This past Thursday I joined local cyclists for sprint night down at Hains Point. It was a beautiful evening, nearly 70 degrees F. After biking with legs, sleeves, jackets and gloves for so long it felt surreal to shed all the layers and go out only in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey.
I wasn't the only one taking advantage of the weather. Almost 50 people showed up to ride laps around the circular loop! Included in the group were some of the most elite cyclists in the DC area, the 1s and 2s, which significantly turned up the heat of the ride. Not only was the weather hot, but the ride was spicy, too!
Having joined sprint night one time before, I had a general idea of what to expect. K and I warm up for a couple of laps and then join the group. The group rides at a moderate pace toward to the point, usually in a tight pack. To conserve energy, I tuck in behind someone with broad shoulders and draft. Once the group rounds the corner, the ride turns into a mad sprint down the back side, with riders leaving the pack to make their move with a long string of riders trailing them. Police officers sometimes sit at the end of the sprint side, making sure we all come to a complete stop at stop signs (there are 3), so the middle section is mandatorily slow.
When K brought me to sprint night two weeks ago, I was able to maintain contact the group by pushing my way toward the front during the "easy" sections and holding on as best I could through the "sprint" sections, usually ending up at the back of the pack. I tried the same method last night but, despite my determination, legs pumping, lungs burning, eyes watering, I was incapable of keeping up with the group through the sprint or the easy sections.
Why? A strong SW wind made it difficult to move forward during the "easy" sections and the leaders sprinted faster than I am capable of going on the back stretch.
The leaders of the group were 1s and 2s, which is short for Category 1 and Category 2 bikers. Apparently, there are 5 categories of bike racing and 1 is the highest. Even my friend C, an accomplished cyclist, had a difficult time keeping up. On the last lap, he saw the leaders take off and asked himself "should I sprint?" But when he looked at his speedometer, he was already riding at 34 mph! So he stepped it up to 34.5 mph.
If the front guys were biking at 35 mph, K imagines that I must have been going at least 30 mph. OMG, no wonder I felt like I was going to die!
Joining K for sprint night is such a novelty. I am a novice female cyclist who, despite being in decent shape from climbing, running and yoga, lacks bike training. Biking with the guys is like playing a game where I know that I cannot win. While that may seem discouraging, I find it motivating and fun. There is no pressure to succeed or win because no one expects that from me. Without the external pressure or expectation to perform, I am allowed to push myself as hard (or as little) as I want to, which usually means I push harder. Since no one explains the rules, I am forced to figure out etiquette by paying attention to hand gestures, whistles, and pack formations. This keeps me alert and engaged. Indeed, the moment I get complacent on the bike, I fall out of formation, miss the sprint, and have to work extra hard to rejoin the group.
I am one of maybe three women who join the guys and certainly the only woman crazy enough to try and keep up with the leaders. When not pushing my limits to keep up, I find myself smiling or laughing during these experiences because I find the scenario amusing. On one hand, I feel like I am getting away with something, like sneaking into a bar before you turn 21. On the other hand, I know that I know that I stick out like a sore thumb. I'm sure the male cyclists, with their matching team jerseys, look at me in my unbranded biking clothes and wonder "who is this girl?" as they whiz past me at 35 mph. But I don't care. Like being at a concert, I can feel the energy of the group and it motivates me to bike faster. With enough training, maybe someday I will be able to keep up.
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