the wheelsucker

Yahiko again on Monday morning. This time the weather couldn't be better.

The preparation couldn't be worse though! Sunday morning on the beach. Drinking all afternoon at a festival in town...

Monday. 4 am. Old red eyes is back. Can't stomach breakfast. If Nishihiro san wasn't waiting I'd go back to bed...

Heavy head. Heavy legs. Through and off to Mt. Yahiko.

Nozomi climb at upper tempo pace. Get the blood flowing. Get the sweat flowing. The athlete's hangover cure?

Descend to the Dairo gate. 10 or so guys waiting.

My plan is to follow Ohno san's wheel. But 5th at Ishikawa RR yesterday, he's in recovery mode.

A TT (timed effort). We set off as a group. Tazaki san starts later as usual.

No confidence. I don't start the stop watch. Last through the gate. Just blast it. See what happens...

Full gas. Pass everyone. Really hard effort. Can't control the breathing. Need to settle into the climb.

I see Watanabe san is chasing. Need to be ready to grab his wheel. Here he comes. Dig in. Lock on.

He's a pure climber. His gear is one or two sprockets heavier than mine. His body weight much lighter.

At 10% average grade the Dairo climb is always tough.

A steep section. Watanabe san attacks. Out of the saddle. A gap of 10 metres in just a few seconds. I jump out of the saddle too. But it's a wasted effort. Sit back down. Drop a gear. Grind it up. Close the gap.

The first attack has the element of surprise. I'm ready for the second one. Still he gaps me. 8 to 10 metres. Stay seated. Reel him in again.

Now they say you can only attack 3 times. Watanabe san goes 6 times. But each one is less effective than the last.

I play my role. My own worst enemy. The wheelsucker.

Sat on at around 175 HR. This is great training. I'm tempted to attack myself. But after last week at Norikura, I want to work on my sprint at the end.

Count down the switch backs. The upper steep section. The sweeping bends.

Here we go. Drop one gear. Another. Draw level. Clunk. Clunk. Nobody likes the sound of gears going down.

187 HR. Goal.

Cross the line. Shake hands. He did all the hard work. "If this was a race, you could punch me!"

• Mt. Yahiko x 2

The hard work done. 55km back to Kashiwazaki. A strong headwind. The kind that drains you. Physically. Mentally. AKA great training!

Monday's training: Road (135 km, 1300 m climbing)