This week's RPM class, I was in with the big boys. Most of the riders were at least one or two categories above me, making them much stronger and faster than I am.
It started out with a lead group of four who I was able to stay with. That eventually split into two groups of two and I was in the trailing group just watching the other group's lead grow. Joe Wentzell started a little late and was chasing us for quite a while. When he caught up to my group, I hopped in his draft and held on for dear life.
When I'm really stressed in life, one of two things happens when I get on the bike: I completely wimp out and start complaining to myself about how hard it is to ride, how I shouldn't be there, how I really should be home in bed, how I don't want to do this.... you get the point. I'd be looking all over the place, thinking about whatever is bothering me instead of cycling. The alternative is that my conscious brain pretty much shuts down. All it does it process numbers and tactics. It looks at my heart rate, power, speed, perceived exertion, and the location of other riders. I think in short declarative phrases, like "a couple RPM more" or "downshift" or "he's gaining, speed up." My attention goes from being really scattered to razor sharp focus. Usually, in order to achieve that higher state, I've got to really push HARD, which is not easy when your attention is scattered.
Joe going by me was all that I needed. Chasing him, even benefiting from being in his draft, my heart rate skyrocketed from 155 - 160 up to 178 - 180. I was working as hard as I could and my brain just shut down. All I focused on was keeping my distance away from him close enough to stay in his draft.
The other guy in my group was not able to hang on. Over the next several minutes, I gained almost a mile gap on him.
On the next hill, Joe pulled away from me, leaving me stuck alone, but with a mile lead. All I had to do was hang on.
Joe pulled almost two miles ahead of me by the finish. He won, of course, sprinting to a solo finish on his own. I finished fourth out of seven.
What was interesting was that my average power was the second highest of the group, yet I finished second. How can that be? I'm still dragging too much weight. Every hill, I'm fighting my extra weight. I need to get my ass in gear and lose that last 10 to 15 pounds.
Once I was off the bike, the rest of my worries gradually came back and the reality of life sets back in. At least it was a good morning on the bike.
