Since Jim's started blogging with me, I figured it was about time I actually posted something of length. I hope the two readers out there enjoy Jim's postings--they should be everything my postings are not: funny and not impeded by the facts. My posts will continue to be of the dull, training and racing variety. Anyways, hope you enjoy . . .

In each of the last few weeks, I've felt worse and worse on the hill ride. Well this time, I was determined to have a good ride and not let my legs stand in the way. I got up a bit early and made sure to put in five minutes on the trainer before heading up the hill to the Java Shack. I think that really did wonders as my legs felt terrific when the ride started. A bonus today was the return of Brian Butts. I was definitely ready to ride hard once I spotted him and his Scott CR-1 waiting in front of the Java Shack. Tomas also showed up along with Jordan Cross, Big Jim, Peter, and eventually Mr. Metro.

On the first interval, the left turn off Military Rd. onto 31st St.-26th St., Butts took the initial lead and I moved past Tomas to sit on his wheel. I went past Brian going up the first hill and feeling very strong, I kept going and put quite the gap into him. I was a bit surprised he didn't respond at all, but I kept my head down and tried to sustain the effort up to Marymount. I finished well ahead of both Brian and Tomas and started looping in the parking lot to shake out the legs. They were filled with lactate.

In the roll out back to Military, Tomas started riding tempo on the front, so the rest of us had to follow suit. Tomas thought the rest was too long, and he was probably right, but we'd never started the interval so soon. The pace wasn't difficult and things still didn't really heat up until the hard right onto 35th. That's a turn that always makes me feel like I'm in the mountains, and watching Butts take that hard is a thing to admire. Fortunately I didn't do that for too long and I was sitting on his wheel after that inital rise. I came alongside him on the next hill and then took the lead, towing he and Tomas right behind me. Just before the last hill, Brian sensed I was slowing up and pounced. He put in a great attack and I had to dig deep to cover it. I was able to get back on his wheel, but coming to the final hill, I couldn't hold it any longer and he slipped away as he so often does.

On serve going into the third interval, I wanted desperately to ride a good effort. The third interval takes Vermont by the golfcourse and has the infamous Muur de Maryount at the end--a hill I've yet to actually win on this ride. Last week it was James driving past me on the Muur and so this week I was going to go as early as I could and keep the pace high. After turning onto 35th and just before Vermont, Peter mysteriously went into the lead--having fun I guess. Well, I jumped to "cover" his move and then passed him and started to climb the biggest hill in this workout. I topped it in first, with Butts quickly in tow. From there, I shifted into the big ring and tried to keep things fast on the killer false flat. I succeeded, but of course I didn't keep Brian off my wheel. He passed me just before the hill and I killed it going up, but never made back the ground. Butts took it easily.

I have to say that I rode the Muur better than I ever have. I was sprinting in my largest cog and smallest ring. It really is that kind of effort. It's so short, but so painful and I have to find a way to ride that better. Being so steep and not coming into it with a lot of speed just isn't the right combination for my skinny legs. But I have improved!

The fourth interval is a repeat of the first, just coming from the opposite direction on Military. Things didn't start off so well, with a truck blocking our turn onto 31st and then my horrendous cornering giving Brian a decent gap. I closed it soon enough, however, and from there it was indentical to the first. I powered past him on the middle hill and then kept putting distance between us. Somehow, it seemed like the finish line was further away this time! But I kept the pedals churning and expected Brian to counter. It never came and I finished off the workout with a nice interval. I was happy to come away with a 2-2 split, taking the same route twice and losing the middle two.

Rolling around in the parking lot trying to recover, I was a bit suspicious of Brian. I asked him what it was about that interval route that allowed me to put so much distance on him. The up-and-down nature of that ride with two big hills seemed to bother him. But I'm not totally convinced he was giving everything. Hopefully that's not the case as I would be very disappointed if Brian wasn't giving it his all. I've said before that his presence in this workout is a huge motivator for me.

Chatting on the way home, Brian was telling me I should upgrade as soon as possible. That's more in line with my original thinking of making 3 by the end of the season. But my obvious deficincies in racing strategy have made me think about riding with the 4's for a while. I'm still trying to get a race summary written for Poolesville, but I doubt anyone will be interested by the time I do. At least I was able to diagram all the important events from my memory so that I can be as accurate as possible for a guy hopped up on adrenaline.