It seems I do. Garn. When Mike started using Strava I understood why. At (as he was then) 18 it was natural to be competitive. I was happy to help him with the odd lead out, content to let him go on some sections and meet him further up the road when he'd done that bit and was waiting for me and frankly unable to stay anywhere near him when he set the (then) Strava record for the descent of Shipham Road - glad to see that Strava seem to have deleted that one as too dangerous. But I wasn't competing. I told myself that it wasn't what I cycled for...
...and then my Garmin started reporting segment times and ranks. Initially it was just casual interest that I looked to see how I compared to other people's times through sections. In the main I hadn't known that the segments were there when I was out on the bike, they just appeared in the report when I uploaded what I'd done - Garmin Touring you see - not a gadget that is meant for competitive types. The more I casually looked the more I realised that I was doing pretty well compared to other folk in the 45-55 bracket. I've come to realise that I wasn't interested in the competition when I thought I wasn't in it. But I am, and I am. Today, basically because I ended up riding with two very handy accomplices in the lower and top sections of Cheddar Gorge, I ended up getting onto the top 25 sheet for the section from the bridge in the tourist bit to the white line where the official hill climb finishes. I know I've done it faster in a pre-Garmin segments era but I found, rather oddly, that I was really rather pleased with myself - so much so that I had to phone Mike and tell him!
I guess I knew that I'd got the bug when, out on the road, I met up with a complete stranger on the way back across from Nailsea Wall to Yatton. This was the second time this had occurred in a short space of time, say three weeks. The first time had turned into a paired time trial. We had some fun doing alternate leads and, given that he was a Bristol University team member (so he told me), it ended up pretty quick. My Garmin report told me that I was sixth on the section for a male of my age, and I was pleased. I was vaguely galled that it didn't put me into the lists as times from Garmin Touring machines weren't included at that point. But I knew - and I was pleased. And then, the second time, with a different stranger, I told him about the first one and we tried to beat the first time. Poor fellow. We didn't get close and it probably cost him the equivalent effort of cycling 15 miles at his normal pace. Why had we done it; probably because my competitiveness had infected him. Who ever you were - sorry!
So what am I to do. I still tell myself that segment times are not what I go cycling for. I even largely believe it; but I'll still check the segments report every time I get back from a ride. This evening I found myself scheming as to how I could knock a hole in the time I'd set today up the gorge. I may have a problem, and I don't mean in beating the time. Garmin - you got me. If I start putting up pages reporting best time attempts on the climbs in the blog you'll know I got properly addicted. The bad news (for me at least) is that, just at the moment, it seems like a perfectly natural extension to the piece - gives me a reason to go and do them all again. Oh no.
DP
...and then my Garmin started reporting segment times and ranks. Initially it was just casual interest that I looked to see how I compared to other people's times through sections. In the main I hadn't known that the segments were there when I was out on the bike, they just appeared in the report when I uploaded what I'd done - Garmin Touring you see - not a gadget that is meant for competitive types. The more I casually looked the more I realised that I was doing pretty well compared to other folk in the 45-55 bracket. I've come to realise that I wasn't interested in the competition when I thought I wasn't in it. But I am, and I am. Today, basically because I ended up riding with two very handy accomplices in the lower and top sections of Cheddar Gorge, I ended up getting onto the top 25 sheet for the section from the bridge in the tourist bit to the white line where the official hill climb finishes. I know I've done it faster in a pre-Garmin segments era but I found, rather oddly, that I was really rather pleased with myself - so much so that I had to phone Mike and tell him!
I guess I knew that I'd got the bug when, out on the road, I met up with a complete stranger on the way back across from Nailsea Wall to Yatton. This was the second time this had occurred in a short space of time, say three weeks. The first time had turned into a paired time trial. We had some fun doing alternate leads and, given that he was a Bristol University team member (so he told me), it ended up pretty quick. My Garmin report told me that I was sixth on the section for a male of my age, and I was pleased. I was vaguely galled that it didn't put me into the lists as times from Garmin Touring machines weren't included at that point. But I knew - and I was pleased. And then, the second time, with a different stranger, I told him about the first one and we tried to beat the first time. Poor fellow. We didn't get close and it probably cost him the equivalent effort of cycling 15 miles at his normal pace. Why had we done it; probably because my competitiveness had infected him. Who ever you were - sorry!
So what am I to do. I still tell myself that segment times are not what I go cycling for. I even largely believe it; but I'll still check the segments report every time I get back from a ride. This evening I found myself scheming as to how I could knock a hole in the time I'd set today up the gorge. I may have a problem, and I don't mean in beating the time. Garmin - you got me. If I start putting up pages reporting best time attempts on the climbs in the blog you'll know I got properly addicted. The bad news (for me at least) is that, just at the moment, it seems like a perfectly natural extension to the piece - gives me a reason to go and do them all again. Oh no.
DP
