I walked back to the clinic; it was a 3km journey. I tried to jog it, but almost passed out, so I finished off the trip at a slow walk. I wasn't by any means unfit, but of course an illness does not just disappear. I didn't have an appointment, but I knew the guy. We met through friends, a Sport Science major who decided to settle down and open his own clinic.
I walked inside, quite flusterred, and as soon as he saw me, I was gestured inside. My recovery had been getting better, but they still didn't know what it was that was bugging me for the best part of my year; what it was that had ruined my - although stagnant - cycling career. Since they didn't know what exactly was wrong with me, they couldn't give me medication.
However, there was one thing...
My eyes lit up. I knew there and then that I would spend all my time in this room. Just me, a bike, and a screen. I would be ready for the new season...
1. At least 175 words
2. At least one picture
3. A result if needed
oh, I read it completely the other way around, as in at most 175 words, max of 1 picture and a result if needed. Using the context that it seemingly limits you to 1 race per post so the others would be max limits aswell.
That said I don't normally write stories so I could quite easily have got that wrong but I thought the idea was each post is short and people needed to work together to get the themes and plot lines to match up.
That's still the point, but I don't think they have to be so short. I reckon clarrification might be needed, but it could be hard to write a report, especially later on, in less than 175 words and definitely 1 picture.
Character 1) Back of the pack guy
- So far posts from Cycleman123
Character 2) Sick guy
- So far posts from Wild Dog & Cycleman123
Character 3) Gambling guy
- So far posts from Shonak
Character 4) Optimistic guy
- So far posts from Fjhoekie, Sammyt & Dippofix
Now, this probably isn't accurate - especially the last guy. I just felt that those posts fit together well. At the start I thought there was one guy, so I made my initial guy the sick guy, but I'll separate them - it isn't hard.
I think that, to differentiate, we should have a post structured like this for example:
Spoiler
Sick Guy
[175 words at least]
[1 picture at least]
[result if needed]
I think that it would work well like that. Of course I'm not in charge - let's take this as a starting point for a brainstorm.
ALTHOUGH it is possible that by doing this we are going away from the initial intention of what Mre was trying to achieve. I think maybe he was seeing what we could do, without having to talk about it like we are.
I think we should probably use this thread for story updates and comments, and either make a second thread for the actual writers to discuss, or possibly a chatzy.
Alternatively we really don't discuss, but it'll die rather quickly that way, I assume.
Ideally, we could make character files for those four guys, discuss what happens, how they develop, plan the story, but we really can't be spamming this thread if we want to do so.
I like the idea of having multiple persons, and I'll just continue the Optimistic guy, just with a small plot change to eep things interesting. Having 4 ppl who evolve to having the same goals isn't really cool, this might be...
So welcome to Austin, Texas. My first race in my second leg of my career is a short city criterium, the results are more or less defined, however I am determined to win a few of the intermediate sprints just to show my face and win a few bucks. That would hopefully show my girl this sport is a job.
However it seems it’s not only the sport that has evolved, my body has too. Those damn kids are so skinny, and I’m not. Since my retirement I’ve gained a few kilos, enjoyed my life and it shows now. I can feel I still have the power needed, but my lifestyle has to improve drastically should I want to make a decent comeback soon.
But will it be worth it? I really don’t know… I do want to get back into shape, but I also feel it’ll be near impossible. Adding to that, the younger guys are so bloody strong right now, at least not weaker than the young guys were 20 years ago. Perhaps I should find new goals, changing speciality or something… An hour record could be something for me, considering I still have the power, and the fact some other old guys have done it gives me hopes to do it as well… Time to find a good trainer somewhere?
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game
Uhm, so I'm probably real majorly confused here, but is this the "second career guy" now, previously posts by sammy (I think) & me? Seemed like it from the text but you said you continue with the optimistic young starter? At least I just guess that the optimistic guy was a young kiddo, looking at Dippo's text and not another guy over age 30 like the comeback guy.
As far as I can tell, those are the character so far, and please help me if I'm wrong.
-Sick rider with a yet undiagnosed illness (previous post Cycleman & Wildog)
-Old guy over age 30 making a comeback (previous post sammy(?), Shonak & fjhoekie?
-Optimistic young cyclist (previous post by fjhoekie & Dippofix)
If I'm wrong I'll change a bit the text below.
btw, I have also deleted the second paragraph in my first post since I think it limited it too much. Not important anywayz.
Now, we all know about Austin. Last time I raced here, they installed a Lance Armstrong bike lane. I wondered if they still kept that thing around?
