May 2017: A Tale of Two (Training) Weekends

Hey green team,


It’s May, and you know what that means: weather is warmer, race season is starting, ice cream is justified, and most importantly: TRAINING WEEKEND (TW)!


On May 19-21, Wheelworkers from all over MA journeyed to Franconia, NH for our annual tradition: cycling 40-90 miles, “recovering” in the hot tub, and a delicious three-course meal courtesy of the Franconia Inn - our trusty TW HQ for the past several years (shout out to owner Richard, who always joins us for a ride and led a group around Mt. Moosilauke). Some teammates throw in a run, some cycle twice, but most importantly: 25+ members of the Wheelworks family spend the weekend hanging out together. With thanks to those who shared their stories, here are a few TW highlights:

• A number of folks started the adventure with a hike of Artists Bluff, followed by dinner and riverside beers at the Schilling Beer Co. (organized by Carole H.)
• One teammate assumed the ultimate role of cycling supporter, shouting, "Come it's not that bad...think about Trump!" (potentially uttered by Andrea V.)
• While climbing Crawford Notch, Amy T. discovered a previously unnoticed bike gear, followed by the exclamation, “"WHAT, LORETTA WHY DID YOU HIDE MY GRANNY GEAR FROM ME!”
• At the end of one ride, celebrations commenced early with the following nutrition note: "Folks, good news! We have earned 46 Coors Light!"

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While WWMS members were living it up in Franconia, a parallel tradition began: Local Training Weekend (LTW). On Saturday morning, May 20, a small group of Wheelworkers convened at 7AM to try a new route, graciously led by Katelyn D. From there...well, keep reading.

• 7:14AM: New Route cue sheet flies from Katelyn’s shirt into the abyss of Winchester. 5 pairs of eyes follow the fluttering paper in horror.
• 7:16AM: Road closure due to carnival.
• 7:17AM: Group rides through carnival. Many instances of “LOCAL TRAINING WEEKEND!” shouted.
• 8:01AM: “Is that a TWO STORY McDonalds PlayPlace?!?!”
• 8:04AM: Two story McDonalds PlayPlace.
• 8:17AM: “Guys, there is a gradual hill coming up.”
• 8:29AM: Julie’s heart rate peaks at 194 on the hill that resembles this: |
• 8:30AM: Group break at a TD North bank.
• 8:40AM: Ride to Lexington and hop on the Minuteman.
• 8:54AM: Chipmunk runs directly into the spinning wheels of death on Katelyn’s bike. Chipmunk miraculously survives.

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• 9:20AM: Pass horse on side of road in Concord. “LOCAL TRAINING WEEKEND!!!!”
• 9:44AM: Back on Minuteman.
• 10:18AM: Waiting in line at Sound Bites. Selfies taken.
• 10:34AM: In what felt like an eternity spent deciding pancake flavor, our waiter asks Katie, “Do you want to call your father?”
• 10:59AM: Katelyn, Katie, Amanda, and Julie’s food arrives.
• 11:18AM: Andrew’s food arrives.
• 12:00PM: Group departs.

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​Wherever your weekend brought you, we hope you enjoyed the fun, the stories, and the joys of knowing you will never be alone while training - there will likely be a Wheelworks teammate (or a chipmunk, or a horse) right there beside you.


Happy race season! #gogreen!

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