Last minute decesions hurt

Got home today, turned on the computer and looked at my training requirements for the day. Ok simple, now go get on the bike. Well I got distracted and started checking emails and a few friends blogs. I stopped here. After reading the last line of Andrew's post I looked at the clock. HMMM, I think I can make it in time.

Hammer ride eh?? Well my heartrate was spiking already and that was just me racing around the house trying to change, pack a bag and bike up in record time. HMMM looked at the clock again, hmmm it's going to be close. That's as far as I will go with that.

I have never been on a Barrie Cycling Club group ride let alone a hammer ride but knowing most of the members I had a wild idea of what I was getting myself into. It's going to hurt. We started with five, of course it was fours very strong riders. Unfortunately we lost Dave in the first kilometre to a mechanical. Well at least the bike looks pretty. Heading out Ridge Road the pace was pretty sane, that didn't last very long though. As we turned left up the third line the wind picked up and so did the intensity. I saw some numbers that I haven't seen in a little while.

The way this ride worked was we hammer it until someone popped then regrouped, recovered and do it again. Of course Andrew and I timed a nice long section of the 7th line for one pull. Mid 40's with the wind to our backs. I felt very Olympic at that point.

Of coarse good things come to an end and the return trip down Ridge Road towards Barrie meant the final hammer and sprint. It's funny how long a section of road is when you are on a bike in the 40's versus in a car driving at 60 km/h. I broke away thinking I can hold this pace. It's not that far I drive this road all the time. I looked back a few times and put a big gap on the guys. Unfortunately the distance to go was way to far for me to hold that pace. I'd actually hoped someone would have came with me. I backed down and got pulled in and when everyone went I had nothing left.

Rolled into town and finished things up with a coffee. Awww sweet coffee. I'll be definitely be doing this ride again. Great group, hard pace, still fun. Of course the anal planner that I am this won't be a last minute thing next time.

Later