I had high amazing hopes for this weekends team ride. After last weeks freezing temperatures and "Intel Snow" I was ready for a nice sunny warn hard ride. We met at Edgefield and the route was Larch Mountain to Bull Run. We had a nice size group of about 15 which was a big change after the last few weeks of 30+ people. My coach Shawn (coaching blog post is in the works Update: blog posted) was there and we chatted a little about my new bike (more on that later too). I had a bunch of things to talk to him about but I figured the was plenty of time to do that on our 60 mile ride.
We rolled out just after 10 am and it was starting to warm up nicely. The shoulder was a little gravelly so I was mostly road on the white line until we got about 2 miles in and the bike lane came up. All of the sudden I see a sharp looking rock, I deftly avoid it with the front tire and not so deftly run over it with the back. There's a loud pop and the tire goes flat instantly.
We pull over and 3 of us go to work. Upon inspecting the tire there is a 1/2-3/4 inch tear on in the sidewall. Lucky one of the guys has a boot and we are able to get it fixed and the new tube in the tire and wheel back on my bike.
Off we all go. Across a bridge and on to the historic hwy. The pace is pretty easy and I kind of sit out of the line to do a little work and get my blood flowing. There's a lot of tree cover and is a little cold.
The road starts to kick up and the guys in the front bring the pace up. Around a corner, up a few small hills and then we get hit by the wind. Everyone is trying to find a little cover and echeloning left, then right while trying not to take the whole road. The climb gets steeper and I find myself towards the front when most of the group makes a wrong turn and has to back track 100 meters.
The guys in front are strong and are moving fast. The wind is getting worse and the climb steeper. Its not like climbing in the west hills but its sustained and the headwind is hurting me. I feel like I'm going to get dropped but I grab a wheel and hold on. A gap opens but I claw my way back. I wave a few people around me and now I'm siting on the back of the front group of 5 guys.
I spend some time back there recovering and just as I start to feel good I notice the road getting bumpy, I look down and.... flat! That's the second flat in less than 10 miles.
Shawn helps me fix this one, he's pretty fast at it. I'm out of tubes running on a tire with a side wall tear and there's still 50 miles to go. I decide to head back and let the rest of the team go on without me. Its a little disappointing but I don't want to make the team stop again so its an easy decision to make especially given that my tire is not in the best condition.
After I get home I swap out my wheel for another one I have and finish off my workout by my self.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/UI/FlexWorkoutFileViewer.aspx?key=EMUGTDAFQXRDXTTQV5ZMYPHZTA
Sean is rad, dude. :)
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