I was about 12 miles into my bike ride last night and sat up to eat a little bit and drink some water. I’d just turned off from a 1.5 mile stretch with a little tailwind. While I was drinking, a guy rides by me in his aero bars. He didn’t blow by me either, definitely catchable. But I didn’t chase.
I won’t lie. When he went straight at the point I usually make a left turn, I was very tempted to follow. But when he looked back to check and see if I followed, it made the decision to turn and ride my own ride much easier. I was committed to controlling heart rate and not worrying about speed, and that’s what I did.
Good to remember on race day when someone tries to goad me into a race at mile 30. Hopefully I’ll see them again on the run. If not, it’s a good thing I didn’t race them on the bike.