Yesterday's ride home was awful. We're in the middle of a second week
of hot humid weather and you start sweating the moment you step
outside. Even when it's not nearly 90 degrees it feels unbearably hot
because the humidity is so high. I'm at my physical low point at 5 pm
under normal circumstances, and the weather just makes it worse. Plus
the headwind on the first half of the ride was so strong that I was
fighting to make any forward progress even on the down hills. So
riding home yesterday was hot, unpleasant, and exhausting.

About three miles from home you climb one of the two steepest hills on
the route, then there's a mile and a half of hills and false flat
sections. By the time I got to the end of the false flat I was done
in. My legs were still turning, but barely. I was in my granny gear,
pedaling just enough to stay upright. I tiredly lifted my head, and
saw a cyclist coming toward me on the other side of the road.
Remember, I was on a false flat, so this guy was going down a subtle
decline, with a tailwind. He was doing the kind of riding that makes
you feel invincible, as long as you forget how much help you're
getting from gravity and the wind. He was on a Cervelo, using his
aerobars, with an aero helmet and full racing kit. I was on my
commuter, carrying my heavy bike bag, going uphill at the end of a
long day and a long, awful ride. And despite knowing all that,
despite knowing that he didn't know me and didn't care how I was
riding, despite my tiredness, despite the heat, despite the reality of
the situation, I sped up. Not very fast, and not for very long. But
I couldn't help it. I saw him, and my legs started pumping faster and
harder. I just couldn't stand letting him see me look completely done
in by a small incline. It was ridiculous.

If anyone ever hears me claim I'm not competetive, please feel free to
laugh in my face.