CKdake posted after the January edition here: http://fastermustache.org/node/6828
Here is the February edition:
AA and I loaded up early for the 2nd edition of the 3 part Snake Creek Time Trial Series. The day before I was emailing out bail notifications and planning on sleeping in. The weather was forecasted to be cold and cloudy following a week of constant rain and sleet in the mountains. Afer a little motivational text from AA at 5:00pm on Friday ("I'm gonna suck it up and do pinhoti"), I bailed on bailing and was back in.
It rained off/on the entire drive up to Dalton and all I could think about was the creek crossing 2 miles in that would inevitably be deep and cold. After 2 sloppy, slick miles of fire roads I approached the creek. Several riders were standing at the bank wondering what to do but I didn't even hesitate. I got off my bike, hoisted it on my shoulders, and started to cross. The water was rushing fast and qucikly swept me clean of all my chamois butter. I made it to the other side and pedalled on.
The first 17 miles were relatively uneventful except some slips and slides, until near the race's halfway point (17 miles in, 17 miles from the finish) when a 2nd creek crossing proved to be WAAAYYY deeper than expected. I hit it full throttle and was soaked from head to toe. Meanwhile the air temps were not improving and the sun was nowhere to be seen.
Rolling into the halfway support station I saw AA filling up his water bottle. I wondered silently why he would allow me to catch him but I didn't have time to stop and get cold so I kept moving. I never saw him again and learned later (thanks to some spy work by Liam Bennett) that he had completely run through his front brake pads and had to bail out of the race. He was only filling his water bottle to hide this fact from me so I would keep racing. Thanks, I think.
The second 17 had better trail conditions except for the brutally wet and slippery fire road where I thought I was going to run out of gas. At the top I wolfed down some fig newtons and a banana and was off again, headed to the rockiest parts off the trail. With Liam trailing behind me and some motivational conversation, I had one of the best 4th quarters of this time trial series ever and cleared most of the gnarliest rock sections. Where were the photographers this time?? Somewhere along the way I lost Liam and rolled into the finish line to find AA waiting for me with a beer and some bad news: My car had a flat. Bummer.
misery...
Unlike X my day was full of pain. Having not done any distance rides going into the Snake I knew it would be a challenge for myself and it did not dissapoint.
First mile of the race I was trying to zip up my jersey and my zipper came off in my hand, that pretty much set the tone for the day. The creek crossing wasn't too bad, not sure why people took off their clothes to cross it because everything on the first 17 was wet. There was no way to stay dry so I just accepted it. First half of the race was uneventful for me, the mud made for a slow pace and I could tell it was zapping my legs but I rolled into the mid point at just under 2 hours. Not bad I thought...
I had a hint of cramps a mile or two before the midway point but when I started the climb for the second 17 I had both legs lock up on me at the same time. I couldn't pedal or put my foot down so I just fell over into the hill and laid there a couple minutes. I should have bailed at that point but I'm too stubborn so instead I granny geared the whole second 17. It was pretty miserable but at least I finished.
I think with some decent weather in March I'll be ready to drop 45 minutes off my time of 5:20. Looking forward trying!
nice job
nice job finishing! It'll only get easier from there!
one is worth a thousand
one picture
and a thousand words