. I elected to go last on my own to give me a good workout. Others were several minutes in front of me and after 14 miles I was starting to see a couple of riders. I was trying really hard to catch them and was thinking back to the time before tri-bars and computers and how on earth did anybody ride at 25mph+ on drops. I got within a 1/4 mile of them when their group got two more riders and they were speeding up. Then at two miles to go while I was doing 23mph an unknown rider came by at 25mph. I got on his wheel, politely like, and started to enjoy the tow right up to the lead groups wheels and nearly won the sprint for the line. I don't suppose I'll see that rider again because he didn't finish with us. It was as if an angel can down and helped me in my time of need.
I shall never forget how that rider can by at exactly the right moment to enable me to have a a great training experience.

dw300

cyco2 wrote:

I was training with a local group who do Australian Pursuits on a two lap 11mile course. I elected to go last on my own to give me a good workout. Others were several minutes in front of me and after 14 miles I was starting to see a couple of riders. I was trying really hard to catch them and was thinking back to the time before tri-bars and computers and how on earth did anybody ride at 25mph+ on drops. I got within a 1/4 mile of them when their group got two more riders and they were speeding up. Then at two miles to go while I was doing 23mph an unknown rider came by at 25mph. I got on his wheel, politely like, and started to enjoy the tow right up to the lead groups wheels and nearly won the sprint for the line. I don't suppose I'll see that rider again because he didn't finish with us. It was as if an angel can down and helped me in my time of need.
I shall never forget how that rider can by at exactly the right moment to enable me to have a a great training experience.

I rode a sportive like this. Every time i got dropped, a group, or fast individual would come past and pace me back. There was even a point where I got dropped on a climb, but when it flattened out at the top a tandem came past doing almost 30 on the flat, and I passed the group with a nonchalant glance as I passed it on the Tandems tail. Epic.

cyco2

dw300 wrote:

I rode a sportive like this. Every time i got dropped, a group, or fast individual would come past and pace me back. There was even a point where I got dropped on a climb, but when it flattened out at the top a tandem came past doing almost 30 on the flat, and I passed the group with a nonchalant glance as I passed it on the Tandems tail. Epic.

Imagine... if that was a race!!!

dw300

In general though, there's no better way of doing your intense training, as doing it with someone faster that you and trying to stay with them.

GiantMike

In the Etape de la Defonce this year I was in a group of 4 towards the end of the Sunday stage. I was suffering a bit when out of nowhere a much faster rider came from behind us (presumably he'd had a problem at some point). My group jumped on his wheel and we all got a free tow for about 3 miles then joined in and did some of the work with him. At the final climb he just rode away from everybody else in the group.

As the results were based on cumulative times over 3 stages, he probably moved me up the leader board by about 3-4 places, which was nice.

Herbsman

http://www.wordpress.com/

dw300

Herbsman wrote:

http://www.wordpress.com/

Hey 'erb .. u mad?!