Chasing Numbers

How can one top a day like yesterday. It's impossible, the launch of what could become the greatest cycling team of all time, or at least the 2011 season. With the team logo on my mind I knew I was going to have to pick up the pace. This is a cruel bunch that I will be playing with. So cruel that there is more of a competition amongst ourselves than amongst others. So out on Chuck I went hoping to miss the rain and out chasing numbers.


Some town workers must have been bored one day and marked every 1/2 km on the rail trail. Worked out well and has now become my new sprinting strip. Last night was pretty straight forward, cross the number and give it everything I had. Of course the power tap was nice enough to remind me if I slacked off or not. The quick accelerations were putting me up in the 50 plus km/h range and in the conditions last night was pretty much impressive. The speed is one thing, the rail trail is a very very popular place for runners and walkers of all ages travelling at different speeds. I've already started wondering what may be the best warning device to use, a bell is a thought but I wondered if the sound would travel far enough, quick enough to avoid a collision. Don't want a scratch on The Chuck. I wondered if a nice polite verbal comment would be more appropriate, I've used on your left in the past with great success but that's at a slower speed. I questioned use the "coming through granny" or " speed your ass up or stand on the sidelines, I'm coming through" Of course living in a small town I'm concerned that it will only take a couple days for people to figure out which house is mine and I'll be lynched by the local retirement home. So I'll stick with the on your left and only sprint when I've got a clear run.


Considering I was feeling like a pile of crap a week and a half ago, some quality time doing gumby type moves and physio the body is coming around and so is the power. What seemed to really hurt only a short time ago is back in the wattage realm of normal. This of course lowered my stress level a lot, the countdown to the 100 miler has begun, barely 4 weeks out. I'm hoping that more signs of spring will appear besides the swarms of little black bugs I rode through. I'm having flashbacks of two years ago where I stayed as pale as a sheet most of the summer. Aww just keep your head down and keep chasing numbers.