Rhythm

In all sports timing is important. In skiing it's all about timing your turns through the gates. Cycling is more than that. It's about rhythm, the rhythm of the race and the rhythm of your ride. When in a group ride these two are always in sync, complementing each other. Individuals shift around in the pack but all have the same goal of completing the designated route safely and efficiently. Racing changes everything. Each person is riding to their own rhythm creating the chaotic rhythm of the race. The winner is the one who can feel both and bring them create a harmony for themselves.

Sometimes the rhythm is for you and sometimes it is against you. Saturday it was against me. Three laps was all the D's race was. Lap one was a dull and simple flow with everyone just feeling out the course. Lap two on the courses kicker is where I knew I would no longer be racing. While standing up to move up in the pack, I strangely found myself moving backwards. My rear wheel was spinning out, low on pressure. Battling just to finish, I lost, losing all pressure about halfway through the third lap and have to wait for a ride back. Morale, if you feel yourself losing air and your tire starts to washout in gentle turns then pull out, don't gamble risking a crash or damage.

A team time trial simplifies the rhythm game. Now it is just you and your team complementing each other. The better this works, the better the result. Dane and I worked together and got 4th for the D's. The A team struggled a bit more to find a rhythm but we pushed as hard as we could but came 1 second short of beating IIT.

Sunday I was pumped! My rhythm was going to be the race rhythm. 50 feet from the start was a 180° turn and I was determined to be the first one through it. The whistle blows, I shot off, low and behold there's someone on my outside doing the exact same thing. Going in hot and tight, I slide out, stand up and laugh, just laugh as the pack rides around me. Walking back to the start I just laugh and relax. Once back in I let my rhythm go and feel into the races rhythm, moving back up to the front. Once there I launched an attack to try and restore my rhythm again but after a lap or two I just wasn't able to keep away. More laps passed and I just rode with the races rhythm. It was great to hear the coaching from my teammates even if it didn't always seem to make sense. When the rider before my jumped for the second prem he gave me themperfect leadout to secure some points. After falling back into the rhythm of the race, our laps were nearly over so I clicked back to my own rhythm, battling up towards the front. Third wheel going into the sprint were my instructions and I was battling LWC for this position when I lost feel for the race rhythm. An attack came up the other side. I jumped to chase, just as we came into the 180°. Hot I exited wide, nearly in the grass and was gaped from the new lead group. In such a short time I went from racing for 1st to 7th, at least I got that and more points for the team. 3 weeks into the season and I have learned so much, hopefully next time I'm in my first field sprint.

Proof Scott has better timing (that's me passing in the background):