Wrong Tactic for a BIG Guy

[Mr. Beanz]

Being a big guy  I use different tactics from what I've read on forums a million times.

Big guys must use down hill advantages to do well when it comes to hills. 

Can't count the times I've watched a big guy hammer down a hill thinking he's going to get ahead somehow. Stupidest thing I've ever seen and heard.

Like any other rider, use flats and down hill to recover and conserve. A ton of times I've just done enough to hold on or keep in sight a group of riders I was with. Yeah,  I could have squashed them on the flat and downhill but why when we have climbs coming up? Many times,  a group of 25 hammering out and I'm conserving the back.  Hit the turn around with a ten mile grind back. Even the skinny riders were killing themselves hammering other descent   silliess. 

Hit the trur to head back then I kick up my efforts.  25 riders and every week   at the back or even behind the first half then  working my way back up through the scattered riders to finish th every week,  consistently  week after week.  I found something that works and have been doing it for years. 

So today, starting my ride, imonth flats working into a  pace but warming up. I thought I was alone but a mile later  I see some dude coming up. A bit later I'm wondering why he hasn't passed me yet so I look back.  Just as I turn y head halfway, I pick him up in my peripheral.

He's ticked and zooming in right behind me. I was actually worried he was going to hit me from behind. As he rolls by he shouts, " COME ON BROTHER,  LETS DO IT!!!". 😄

I'm just warming up and smart enough to know I don't want to hurt myself by pushing too hard too soon.  I rode yesterday and a bit stiff at this point  so I stick to my plan. 

So he rolls by and I think, good for him. He's a big guy and rolling really well. He might be a bit bigger than me but d say good 3 inches taller.   So I'm impressed as we're riding up towards the mountains.  Heading north and mostly 2-4% it seems at here upper section of this trail.  

He's doing well and I'm thinking,  this dude is kicking azz!

He gets 150 yards ahead  barely see the guy at times but my legs  are warm now  about 4 miles later. So now I feel like I'm rolling.  Then I noticed he's only 100 yards ahead. He's a big guy but not a sloppy big,  just big. 

So I'm beginning to think   WRONG TACTIC FOR A BIG GUY. I think he may have burned himself out a bit see we were heading up. With the occasional freeway underpass. For, I've done this with several other riders as well,  much thiner and smaller guys.  I just point it out as mentioned, read it on many forums by many big guys. This guy as well though looking super strong inside PA and physique   chose the wrong tactic.  He was hammering on the flat burning himself out for what was yet to come.

So I s I'm gaining so  I kick it up a bit not knowing if I'll catch him. He's still 100 yards ahead and only 3 miles to the top, the roughest 3.

He goes under a double pass but when I go under, I come up the other side and noticed,  damn, I closed off 25 yards in just that short section. 

The worst is yet to come. Not flat NY longer. Continous steps leading up and up. Maybe a flat section of 50 yards if you're lucky. Sometimes a step up, 10 yards of flat then another step up. These steps are about 10 percent peak but only 20 yards long. One right after the other and I really gets to you  seeing there are about 20 in a row. 

But dsmn  the guy is now about 10 yards ahead of me and I feel energized. I could have taken him at this point but I see another step up in 20 yards. I'll wait to pass him on the way up. 

So right as we begin the step up  I pass him giving it just about all I have.   But he hops right on and hours, ALRIGHT BROTHER,  I NEED SOMEONE TO TOW ME TO THE TOP!!! 

Why is everyone always shouting at me?! 😄

He hopped right on  so I thought I may be in trouble.   Im pushing hard trying to hold my pace. We're on a flat section of maybe 50 yards so he's still there and I'm feeling it. Then I see a freeway underpass is next. But going down,  one notices a double climb step up on the far side.  This is going to make or break me or him. 

We go down and though my gut is busting,  I give even more.  I get to the top of both steps,  about 30 yards of a short steep climb and he pops. 

I  think I popped too but I gave it my all to ride him off my wheel so no bitching out now. I yooka deep breath, exhaled all the way out  tummy like a bull frog as that's how you intake max oxygen.  You look like Buddha but it helps recovery. 

So I did so then kicked it up again.  Another 1/8 of a mile up the road and he's toast. I had  to look back noticing he was 50 yards back. That ain't enough for me while I'm in  kill mode so I packed it on some more. 

Another mile to open the gap even more. I see another gym ahead.  Good looking rider so he's my next victim. He more than likely didn't care as he seemed to be struggling. . But I used him as a rabbit to put on an even bigger gap on the other guy,, my brother.. 😄

 

Now I was just about to the top of the trail. Looked back seeing the second guy about 75 yards back.  I waited a bit to make sure the other guy was coming and he was, a few minutes back. I figured he was stopping here as is a popular stop for cyclists. 

Before h arrived   I continued on up above the trail for a little more distance knowing he wasn't coming up this way. 

I had to laugh and chuckle with myself continuing on thinking he was strong but wrong tactic for a bigger.  Should have conserved just enough of the flat to do well but keep something in the tank for the climb. 😄

Jst an awesome feeling when you're warming up and riders ride by shouting words of encouragement, some in victory,  only to see that they're getting passed and dropped by someone they never expected to see again. 😁

 

 

 

 

[Zephyr]

I live on Vancouver Island..., the only 'flats' I ever get to ride on is when the air comes out of my tires

[Mr. Beanz]

29 minutes ago, Zephyr said:

I live on Vancouver Island..., the only 'flats' I ever get to ride on is when the air comes out of my tires

😆😄😆