Sorry if I ran anyone over on the W&OD this week… :-) [a story]

Short story:

Friend and I work at the same office, and he lives near me in Herndon. We ride together as often as we can as he also bike commutes, and under normal circumstances we’re about the same speed. He’s been out of town on business for nearly two months, so he’s dropped out of shape a bit. It’s his first week back, and we rode together Monday.

However, Tuesday, we left half an hour apart. He left at 4:30, I was stuck til 5… darn… but…

He was still weak from atrophy :p , the cold and wind are his weakness, and he was on his hybrid while the roadie is in repair. Still, can I make up a 30 minute gap? Worth a shot!!!

Ride:
17 miles to the Herndon Caboose from the office
65 minutes on a normal summer day
75-80 in the winter
90 during last month’s “blizzard” 😎 (took everyone else 6 hours)

He leaves at 4:30, is pedaling by 4:45. I take off from work at 5:15 like a bat outta… and try to close the gap. I make it to my entrance on the W&OD at 5:40, a full 15 minutes ahead of schedule. GO GO GO!!! I tuck and hammer, hoping to see a red flasher around every bend, and over every crest. No luck, but I keep going. I finally get to the Herndon Pkwy bridge leading to the last mile before the Caboose and…

Empty trail. Save one blinking red light way off on the horizon, just about to the light. I back it off a notch and cruise home, passing the Caboose at the stroke of 6:00 on my clock. I roll into home a few miles later at 6:10 tired and bummed at the defeat, until I realize what I’d just done… 18.22 mile commute in 55 minutes, including lights and stop signs!!! Fluke? Did I really pull off a 19+ mph commute?

I talked to my buddy at work on Thursday and confirmed that it was him in front of me. I was that friggin’ close!

Then it hit me… Thursday evening, same situation. A second chance!

Again, he leaves at 4:45, I leave at 5:15. I’m on full attack from the first click of the pedal. Despite hitting a LONG light to cross Route 7 @ Tyco Road, I make it to the trail at almost the same time, knowing that I had to do better on the Trail stretches. With the sunlight giving me a little extra juice and the wind no longer in my face, I put the pedals down. I jet past a few buddies of mine, cross over Buckthorn at nearly 20 mph, and press on.

I cross over that last bridge before the caboose…

There’s a red light up ahead. Closer this time. GO!!!

Trail is clear, no pedestrian traffic, just my target. I give it every bit of energy I have, lugging my 35# commuter bike below me like a tank full of rockets. I cross the Caboose at 5:57 with the red light only 100 yards ahead, crossing over the little bridge. Is it him? He lives right there, not enough time!!!

I come up over the little bridge, and about 80 yards in front of me…

He turns into his neighborhood! 😡

I lost again!!!

I keep on it and roll into the garage at 6:08, pulling off a 53 minute door-to-door 18.22 mile commute. I haven’t calculated the speed, but it’s beyond my normal capability by a lot on that heavy bike. Heck if I can figure out how I did it – especially on a 25 degree night – but doing it twice leads me to believe it’s not a fluke.

I confirmed this morning that it was indeed him. I was 80 yards and less than 30 seconds behind. Darn darn darn! I’m disappointed in defeat, but proud overall of being that bloody close to pulling off the impossible.

No repeat tonight. I’m leaving before him, and he ain’t catching me.

Hope you enjoyed my little story. Commute #476 in a row was a great one!