40km and how patience ends in gold

A win is the sum of how you race your race and the decisions that others make...

After the race with Kurt Searvogel, who set a world record by riding 76,076 miles in 365 days — an average of 208 miles per day.

Early in the Alabama Senior Olympics road race the voice behind me said, “Hey guys: we’re it.” I looked back down the half-mile flat and couldn’t see anyone.

Unintentionally we had built an insurmountable gap. Then the race got really small — me, Kurt (who set a world record by riding 76,076 miles in one year), and Kevin.

On a small rise I drifted back; Kurt noticed and let me catch up. Three against the wind is better than two. In the last mile he was looking back again, this time wondering if I would attack. I didn’t; he did.

I came around and won. We replayed the race. Had he attacked on the last hill he probably would have created a winning gap. But he didn’t. I was the beneficiary of that decision and his earlier help.

You race your race, but decisions others make can decide the finish.

The ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/1522665895