But you know me.
First race of the 2008 'cross season (at least a month before it could really be considered 'cross season) was hosted by Shane & Co. of the parks and rec dept. in, yes, Livermore. My start time #1 was 10.30am, and it was already hot enough that basic motions like walking led to sweating.
The course was wide and flat, leaving lots of room to pick different lines and pass people--nice.
After my lousy start and a lap, the B field was a bunch of 10 at the front, with me hanging on to the back.
A lap or two later, I had passed and moved up, and there were maybe five. Fitness and heat were taking a toll.
And then I was chasing two.
Halfway through the penultimate lap, #2 pulled up--flat!--and I took his spot. Unfortunately, #1 had decided to stop toying with us and had shot out of sight. One more heat-blasted lap, and the second step on the podium was mine!
Um, except that I had the single speed race to prep for in 15 minutes, and missed the podium. Instead, I was slapping a bag of ice on the back of my neck, drowning myself in Gatorade, etc. I hadn't mentioned anything to CaseyK about doubling up, though, so in the middle of repinning my number the race was started and away without me.
A minute later I was off playing "catch-up", but there wasn't too much response from my legs. Given the gap, the fatigue, the heat, and the $5 entry fee, I was pretty content to do practice laps for an hour. On the bright side, 1) Josh Snead lapped me a second time about 100m from the finish line, so I didn't have to do that last lap, and 2) with only 5 single-speeders starting, everybody was on the podium!
End of race: more water, more Gatorade, more ice, shade, shade, shade. Some folks had the strength left to hop the fence and stand under the sprinklers in the neighboring field. There were some blasted-looking bodies strewn about the finish line. Some familiar faces, too, and it was nice to catch up.
5 comments:
So...um...you came in 4th in the last race, not 5th. Did someone die en route?
dp: no fatalities, #5 was having problems with his rear tire leaking air and I probably passed him when he was off-course pumping it back up.
boy, it sure was hot out there today. hot soup.
Explain to me the appeal of a bike with only one speed again?
(And gratz on the hardware!)
l: I felt hot for the rest of the day, as if it had soaked into my bones. Ugh.
dt: 1) Many who like riding SS bikes mention the calmer ride--you're only going to go so hard and so fast with only one gear. 2) A SS bike is simpler, with fewer parts to break. 3) I can enter two races and enjoy twice the abuse for one car drive.
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