Old form is returning

I have been involved in the San Diego cycling scene since about 1999 and have pretty much done all the SD rides at least once. Done Swamis, SDBC, Stadium, Cyclo-Vets, Tri-ride (Wednesday camp pendelton ride) Tuesday morning fiesta sprints, Thursday Night Fiesta. I'm sure there are more and I hope to do those, too.

But as far as Saturday morning, SDBC is still my favorite. It used to have a reputation as sketchy and not very challenging. The sketchy part was probably due a lot to the fact that it wasn't hard. The number of new riders that could stick the ride (what I called the t-shirt factor: really new riders often ride with t-shirts) would have a big effect on the sketchiness of ride.

Since the advent of the SDBC elite team, the nature of the ride has certainly changed: it's way harder which cuts down on the "T-shirt factor".

The very end of SDBC (AKA: the coast sprint) is probably my favorite part of the ride. It's probably about a 2km sprint with a bit of side wind and a hill at the end. This means that you must be on the left and you gotta wait till the end. It's a hard one if you are not experienced because it requires you be patient but still battle for position.


ANYWAY, a few years ago (circa 2003-2002) the parameters in my life shifted me towards the the time end of the time=money spectrum. In layman's terms: I was unemployed. Which means I had lots of time and no money.

Great for training but not so great for paying bills. So I filled my days with riding and I was pretty freakin' fit.

The Coast Sprint really suits me and I know how it always goes.

During this period when I was super fit I would always be a part of this sprint. Some days I would say to myself "Eh, I don't want to participate today" but just would find myself working my way forward and involved in the sprint.

There were the usual players and we would always dominate this sprint. John Arnold, Vince Fichera, sometimes the Canadian National Track team, local trackies and various other fast guys. This sprint was the very epitome of "playing" on the bike. I was so much fun.

Shortly before the sprint we would quickly hatch a plan and execute it. Didn't matter who "won" the sprint, it was the journey that made it special.

Subsequently, I got a job and shifted towards the money end of the spectrum and my fitness tapered off. I couldn't participate like I used to, party because I wasn't fit and party because the nature of the ride changed.

But over the last year, I have been back on the wagon to fitness. Vince (my coach) has helped me find motivation to train and my bike buddy Alison has rekindled my bike-love and things are starting to come around.

People say I look leaner, faster, and complain that my pulls cause them pain.

So this Saturday, I did the ride and was actually feeling pretty tired. I expected to suck and get blown off the back, but it didn't happen. Folks were laying wood the the pack and the pace was very high today, but magically, I was feeling good. Tired, but good. Staying near the front and in the mix. Not quite fit enough to do stud loop with the new and improved SDBC bad-assess, but still very encouraging.

But the real magic was on the coast sprint. Things were lining up , the usual players were figuring out what was to be done and Vince was going to start things off. I decided that I was going to try and slip into that role so that Vince could come off my wheel at speed with out having to cut that wind.

There were a couple of guys trying to make a break of it and I got myself in front of Vince just past the Charthouse and started my suicide run. My intention was to totally uncork it to get the train up to speed and with clear road ahead. I wound it up till I was seeing double and drooling all over myself and pulled off about half way till the uphill to the actual sprint. When I pulled off, my heart rate was at a new max: 192. I haven't seen 190+ for about 5 years.

Yeah, I really pulled the pin on that grenade.

The best part was when I talked to Vince later that day. He was happy with how hard I went.

I don't think I was really really making people hurt that much or really making Vince hurt, I was just doing my part and was able to participate.

I was just happy to be able to "play" again.

Happy days