Hand On My Back.

So maybe this isn't a fair comparison, but you have to realize perception can be one's reality. Yesterday, Alison and I ventured to the Meridian Training Race again. We drove up through a torrential down pore and back in the same. Thankfully, there was a 50 min. window that allowed us to race bikes.

I had just come off a race weekend and was going into my third week of a tough training block. I could feel the work on my body. But we rode. And we rode hard.

The pace was a bit faster and more steady than last Thursday. I noticed the difference right away. I worked to stay in behind riders and out of the wind. Just as I started to come off the back of the pack I felt a hand on the small of my back. I glanced over and saw Al pushing me, literally. This went on for the next few laps. Each time I felt like I had reached my limit she pushed me a bit harder. I wanted to curse but didn't have enough breath. Even my eyes were hot. I can honestly say I have not ridden that hard in a VERY long time. Surprisingly, my race last weekend didn't feel this intense. Every lap the defecate got greater. And every lap she asked a bit more of me.

After 45 mins of this. She finally let me recover, just shy of pucking the pb&j I devoured on the drive. At that moment enormous drops of rain began to cover the pavement and land on my neck and arms. We made a mad dash to the car just before the storm unleashed.