week one: send help.

Week one: Smashed.
A full nebo is one of those great measuring sticks. Some days you ride up there and it feels good. No burn, so strong, attacking the climbs, big gears. Owning that trail. And other days - well, it owns you. On the weekend I got PNWED. Big time. Every hill hurt. I figured I would warm up. I didn't. I tried attacking the hills, getting angry and getting up and over. Didn't help. I listened to MattDog give me advice on how to train (thanks Matt!). Didn't help. I seriously wanted to have a girl moment and throw my bike in the bush and cry. There was a lot of nothing on that ride, and it talked to me the WHOLE way. But I hung on and soon enough (actually NOT soon enough, maybe we can say eventually) we were rolling into the cafe at the top. MDog said we 'rode a good, solid pace'. We certainly left TR and Bubble in our wake discussing the finer points of their personal nothings. Translated into mere mortal speak means it was probably one of the fastest ascents I've ever done despite feeling so bad. I settled down on the way back and rode conservatively keeping to a nicer E2 heart rate. EDIT: TR wishes to note that he was behind us as he stopped to chat to other riders on two occassions. I, for one, believe him.

I backed up with a great gap creek roll yesterday afternoon. I expected to feel bad, but to my surprise I was ok. I think the company helped - Deefa, MC and TR are always entertaining. The Dentist claimed another and despite claiming a 'step off' only, TR took an awful long time to emerge from the bushes. TR says: "does my head look big in this?"
Deefa says " I am just pleased you are taking the attention away from my oversized melon".

So I am sticking to the plan, which involved getting out for today's session solo. I've always enjoyed breakfast outdoors anyway... out the back of samford somewhere seemed as good a place as any. And how good are those Winner's bars???