Game On

Let me start by saying that there are cyclists, and there are triathletes. And every now and again, you'll find a triathlete who started as a cyclist. I'm one of them.

Today, one of the local cycling clubs held it's first official club ride for the 2006 season. As it may be, it was scheduled to depart from the Starbucks that is 5 minutes from my front door, so of course I'd be joining. It also happened to be 60 degrees and sunny today, meaning that not an excuse existed in the book for me to miss this ride.

Right about here is where this post starts to take the form of an open confession. You know when you go out on a club ride, and right before you roll, the ride leader gathers the group around the meeting spot to direct everyone on the route cues and regroup spots? Have you ever been there and the ride leader sneaks out the line: "of course if people want to break off the front and go ahead..." Yeah, you've been there. And you've probably noticed the Alpha dogs glancing around, sizing one another up, deciding just how quickly into the "club" ride they're going to lay it on thick and heavy.

Well. I'm an Alpha dog.

But I'm quiet, and kind. I feel everyone's eyes sizing me up, but I don't respond early. I roam to the back of the group, chatting the whole way, introducing myself to new people. But, I'll be honest here, one of my eyes never leaves the front. And as soon as someone decides to play, I move. Today, this happened after only three minutes of riding. From our group of several dozen at the start, the first climb weeded the club peloton down to around about 16, myself included. My goal for the day was 2 hours floating between Sub-LT and LT efforts, and at Sub-LT, I was driving the group.

Paging Mr. Watts, Mr. 336 Watts. Please come to the front of the pack and rip the legs off these club riders.

Yes, this is my confession: I love driving the front. Better: I love being the one no body initially thinks will be driving the front. I'm the one that kills the group with kindness. I'm the one they never see coming. I'm the one that turns the volume up at the club rides. And, I'm sorry, but I love it.

Over the next hour, this group was slowly whittled down to 10 riders, then 8 and then 6. At this point we started sharing the work and rolling through in a pretty nice paceline; the rest of the folks were no where to be seen. People were now getting a bit friendlier amongst this elite group, as they usually do. And like this we rolled all the way through the pre-defined club ride, making it back to the starting point in record time, and far, far ahead of the rest of the group. Compliments were paid to one another on a nice ride, and discussions were had for more riding and racing in the weeks to come. One thing we all agreed on: it was a great day to play.

With the sun fully out and the rays warming my core, I watched as people started to trickle in, one by one. Just as they were coming in, I was on my way back out to do some more. And as I rolled back out, it was easy to see that everyone had a fantastic time today. The people in the front got what they wanted, and everyone else got what they wanted. These things, of course, being essentially the same things: good riding, good company, and good weather, only at different paces, and all wrapped up into the first local club ride of the 2006 season.

Thanks for reading, and keep it easy.