Happy Story as requested

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Middle child (16) rides with me quite a lot. He uses it to get and stay fit and he weighs very little. I am well into middle age and am fond of cake.

About a month ago I reached for seconds of pud and middle child smiled at me and said the name of a hilltop we ride to occasionally. It was a veiled challenge. He knows he's faster up to the top than I am.

So... I enjoyed my seconds and challenged him to a race to the summit in a month. Today was race day.

First there is a gentle climb, then a descent to flat ground where I pull away, then a bastard of a climb where he DESTROYS me.

We warmed up, chatted and put in a few smiley miles. Then we spun gently to the start. It's not a long race (17 mins over 4 miles) but it is hard going and has some big gradients.

Anyway... I started in front of him (as it's a public road) and straight away I heard what I thought was a grind of gears (in fact it was a cleat popping out). I took several bike lengths and kept them. Whenever I expected him to hit, he just lacked the extra Ooomph. Then on the final climb I just decided I'd rather suffer cardiac arrest than lose.

I was out of the saddle, looking behind and seeing him getting no closer. I was in paradise.

Still no closer. I was looking back all the time and still he was too far back to attack.

Then... In the last 90 seconds he made a big effort and got to my back wheel, then he was past with consumate ease. I hit back on the last flattish bit before the summit and got almost to his wheel. Almost...

But he won... as we both knew he would. I thought he'd been playing with me on the climb, until we looked at our times. Both of us took over 30 seconds off our PBs up that hill. We couldn't talk for ages. We were totally Donald. Just sweating and gasping and sort of crouching over our crossbars.

I lost the race (and there will be a forfeit) but it was the most blindingly exhilarating ride and I am just absolutely over the moon that we both really hit it and I wasn't totally disgraced.

Sorry, that was a long old tale, but there was a post asking for Happy Stories and this is one. :tongue:
 

Pauluk

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
Nice story Boris. Glad he won, just as it should be :smile:
 

Nihal

Veteran
The king is dead. Long live the king.
So um...Boris,can you clear the confusion????
 
OP
OP
Boris Bajic

Boris Bajic

Guest
So um...Boris,can you clear the confusion????

Confusion? I am fat and he is faster. I was never the king of anything, but it is good to see him acknowledging that he can out-climb the man who used to walk along beaches carrying him on his shouldrers.

I've been quite touched by the smiley and positive responses this thread has elicited.

I really enjoy most of my cycling and I've tried to pass that on to the next (current) generation.

I've never raced, but middle child is starting to give it a go.

Many thanks for all the positive responses.
 
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