Spring group rides are the social opposite to the solitude in the pain cave. Testosterone hibernating for months is unleashed on the road. The competitive element mixed with pride and large egos is a tough balance. I am no different, though it’s hard to admit it. Half wheeling your training partner to see when the signs of weakness kick in is a sport in itself.
After a long Swedish winter’s love-hate relationship with the turbo trainer, Spring has arrived. Three months to my Cent Cols Challenge in the mighty Pyrenees. Reality kicks in. It is easy to get carried away though. I sign up for too many things, make too many plans. And then reality: I’m a veteran; I need my sleep; I have a job; a family. There are only 24 hours in a day.