One is the loneliest number until you find another one to hang with or they find you...Wheel-Suckers beware!
The Magnolia Miles ride was one of the best event ride experiences to date.
There were over 700 participants in attendance taking part in the 25, 36, 53, and 64 mile routes. It was a staggered start based on average MPH. I was in the 3rd group of riders averaging 15-17 MPH, right behind the 20+MPH and the 17-20 MPH group and ahead of the 15 MPH and under group. The weather started out cool and gradually warmed up to the upper 70's to the low 80's. The chatter among the riders was the forcasted winds were expected to reach 20MPH coming in from the South/SouthEast, which the riders would have to face on the way back. Mother Nature didn't disappoint as the 53 and 64 mile riders met the headwind with more than 20 miles to go.
This being the first time doing this ride and unsure of the terrain and route, I began thinking of ways to keep myself motivated so I could keep going when my body wanted to stop. That's the hard part of riding solo or working out alone is the only person to keep you going is you. If you're really psyched about the ride/workout, you can keep pushing yourself further and further while you still have the adrenaline pumping and the power in your legs. The real test comes when fatigue sets in, the hills get steep and the wind starts to howl in your face saying, "Ah, Ah, Ah, you're not going to go that fast! The harder you try, the harder I'll blow in your face and slow you down." However if you happen to find another solo rider that is willing to hook up and share some of the work, you stand a better chance at putting the smack down (however great in your mind and slight in reality) on the obstacles that are facing you.
At about mile 9 after the first rest stop, a rider saddled up next to me and using the unspoken language cyclists tend to use at times, began taking turns at setting the pace and doing some of the work when the winds got bad or the climbs got steep. He and I struck up real conversation and decided to hang together for as long as we could, which was for the rest of the 64 mile ride. Partnering up had us challenging each other, pushing harder and riding smoother. Up until mile 42, he and I were blessed with a tailwind and we used it to our advantage with us averaging 17.33 MPH (a personal best for that length of time). Once we made the turn into the wind, our average for the remainder of the ride, being approx. 23.5 miles to the finish, dwindled down to 13.74 MPH. This serendipitous meeting of two lone riders turned into a synergistic machine of 4 wheels working to keep each other moving forward. He would pull and I would tuck in behind him and recover while in his slipstream and then he would peel off and I would pull so he could recover. At one time two or three other riders tucked in behind us to get in the slipstream and when we tried to rotate them into the pace-line, they refused. These riders were going to suck on our wheels while we put out the effort and not reciprocate? Unacceptable! I took my turn at setting the pace and began to hammer it down to the best of my ability with the headwind still coming on strong somewhere after the 50 mile mark. A few miles down the road, it was just my cycling partner and I while the wheel-suckers were left behind us.
We made it through to the end without collapsing or calling the SAG(Support And Gear) vehicle and have agreed to meet up on a regular basis to ride. Having a partner for this ride made the event more enjoyable, challenging and fun, not to mention that it opened a door for future opportunities to ride non-solo.
Has there been a time that you could have used a partner to help get you through a hard workout or difficult ride? I'd like to hear about it. Post your comment/experiences below and I look forward to reading and sharing with you all.
Many hands make little work!
Until the next time
Keep your mind sharp, your body fit and pedal hard
