While I had all these hopes and dreams, the stars were not aligned. I also, conveniently, forgot that I did nearly 10,000 ft of climbing and 85ish miles between Saturday and Sunday
I left for work at a good time, the skis were clear, and the temperature was near 50 F. It did not take long to warm up and settle into a good pace. By the time I arrived in Orting I was on track for beating my current PR. The only real obstacle in my way was the Old Soldier's Home climb. If I could crest the climb in under 5 minutes, I would easily beat PR for the whole trip. The climb has an average gradient of 8.3%...Which puts the climb in the "pain locker" category.
I decided to try a new strategy for the climb...Do not go all out and save some for the last half of the climb. This is difficult for me, but I figured I should give the strategy a shot. Turns out the tactic resulted in my best result, in some time, but not a PR. I was 5 seconds from tying my current PR, though I did not know this, for the climb. Still, I felt I had a legitimate shot at beating my PR for the entire ride.
Even though my legs and lungs were on fire, I dug deep into my "suitcase of courage", thanks Phil Ligget, and pressed hard. As I approached my turn onto Meridian, I noticed things were not going to line up right.
1 - I had just been passed by about 6-8 cars.
2 - There was no one in the turn lane on Meridian...changes the light patterns.
3 - The light was currently green and none of the cars were at it when it turned yellow.
4 - There were 3 cars still waiting when I got to the light.
As a result, I had to slow and stop for the light, which affects the time. While I do not know how much time, avg speed, the light cost me, and I knew it was going to be significant.
Once through the light, it was hammer time!
I worked just below my red line and felt I was gaining some of my lost time. As I neared the turn into Sunrise, I knew I was about to experience the same issues as I encountered with my turn onto Meridian. However, it was worse this time. I stopped behind the cars, then I would roll forward as one car turned, then stop, then roll forward, then stop, then roll forward, then stop. This definitely crushed any hopes I had of a new PR.
I finally made it through the light, and was determined to continue working hard. I still had "some dumb hill" to try and gain a strava PR on. As I approached the hill I went for it. I went past my red line and kept pushing. I pulled on the handle bars and I crushed my pedals. Gravity and the bumpy surface were my enemies. Not only must they be destroyed, but they needed to be humiliated.
Once over "some dumb hill" I was able to make quick work of descent, and sprint the last bit of road into work. I pulled into the parking lot knowing that I would not have a PR, but was hoping for one of my better rides.
After my accident, I set the goal of 20 mph average to work. This year, as a result of training for races, I was able to set a PR at 20.7 mph. Turns out that I was peaking at the time and have not come close since...Until this ride.
When I caught my breath, I clicked through my Garmin pages and saw an average of 20.5 mph. I was both excited and disappointed at the same time. Excited because I am past my peak and had all the stops. Disappointed because I still wanted a PR...Oh well, such is life.
One the way home my goals of getting 2 PR's were dashed when my legs just had no energy. I decided to go for the descent of Old Soldier's Home. My current PR for the descent is 39.7 mph, and I knew that if there were no cars in front of me I could get the PR.
Again, the stars were not aligned, and a school bus plus 4 cars got ahead of me. While descending a driver decided that I obscured his vision and made a risky pass while in a corner. I was maintaining the gap between myself and the cars in front of me, that is why I know it was his vision being blocked rather than stupidity...Why else would a highly intelligent individual choose to make a pass, in a corner, when I was exceeding the speed limit and not losing ground on the traffic in front of me.
At the bottom of the descent, I was able to draft off the driver and other cars for the straight away. During that time I was pedaling at 35 mph, for a distance of about 0.5 miles. I could have kept this up for a bit longer, but had to slow for a 90 degree left hand turn.
After the turn I decided to shut it down and take a pleasure cruise home. I reflected on how the stars were not aligned, and that I did not set one PR for the entire commute. Things did improve as I turned onto my street and looked towards my house. There was Bella, sitting outside, reading, wearing her sexy cowgirl hat, waiting to cheer my to the unofficial finish line.
Bella then immediately said all the important things I needed to hear...
1 - you look sexy (like she really needed to inform me of this, my theme song was sung by Right Said Fred)
3 - I am an amazing cyclist (while also true, and reiterated by my mother, it is good to hear someone else agrees with me)
4 - Here, have the amazingly cold and frosty beverage.
My day was then complete. Hope all had a day as good or better than mine.
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