Road Race - POEM of the MONTH!

Road Race
(Performance Poem)
 
I arrive early like I always do

Word Press - Artist: Steven Woo

Never do like being late
Especially when it comes to
A bike race
 
Oh yeah! Seventy miles of
Adrenaline pumping
Elbows bumping
Heart pounding
Lactic-acid burning your legs
Until they scream!
 
Bike race
 
Of course, the pre-race jive 

With my team-mates 

Is filled with a bit more ego
We hammer on

About getting a couple of guys in a break
While the rest of the team blocks the field –
The perfect plan
But, as one famous commentator once said,
“It’s a bike race, anything can happen.”
Well Mr. Bob Roll, you are so right
 
We make our way to the start and off we roll!
The rush of wind fills my lungs
As I maintain position in the top ten
The first five miles contain of series

Of short climbs and rollers
That if you’re not careful

And attentive to the action at the front
You could get popped off the back

And riding home solo
 
The road gets a bit, a bit rough
Bouncing around the light-weights
Pfft-pfft-pfft-pfft-pfft
A rider falls victim 

To a chard of glass or a goat-head
Ending his day in the saddle

Word Press - Artist: Steven Woo

Teams are fighting for position
As we approach the one-lane bridge
The onto a couple of power-climbs
But no one’s feeling frisky yet
At least not until the third and final lap
 
That’s when I decide to go off-the-front
In hopes of dragging 

A couple of strong riders with me
And we get six in break!
But the anger of the field fuels them on
And chases us down like dogs
Another break attempt
Same result
This cat-and-mouse game goes on
Until the final 10K to-go marker
It’s hot! It’s August!
In the middle of the Salinas Valley
And the headwind begins 

To drop riders like flies
 
5K to-go – and the tension mounts
Riders are looking each other up and down
Like you’re about to steal 

Their mother’s purse
No one wants to pull through
Everyone’s saving their legs
For the up hill
Energy sapping
Oxygen depriving
Sprint!

1K to-go – and the pace really picks up!
This is the test

Word Press - Artist: Seven Woo

Was my training enough?
Was it smart enough?
Did I drink enough?
Grr! I’m suffering like an animal!
 
A gap opens up in front of me!
Keep the focus – concentrate
Fill that gap
Grab that wheel
Fill the gap
Grab the wheel
 
Bam! Crack! Screech! Pop!
Through my salt-filled blurry eyes
I spot a few riders pay homage
To the asphalt-gods

And kiss some skin good-bye
Ouch!
I avoid the carnage and hammer on!
 
With every muscle-fiber still responding 

To my central nervous-system
I stay with the surging pack 

Of carbon and titanium and groan
As I hang onto the lead group of five riders
100 meters to go!
Augh! My heart red-lines!
The air burns my lungs!
Shimmering stars fill my vision
Yet somehow, somehow
By the strength of God Almighty
I cross the finish line!
 
Life – it’s like a bike race

Anything can happen
Just – cross – the finish line