Its Inside Season Again

Campers; It is 8:00am and I am at VQC getting ready for a 3 hour indoor ride. I am strangely happy. This will be a no drop ride. I am in the 8 position. On the back row of 4 the 3 other riders are members of the grumpy old men. Dennis 63, Ted 61, and Mean Gene 65 who can kick my butt. On the front row, in no particular order is Scott, Mark, Heidi and Glenn. I am the 4th or 5th best rider of the group. Scott and Mark and lights years ahead of me. I hope to keep Gene in my sights and Heidi and Glenn are my rabbits.

But strength and position do not matter. I will ride my ride, I hope to average 135-140 watts for the 3 hours, and I know I may lack speed but I have endurance.

3 Beep, 2 Beep, 1 Beep the ride starts. It's the Swiss TT course displayed on 56" LCD computrainer screen at the front of the room. Initially we are tightly bunched together then quickly we hit the first hill and the group separates. Heidi and Glenn start pushing each other, Scott and Mark are ahead and I am following smiling because place, speed, power and ability do not matter. This is an indoor Sunday ride and all that matters is time and average watts. I know I will be the last one on the bike 3 hours later.

3 hours later I am still here riding. My average watts are 141. Everyone else has quit. I am in 2nd place just because I have endurance. I have watched 2 movies, consumed 4 GUs and drank 4 bottles of water. I am done; another Sunday finished. It was fun riding even in a no drop group. It's not California but the benefit is the camaraderie. Thus the inside season has begun. Not a bad beginning.