ride report by peter
back from the dead but riding like a corpse.
a brisk 3 degrees this morning, but being a dry day, we had a decent turn out. i was back on the bike after fighting off another chest infection and probably my 7th cold of the year. i knew that i would suffer today, but was determined to stick it out with the fast group as long as possible. the route would head into booragoon before splitting with the fast taking south and the main group taking leach. both groups would head past cott before heading home via dalkeith.
it started out well and we headed down canning and up risely. the small hill played havoc with a couple of riders and i dropped back to help out. as i was not at 100% this became a big struggle for me to catch back up. ryan dropped back and drafted me back to the group, but even that hurt like hell. we reached the end of risely just as the groups split and turned left to follow the fast group. we reached the group at the lights and had a moment to catch our breath. when the lights changed, ryan dropped his chain and i waited for him to fix it. we only just made it through before they turned red. we were chasing again.
i couldn’t hold ryan’s wheel but managed to jump on with mike b to make the group. unfortunately, when we hit the slight rise, i was off the back again. luckily the lights let me catch back up.
now i knew that south street was going to hurt.
as soon as the small rolling hills appeared i was off the back. couldn’t even hold a wheel and didn’t have the power to catch back up. pretty soon the group was off into the distance. after a couple of hills mark, melvyn and myself formed up and worked together. we were a long way off by the time we hit freo so decided to skip cott and headed straight up stirling. the hills along there were a struggle and we were sure that the group was too far ahead. we decided to continue along stirling, but got caught at the lights a christ church grammar. as we sat there, the fast group came through the lights and into dalkeith. we changed lanes and headed after them.
still too far behind, we took waratah and only just got ahead of the group. so we finally made it back to the group before it revved up on mounts bay road. i was just happy to be there and had nothing when the group all went for the sprint.
so a really hard day for me and i had to head straight home, so no time to relax with a coffee and company. hopefully i can hold on a bit longer next week.
Keep the chin up, Pete. You were already a little bit better this morning (Sunday) despite the hills and 90+ kilometres. It only takes time and some miles in the legs and you’ll be bouncing around at the head of the fast bunch (and taking off too early again).
Great to see Steve out again this morning too, taking on his first hills ride since his op. and backing up after some strong riding through Cottesloe and Dalkeith yesterday.
We have also got to get Julian out racing or Cyclosportiffing at the very least. He is definitely strong enough after his regular weekend ‘training’ and dominating the KOM points for yet another month. The cut and thrust of tactics might also interest him.
so hard with kids as well – they get sick, then we all get sick. it never stops. luckily them hills will be there for next time – and so will you.
Mate, thanks for pushing me round the ride(s). Usually I can depend on being all by myself and can slack off. No rest yesterday or today for that matter.
Mike, I’m very keen to get out as well and need to balance this between wife’s and children’s sporting pursuits. If I can get plenty of warning for the next Cyclosportif (more hills I hear) then I can try to organise it.