Shaun 1 - Squirrels 0
Last week was the first time I was on the bike since the beginning of December. I sent a note to Coach B and gals and was told 9am - KCC ready to ride.
I was looking forward to the ride - timing was off and I parked with about 5 min to spare to get my bike out and shoes on - then I had to go back to get my glasses.
The first ride also saw the LETC tri club start to ride with us.... more about that later. Cindy waited with me to grab my glasses and then we chased down the group - nothing like a km sprint to start out your ride.
We caught the group and slotted in.
I then had a chance to say where are we going - Whytecliff - via upper levels...ah nuts! I thought we were going to Steveston and if I had known West Van I would have met them in West Van. First ride back I was not too excited about 3+ hours - but I was in it now. The ride out to West Van was not too bad and I thought maybe this will be okay.
We headed out as a group and then Coach announced Trestle hill. !&@^?! - THIS IS THE WORST !@#%! way to get up to the Upper Levels. Well whatever so things were still okay got up and was pretty winded but we regrouped and Coach gave us our workout - splitting us in groups of 3 to do pace line. And this is where it went to hell and a hand basket pretty quick.
Now I am a triathlete but I have been riding/training with a cycling club so I have been schooled in how to paceline, draft and group ride. Sadly the majority of triathletes have no clue - it is all about the individual ride and hammer time. Well I got sent out with Jude and a lady who had never pace lined/drafted/group ride and so did not understand the workout and turned it into a hammerfest. At this point I was pissed because I was having to ride a lot harder than I was supposed to and Jude thought I had sat up and waited for Cindy so she was hammering it to stay with this woman. I was in no-man's land and severely annoyed. By the time I caught them on an uphill portion they veered to the right suddenly going the wrong way and I just went by - Jude looked down but I was like whatever. Eventually they found a route and got back on course.
We reconnected and Jude said lets pace line - 30 secs on front then pull off -- well here we go again - by the time we got to the group I was thoroughly ticked off. After repeatedly explaining the rotation and that we worked as a group this lady just did not get it and I had decided I was not riding with her anymore.
As we headed back Coach put us all together again but had Cindy with us so it was okay for about 15 min till missy had her turn on front and bolted at that point I said forget it let her go. So the 3 of us settled in to our rhythm and all was going well. I started to tire around 2hours and it was obvious that my fitness was down as I was working very hard to stay with the girls.
At one point I came off and thought ah well no biggy and then the final straw. Riding down a hill on a narrow section with a garbage truck on my wheel and traffic in the opposite direction and this darn squirrel goes for it and is bouncing around in front of me - I was like MOVE - and thought all was well when he/she at last second darted in front of me. Bump, bump - yep you guessed it right over top of him/her I rode. Broke the little squirrel's back for sure. CRAPTASTIC.
That was it - I just thought done - I am done so I sat up rode to the coffee shop and said I am going back to the car - I have had enough for one day. The ride back to the car was uneventful overall I was out for 3.5 hours and exhausted. Not the best first ride.
Glad to report though this weekend went out again and this time clarified where we were riding to. The ride was 100% better. LETC group was with us again but there was a little more explanation to them about pace lines and group riding so things went a lot smoother and my Joe came out and rode with us. It was great to have him out - I mean he was at the front and did his intervals with the front group which are faster but it was nice to have him there and he had my coffee and lemon loaf waiting for me at the coffee shop.
And I am happy to report that I did not hit any squirrels - actually I did not even see any - hopefully they are not planning retribution.
Peace out
Shaun
I was looking forward to the ride - timing was off and I parked with about 5 min to spare to get my bike out and shoes on - then I had to go back to get my glasses.
The first ride also saw the LETC tri club start to ride with us.... more about that later. Cindy waited with me to grab my glasses and then we chased down the group - nothing like a km sprint to start out your ride.
We caught the group and slotted in.
I then had a chance to say where are we going - Whytecliff - via upper levels...ah nuts! I thought we were going to Steveston and if I had known West Van I would have met them in West Van. First ride back I was not too excited about 3+ hours - but I was in it now. The ride out to West Van was not too bad and I thought maybe this will be okay.
We headed out as a group and then Coach announced Trestle hill. !&@^?! - THIS IS THE WORST !@#%! way to get up to the Upper Levels. Well whatever so things were still okay got up and was pretty winded but we regrouped and Coach gave us our workout - splitting us in groups of 3 to do pace line. And this is where it went to hell and a hand basket pretty quick.
Now I am a triathlete but I have been riding/training with a cycling club so I have been schooled in how to paceline, draft and group ride. Sadly the majority of triathletes have no clue - it is all about the individual ride and hammer time. Well I got sent out with Jude and a lady who had never pace lined/drafted/group ride and so did not understand the workout and turned it into a hammerfest. At this point I was pissed because I was having to ride a lot harder than I was supposed to and Jude thought I had sat up and waited for Cindy so she was hammering it to stay with this woman. I was in no-man's land and severely annoyed. By the time I caught them on an uphill portion they veered to the right suddenly going the wrong way and I just went by - Jude looked down but I was like whatever. Eventually they found a route and got back on course.
We reconnected and Jude said lets pace line - 30 secs on front then pull off -- well here we go again - by the time we got to the group I was thoroughly ticked off. After repeatedly explaining the rotation and that we worked as a group this lady just did not get it and I had decided I was not riding with her anymore.
As we headed back Coach put us all together again but had Cindy with us so it was okay for about 15 min till missy had her turn on front and bolted at that point I said forget it let her go. So the 3 of us settled in to our rhythm and all was going well. I started to tire around 2hours and it was obvious that my fitness was down as I was working very hard to stay with the girls.
At one point I came off and thought ah well no biggy and then the final straw. Riding down a hill on a narrow section with a garbage truck on my wheel and traffic in the opposite direction and this darn squirrel goes for it and is bouncing around in front of me - I was like MOVE - and thought all was well when he/she at last second darted in front of me. Bump, bump - yep you guessed it right over top of him/her I rode. Broke the little squirrel's back for sure. CRAPTASTIC.
That was it - I just thought done - I am done so I sat up rode to the coffee shop and said I am going back to the car - I have had enough for one day. The ride back to the car was uneventful overall I was out for 3.5 hours and exhausted. Not the best first ride.
Glad to report though this weekend went out again and this time clarified where we were riding to. The ride was 100% better. LETC group was with us again but there was a little more explanation to them about pace lines and group riding so things went a lot smoother and my Joe came out and rode with us. It was great to have him out - I mean he was at the front and did his intervals with the front group which are faster but it was nice to have him there and he had my coffee and lemon loaf waiting for me at the coffee shop.
And I am happy to report that I did not hit any squirrels - actually I did not even see any - hopefully they are not planning retribution.
Peace out
Shaun
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