the captain’s ride

 

I’ve been riding so much lately
800km a week
170km yesterday
last night a message from the captain

“let’s ride tomorrow!”
he’s been down for 5 days after a corona shot
he’s so excited he can’t sleep till 230am!

a subzero start on the coast
me on my old faithfull
a titanium lynskey
imezi 167 wheels
a headwind but this is a cafe ride right?

I meet him near Teradomari
“why are you on this bike?”
“it’s faster and lighter!”
“what are you thinking!?”

I point down the coast
let’s ride the tailwind
he points up the coast!
he’s pointing at mt. yahiko!

first up the kugami climb
7% but there is a flat and downhill middle section
so it’s really 10% plus
not my cup of thrills

my HR monitor is dead
so I pace it on power
I’ve been climbing at 400W recently
so I lock onto 400
he beats me to the top

we descend to the bottom
“where next?”
“two more climbs!”
“are you crazy!?”
I take out both bottles and empty the pockets!

3 climbs of almost identical power and time
the legs are good
but they’re dead 50km into a 200km ride!

next up the lower slopes of mt. yahiko and then mt. kakuda

from there the headwind up the coast to niigata
this rolling road saps your energy

and when you enter the sand dunes it could be the tour of Qatar!

I buy a redbull
how many years since I’ve needed a redbull!?
I’m 47 not 17!

from here it’s 100km home
a tailwind
a chance to clock up some miles

I’m really pushing my fitness this month

and for the first 3 months of the year it’s a big ramp up

I love riding with the captain
he always wants to make it as hard as possible
the harder the better!

looking forward to team Imezi’s 8 man team hitting the gravel soon!