Keeping up with DC, at least trying to

BIKE 49.2 miles in 2:54; ave 17mph and 124 bpm
RUN 2.1 miles in 19:26; 9:21m/m and 135 bpm

I've been itching to do a fast quality weekend ride all summer, and here's was my first one. Finally! This was the Trailnet Birthday Bash ride, one I've done a few times before and enjoyed. This route was slightly different from others but still the same idea--lots of flat and MCT time.

We had a group of about 17 riders, some I hadn't seen or ridden with in ages. While I wish the ride could have been a nice groupie time to catch up on everything, they never really are. Everyone sorts into their mini groups and separates.

This group ride had what I consider to be some of the best cyclists in the club, not just for speed and ability but also for their willingness to share their knowledge and slow down a little to ride with the rest of us. It's all relative, maybe to some people I'm that "fast person", but for me these guys (and I say that because they happened to all be male on this ride) are the riders I aspire to be more like. I say with all sincerity--riding with them feels like an honor.

One of them is DC, they guy I've been aspiring after for many years now. As one of the first club members I ever met and rode with, he is a constant challenge for me. Years ago I set a goal: be able to keep up with DC. (He knows this btw, it's no secret).

After about 25 ish miles, the group splintered even further to the point it was just me and DC for awhile. We talked goals, and I said "fast", knowing full well his idea of fast was a few mph faster than my current ability. He set the pace and seemed to be calmly chatting away while I huffed and puffed to keep up. For years now, that has been the pattern. He sets the pace, and I hang on. I love it.

This ride is one of the last quality ones I might get in before the half iron I have in one month. I learned that while I'm making progress to getting where I want to be on the bike, I'm still not "there" for my goals this year.

The brick run was over the bridge with DC and AO. I ran it only to hit the 50 mpw goal. GGGOOOAAAALLL!!!!!