Decided it was time for some hill repeats over at Cemetery Hill in Northampton. Hadn't done hill repeats for quite a while, hadn't ever ridden my bike at Cemetery Hill, so it seemed this workout was overdue.
Though astute readers of AP might notice a third and way more important reason for such a workout, namely that Phil had done something similar
yesterday. And this would be just the latest of somewhat ridiculous outings by one of us, just because the other had done it a day or two earlier.
A little competitive? Perhaps. A little insane? Perhaps. But life needs something besides the same old, same old.
I did not copy his workout exactly. I didn't stop at the Smith indoor track to see if I could do intervals there (though that would be interesting). And I didn't want to do such a short warm-up and cool-down. But the heart of the workout, 4 times up a hill, that was what needed to be done.
And hopefully quicker. :-)
Generally on uphills Phil will beat me if we're both on bikes. If we're both on foot he'll beat me really easily. But with me on a bike and him on foot it depends on how steep it is and what the footing is like. He took me easily on the really steep Mt. Tom climb; I nipped him at Ascutney due to the flatter sections near the top. I'm pretty sure he could have had me at Mt. Grace earlier this month, but he didn't show up. Showing up matters.
Today I figured I had him, not such a steep slope, but I didn't know what the conditions were. As it turned out, they weren't too bad -- some mud, some soft places, but no ice or snow. He was doing about 2:40s. I made it up the first time in about 2:20.
And then to be confronted with the ugly truth. It wasn't all that much fun. I would have gladly moved on. But showing up and then doing less than four was failure, no matter what the times were.
No choice. Up a second, and a third, and a fourth time, all around 2:20. Done. Thank goodness. Now just to ride back to Whole Foods via Easthampton, which is not exactly on the way, but I'd never been on that part of the bike path.
Worth doing? Of course. Odds of doing it again? Slim to none... ;-)
5,180 (100 to go)