WWTD?

When it’s cold and rainy outside and I am starting to talk myself out of riding, especially when I’m only planning to do a 90 minute recovery ride, and I start to look through the channel guide for a re-run of My Cousin Vinny, then all of a sudden the guilty thought hits me…WWTD?

Yes, What Would Tilford Do?

I've met a chatted with Steve a few times, mostly at races. I've raced with him several times. Like hundreds of my fellow cyclists, I follow his blog. I think Steve is cycling’s version of Chuck Norris.

I’m sure you’ve heard the quotes; “Chuck Norris and Superman once fought each other on a bet, the looser had to start wearing his underwear on the outside of his pants” or Chuck once kicked a horse in the chin, its descendants are now known as Giraffes or death once had a near-Chuck experience.

Chuck and Steve are bad men. Steve races better with broken bones, better in the wind and rain and better in mud.

I was once in a 5-man breakaway with Steve, Bill Stolte and Ian Gray. We were gone and the winner would come from our small group. I pulled out a pack of GU and ripped it open. Steve informed me that I had chosen an improper time to feed. It wasn’t what he said, it was the utter contempt in his tone. Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch. HE decides what time it is. I flatted and received the slowest wheel change in history and never caught back on. Steve went on to win that day.

So, I put on my big boy pants (and toe covers) and fill one water bottle up with hot coffee and wait for the smallest break in the rain. At 2:00 I see a window and into the drizzle and cold I go thinking “Steve would approve”.

I arrive back home, wet and wrinkled but with the quiet sense of accomplishment hoping that my little sacrifice will find favor for me at some future race.

Hopefully the sun will return tomorrow.