Rode with Lance

I finally got to ride with Lance on the road, for the first time since last year's MS-150.

Not Lance Armstrong, but in my world, close enough. Seems somehow Lance (Honer) and I have developed a rivalry that hinges around our Tour de France, the City-to-Shore MS-150. No, it's not a race, and there really isn't any point to the rivalry, but what's that matter amongst friends? Last year Lance trained hard... and I ... not so much. So, not surprisingly, he rode stronger than me and was the first one into Ocean City, and the first one over both of the tall bridges leading into town. So he got the polka dots and the maillot jaune! Granted, I was close behind, and having some tough muscle cramps, but he still got there first. This made me realize the gravity of the MS-150 (which, understand, there really is none) and decide to actually train for it this year. Everyone wants to be the alpha dog. :)

So, with that background, and hearing stories of Lance riding massive hills in Central VA and riding the 62 mile, >6000' climbing Livestrong route in sub-4 hours, I was curious to see how yesterday's ride together on my training roads would go. As I told Grace before the ride, I could see three things coming from the ride:

1. Lance totally embarrasses me on the ride, and we both step up our training.
   (him to open the gap, and me to close it)
2. I totally embarrass Lance, and we both step up our training.
3. We're painfully evenly matched... and we both step up our training.
   

So, knowing the outcome would be the same no matter what, I was still interested to see how we compared. Starting out from my house, Lance started *fast*... I mean, quite a bit faster than I normally ride, fast enough to make me start thinking... "uh oh." We hit the first hill, Old Easton Rd, and just as soon as it turns up, BANG, he's gone. Once again... "uh oh." He gapped me right off the bat, and I couldn't help but notice my legs weren't feeling good. Well, okay, he's strong, but doesn't know where we're going so just keep the pace and hope the legs warm up.

We get to the top, and ride towards the river, and my legs aren't bad, but they're not great. My plan was to bring Lance up Tohickon Hill, one of the better prolonged climbs in the area, and was not looking forward to the ass beating I was sure to receive on those slopes. In preparation, I told Lance the road to look for once he got to the top.

However, he didn't drop me on the climb. Matter of fact, he was right there with me as I led the way up the hill. He came around on a false flat, then as it turned up again, I came around him and rode to the top. Mind you, he didn't know we were at the top. I had home field advantage.

The rest of the ride was very similar, with us riding pretty even, although me abusing my home field advantage to know when to push for the top. Lance did open one massive gap on me when we rode up the short but brutally steep Old Ferry Road, which is only a quarter mile but AVERAGES 14%. I knew pain on that climb, knew it very well. Lance didn't exactly storm away but did gap me to the tune of at least 100'. 100' in 1,320... that's a gap! I guess it was his MTB singlespeeding experience that got him up that beast.

So, it was a good ride... no -- I would say it was a great ride. Because of work obligations, I had to keep it short and be back home by 9am, but we got in a fun ride just short of 2 hours, then had a nice big breakfast while I did my work.

A hard ride tormenting friends (and being tormented) for no apparent reason... that's what is fun about riding. :)