What were you thinking?

What were you thinking?

You were doing so well…

You knew a ride to Arundel is never easy. It is not the distance, just 160km, an endurance ride. It is not the climbing 2,139m, not-flat. It is the terrain, always up and down. It eats your legs. 

Even harder if you have head wind on the way back. Those roads after Amberly are exposed, nowhere to hide.

You knew it and you were doing it so well... When you proposed this route you promised “I'll try my best to convince them [Ed and Denis] to ride at a sustainable, steady pace”. 

It was working. Certainly it worked all the way out. The group rode together, making sure the pace was sustainable for everyone. Apart from the hills, obviously.

Losing any chance of being a Castellin brand embasador

It was also working on the way back when some legs started to feel the effect of the kilometres and the constant up and down. You were still riding steady, trying to help to keep the group together, trying to offer a steady wheel to those in need.

Then, one second you were saying “I don’t mind riding this pace all the way home” and the next you were attacking Ed and Denis every single bump on the road.

You started to attack Ed and Denis!!! What were you thinking????

Can’t think of anything better way to demonstrate you are not the cleverest cyclist out there.

Aren’t you the cyclist that prides himself on always being measured with his efforts? The one that always tries to make sure you have some energy for the last sprint, not always possible, but you always try? What were you thinking then?

Your legs were not dead but you knew they weren’t feeling that great either. You knew Ed and Denis are in great form. You knew there was still one “big” climb left(I refuse to call a 800m climb big, even if it averages 11.9%). You knew it was Whitedown. 

Yes, you didn’t remember Whitedown but Luca’s face at Arundel when he was told that was the last climb of the day should have made all your alarms ring. 

Ok. Yes, you probably made an impression pushing up the pace. Ed and Denis might have raised an eyebrow. Yes, at some point the thought that you were riding strong might have crossed their mind. Yes, they might have thought you were going to be first at the top of the climb to Holmbury.

It's just that they saw you sprinting way too early up that climb. They saw you realising what type of climb was Whitedown. Same as removing a tooth without anesthesia but with 135km in the legs. 

That was it. I think you lost two minutes to them at the top of the climb. I don’t even want to check in Strava fearing it was even more. 

From the top of Whitedown is mostly downhill. That was even worse, it gave you the illusion you had recovered and you had a chance at the Esher sprint. Let’s leave it here just saying you didn’t have ANY chance at the Esher sprint. Zero. None. Nill.

I’ll stop torturing you now. Will only remind you that for tomorrow’s ride you said “My intention is to make that one an easy, eat more calories than what you burn, recovery ride. Not too bothered about the route but putting this107 pan flat kilometers ride to Windsor, ideal to sit in the middle of the group and don't give a single turn, as a proposal”. I wonder at what point will you screw it.

The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/5055514584/

Take care

Javier Arias González