NEVIS CYCLE & TRIATHLON CLUB

And…another weekend of racing. Gone are the weekend days of idle rest and relaxed ‘Sunday rides,’ race season is here and we prepare our bodies by letting our mind tell them they can do …just a little bit more. After climbing Gingerland hill with some youths, early Saturday morning, I later scrambled to Oualie to meet some of the same youths and fellow TNCTC members ready for a 20k time trial. Starting at one minute intervals, racing against the clock, the course began from Oualie Beach Hotel up to the turn off to Shirley’s/Pizza Beach where we turned around to head to the cultural center in town and then back to Oualie.
Reggie was the first to pass me, this time with no chit chat. After being beaten by James last time out he was serious. That was just after four seasons coming into town, when we rounded the corner, I noted how close Winston was behind me, and thought to myself… not this time. But where was James? I kept my promise and after the turn around imagined my legs as steel and refused to let Winston see me again. After a little frustration at the bottom of Jessups with a car swinging out right in front me, I had to come to a full stop, then driving to get back into my groove I shifted and lost my chain. Boo! But, undeterred I took St Thomas hill….and kept pace until the end, James flew past me up the last hill to Oualie, “come on, catch me up"…I tried, he said "maybe someday"… but not this day. Well, Winston still had 30 seconds on me, and Reggie triumphantly took back 46seconds from James. With Alex Isles and Frank Ashley not far behind that was the race. Three youths competed- Godfey Todd and Gilon Weeks on mountain bikes and Kyle Tweed on his gi-noramus racer. This was Gilon’s first race so the course was a short and simple from Oualie to Wendy’s Deli and back. Gilon caught up Kyle who left first and the two of them sprinted at the end with Kyle coming in a second before Gilon. Godfrey Todd was just 30 seconds behind. It was the first time trial for these aspiring youths.
Both Kyle Tweed, age 12, and Godfrey Todd, age 17, joined the races again the following day, this time outfitted on real road bikes donated by the Wheel World Cycle Shop. The two battled the 20k course we did the day before, and their times are just brilliant for beginning racers. True potential here! Godfrey got a flat coming back from the church, undaunted he spun it into Oualie and jumped upon Klye’s old racer and re caught Kyle on the road. Kyle had not slackened his pace and the two gave it to the end where Kyle went into a sprint and Godfrey seeing that decided to play, and took his time over the line. Keep your eyes on these two; they definitely are the rising stars their club, the Jessup All Stars says they are. ‘Youths today, stars tomorrow,’ is their slogan, and they are on the road proving that slogans truth.
On to the TNCTC member race, marked at 60k with James Weeks, Reggie Douglas, Winston Crooke, Greg Phillips, Frank Ashley, myself, and a visiting guest from the Four Seasons Dave Desanctis. It was a promising race but unfortunately did not go well for this narratives heroine. Starting at a comfortable pace we warmed our legs as a small pack with James and Reggie sharing the windy front of the group. Up and around by St James church still feeling comfortable, Greg took off, I left to catch him to sit behind his wheel. A while, it seemed to me, it took the others to pass, all the time I was resting- preparing my mind to tell my muscles to jump up and go fast once they passed. And there they came, and I clung on behind, and oh- how glorious riding down the road in a line, in Nevis, a wealth of natural beauty, and us, all (or me rather) putting in a best effort (as I am sure they were still warming up) beautiful in our abilities and unity of a common goal, of like minds and aspirations. Moments of worth, they are, and more so knowing that the moment has been built with hours of training, dedication, and hard work.
So Winston says keep it rolling forward and I follow in the pattern, Greg, Winston, James, me. Reggie? On the road there is no time to be considerate of others, no stopping, no prolonged reflection, only faster, more, harder, up, up, go. But there came Reggie anyways, bolting forward so up we all got to stay with him. And then another rush after four seasons, Reggie and James safely left Winston, Greg and me behind to battle our own race as they theirs. No pace line for the three of us, just speed with one of us trying something here or there, now just as I was feeling comfortable, coming up to Oualie, strategizing on the last lap of possibilities. Pffft. Clop. There went this heroines rear tube. And off Winston and Greg went, with one less to battle, the race for third was between them. Me, well I stomped my foot a bit, and then decided to do what I could. Flipped my bike, took off the wheel, found the puncture and just as I was sitting in the dust of the road, patch kit in hand, tire on my lap, Alex came on me, and like a gentleman assisted with the operation. My pump could not re-inflate the tube to racing caliber and so the two of us, Alex with a sore leg bone, spun into Oualie. Race over.
Kyle and Godfrey had finished their race and were handing out waters, I joined them and watched as Reggie and James sprinted for the finish line, and there was Reggie a second before in the sprint…his first ever win in a sprint against James. A true feat and anther second made up. The next sprint for the finish 8mins later was between Winston and Greg, and Winston took it with a second in front. The other finisher was Frank, not a giver upper at all, and Dave enjoyed most of the race then had to head back to the resort.
Next time I say, there is always the weekend ahead, and I am not one to make promises I can not keep. Better keep training this week and try my strength and luck again…..keep posted for the next update. Who will be victorious this coming weekend? Will Reggie get his last 13seconds on James? Will there be another opportunity between Greg and Winston? And what of the heroine, does she have a chance? Until next week, keep well and maybe see you on the road….