Hanging with the Valley Ride
I hadn't yet done a Valley Ride this year. The Valley Ride is in the same category as the Tue Noon Ride and the Spectrum Ride: a race simulation which if, if you can survive, is a good indication of race readiness. Other than my extended climbing (I recently PR'ed Old La Honda), I've had precious little indication of race readiness this year. Certainly I've shown none at races. The frenzied, lactic acid saturated hammer-mania typical of the shot climbs often encountered in these rides or races is a much different beast than an aerobically dominated climb like Old La Honda Road. And while I'd not done the Valley Ride, my several attempts this year at either the Tue or even the somewhat tamer Thu Nooner had all been failures. Refusing to take short-cuts taken by 2/3 of the packs at Canada College or at Corte Madera, I'd been gapped by the leaders, who are rejoined at the bottom of the associated descents by the low-roaders and are then gone for good. "Un...