So, I bet you didn't know that they named a street after me too in my hometown, after I got that medal - my kids didn't believe me that it was my name. Told me straigth to the face, that it must be some strange coincidence. Spoiled brats.
Quite a bunch of people showed up at the City Crit. I love those things. Crowded places, great atmosphere. Sometimes a worthwile BBQ too.
It was a night time criterium though, so there would be quite some danger once the racing was getting fast. Crashes, blood, lots of turmoil. Stuff I used to thrive upon. I felt a bit embarrased in my cycling shorts, they were made for a guy with a few less kilos on his ribs. Not for guy that came out of his career end-hibernation. But my team manager said, that I had the legs. You don't lose cycling legs, not ever. Get as fat as you want, but keep the legs.
Edited by Shonak on 18-09-2014 23:07
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Growing up in Flanders, you'd have thought my family would be more supportive. But no, not at all. That wasn't a bad thing though, it was just more motivation. Everytime I was in some small Kermesse, riding in the rain, dirt everywhere, that was what kept me going. Knowing I couldn't give up, couldn't prove my parents right. And in the end, it payed off. I never did win one of those races, but my constant top tens were enough to convince Topsport-Vlaanderen of my quality. Standing at the startline of my first pro race, the Omloop het Nieuwsblad, it all felt a bit absurd. I looked to the side of the road, saw my parents standing there, Mom proudly taking photos, at last acknowledging my choice, Dad happily chatting away to Stijn fucking Vandenbergh, as if he'd have wanted it like this all along. But I didn't mind, I was just happy they had accepted and embraced my decision. At a little over 19 years, I was the youngest competitor there, but I was determined not to have that going against me. I knew that thanks to my relative skills on the cobbles and the hills, I'd have a shot at making the breakaway. That was all that counted.
Spoiler
So, here we are. Specialities: Cobbles, hills, and to a certain exten sprints. I'd suggest something along the lines of 71/72 COB, 70 HI, and 68/69 SP. His birthday is the 13th of February 1995, and the name is... well, maybe someone else will decide that.
So I was away but I want this to continue. Let's go! All my posts from now unless stated otherwise are from Sick Guy.
I was never the most powerful rider, but one thing I could pride myself on was my determination. I could go on when others couldn't, and that's what I needed to do once again. I slowly improved my scores on the exercise bike until, just after Christmas, I went on my first ride on a real bike in too long. It was a half hour trip, and I didn't really pay much attention to what was going on. I just enjoyed it.
I was able to improve gradually over time, until in March, I joined an amateur team.
Sure they weren't great, but I was just happy to be racing again. I lined up for my first race in the middle of April as the main teammate to our team leader.
After a fairly quiet opening prologue where the team leader came third, we came into the second stage, a punchy criterium, with high hopes. A break of three got away shortly after the flag was dropped, but were never allowed more than 2:30.
I tried to test my legs up the hill, they felt fine, but I knew I wasn't at my peak. Most of the day was spent drifting around the peloton, waiting to make our move to grab yellow.
When the break was reeled in, the big boys can to the front and the mind games began with a bang as a flurry of unsuccessful attacks were unleashed. Many dropped off the pace, but I wasn't one of them. With 3km to go, the leader told me to go! I quickly gained seconds, but my purpose up here was to allow my leader prime position for what looked like an inevitable reduced sprint.
Hearing the ringing of the bell I allowed myself a glance at the times. 15 seconds, the DS was yelling in my ear, telling me to push, push harder. Under the 1km to go sign, I knew I couldn't make it. I had an all to familiar feeling welling up, but I'm not the type to give up. I also still had precious seconds left.
As the riders opened up behind me My legs were burning, but they were the least of my pains.
In the end I slipped through the pack in the final 50m, my leader 5th, and now second on GC. I finished an anonymous 12th.
Unfortunately my friend took one look at me at the end and told me to abandon. Before I could reply he was jabbering to the DS asking to take me to the hospital.
'I'm fine!' I said through gritted teeth. But we all knew that was an absolute lie.
Edited by jandal7 on 29-11-2015 05:19
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
The earlier winners of the race is Johan Museeuw, Frank Vandenbroucke, Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert. For cycling fans it must sound as a bell. But I didn't care; I wanted to show the world, who I am and what I can.
When the race started, I started quickly - and created a gap to the peloton. Fortunately I was not alone; We was 6 riders. At a time we had four minutes. The first few cobblestones were fine and the hills so. But suddenly I punctured. The team car managed quickly to fix the wheel, but it felt not like the same again. Something just got horrible wrong.
Edited by DiCyc on 10-12-2015 18:04
