… ah the Race
After I finished my post on Friday, I started out for a run. Only I found that my legs were not functioning. I made it 1/2 way down the driveway before pulling the plug on that idea. Which was a little disheartening.
From there I went over to Action Sports for a few final bike adjustments so that it was running tip top. Went to my fav grocery store and stocked up on $140 of organic veggies, rice, nuts, salmon, etc.
At this point I had a decision to make. Either head to Sams house (where everyone would be waking up at 6am and heading to the race) or Kerry’s, where the food needed to go, and there were guests over, and no one would be waking up at 6am (they woke up between 9 and 11am.
So that was it, we played Reindeer Games – which essentially was doge ball with 6 people, 4 bowling ball sized nerf balls, no teams, with strobe, no, or low lighting.
And that was it. Fell asleep at midnight, woke up at 8:30 saddled up, rode 1h45 out to the race. Rode a lap, it was a spectacular course. It is held in an orange grove/ cattle ranch that is open to the public one day a year. The bike course, after the oranges climbs up the foothills through a canyon, and then along and over some steep grasslands. The course – get this – was marked in bones. Yes you read that right. If you are between the vertebrae, ribs, skulls, pelvis’s of the cows who’ve passed on out here on the range you’re on track. (Perhaps not ALL California cows are happy, especially while the coyote’s are munching on them.)
Hung out with some friends, drank a beer, ate oranges (and a cookie) and rode home. Fantastic day, and just under 6h of riding. I did feel a world better than Friday, but riding the course at steady, was OK, at hard, well that would be Moooffffff-Bleh.
So though I wished I’d raced, I think it was for the best to simply get miles in.
Tuesday I’ll head out on the group ride as a benchmark of my fitness.
PS mark the Rumble on your calenders for 2011 you’re sill to miss out on the event.
PPS that picture is not me… I was on a cross bike – and still haven’t found the battery charger for my camera.
kurt Hackler on January 28th, 2010
dude, i was at that grocery store with you 10 years ago