Solo suffering on skinny tires

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After last Saturday's group ride, I was hoping to be a little smarter and stay with the group a little longer. I was pretty tired from the previous workouts, but felt like the tips I'd gotten from Adam, Renee and Dug would make up for the fatigue. Stay out of the wind and don't burn any matches though taking long, suicidal pulls at the front. Then the group started assembling and my heart sank. There were some fast riders pulling up for the trek down through Fountain for Saturday Morning Worlds. On the rollout through town, there was no easy pace to warm up. The pack was riding over 20mph before we even rode over Powers Blvd. Yikes!!

After the right turn on Mark Sheffel, things got crazy. I was ready for it, in the front and on the right wheels. And that's about as far as it got. The pace was high and attacks fierce. I was on the train and tried to just pull through like Renee told me. The minute I hit the wind I was stumped. There wasn't any way I could get over - I couldn't even maintain the pace. That happened a few times - for which I must apologize to the group. I was riding on my limit and it wasn't enough to stay with the pace. I was also a little squirrely since I was tired. Not a good combo with that pace. When Adam attacked, I was done. I couldn't get on the wheels streaming by. Off the back I went, well before the turn on Link. And this time I didn't have anyone with me. Time for a solo effort until the group turned around. I did my best, chasing hard but I didn't make up any ground at all.

I would be dropped twice more on the ride. After the turnaround I jumped back on wheels. Normally the pace slows down a little on the way back through Fountain. Not this time - they were still pushing and I was unable to keep on my chosen wheel. At the regroup and refuel stop I got a chance to catch my breath. Things eased up a bit up to and mostly through Ft Carson, then someone attacked on a small hill. And that was it. I was done. I watched the group ride away and then made my way home. I did see a few riders as the pack distigrates when people split for home, but that was it. One of the hardest rides I've done yet. I was perfectly happy to hold the floor down and watch the Marathon Trials when I got home!

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