This has the potential to be very un-PC.
Team PossAbilities, based out of Redlands CA has a wide roster or athletes. My goal, since about August, is to take them down, one at a time. Van got dropped on a Tuesday night group ride. Yup, that counts. Even though he is in med school and was probably up for 36 hours, that's his problem.
Adam took the dive at the Aspen NMBS Final. Although he was delerious from the altitude and couldn't see straight or breath without a paper bag, i beat him. and that counts.
Art is usually about a minute ahead of me, that counts as being taken down.
There is this guy, we call him Church Socks, because he always wears church socks when he rides. His time will come. And soon.
The most recent victim was Eric (well Adam too, but he has already been demoted) at the 12 hours of Temecula. There were some wagers set that i may have slower lap times than them, but i would definately have more laps completed. As i finished my 8th lap, i asked Eric's wife what his story was. He and Adam were out on 8, and probably done. That sealed the deal for me to limp out on my 9th and final lap.
GOING THERE
On the average, i highly dislike race updates. they tend to be run of the mill. "I started strong, someone messed me up, i worked pretty hard, found my fitness and finished so-so. Blah, blah, blah."
BUT, i ventured away from my usual Cross Country events to compete in a 12 hour race on saturday. i dont train for such madness and the longest i have ever been on a bike was 7.5 hrs a few years back when Shelli and i got lost. i have started that base mile stuff that has put me on some 6 hour rides, but that about sums it up.
The event boasted a cornacopia of Who's-who of SoCal, which was great to connect with the crowd i usually wouldn't see until March. The flip side of attendence was quite opposite. They had no clue what the NMBS is, Cal states or that people race at all. These guys are a specail breed that can dig deeper and go longer than most people i have ever ridden with.
Our pit station was killer. A mix of PAssPT, Jose Ole, and PossAbilities, made the stops a little bit more enjoyable.
I tended to ride with packs of single speed guys for about 3 laps until some one had a flat or went into pit. most of my day was spent in utter silence by choice and then by obligation because the effort to speak or formulate conversation was much too taxing.
Vital stats:
I had fun
I never wanted to quit
I did not sit down from 9am-8:20pm
Ride time was 10hr 45min (probably about 11:20 with pits)
9 laps
95 miles
Something like 14,500ft of climbing
I never puked, just wanted to
The people, like Pua, who actually DO these events, and maintain the same lap times, over and over, amaze me. The depth of their ability ot suffer is astounding.
I rode my bike yesterday. We are still friends.
Maybe this weekend i will try a cross race. Why not.
4 comments:
I was totally going to do the race, but I had laundry.
After my 9th lap, Heather asked if i was going for another i said, uh NO, i need to go wash my hair, and limped away.
I'm was almost killed(hit by flying bikes) at the last cross race. And you would have not been there to say good bye :(
I also heard you can now leg press 500 lbs and eat the hearts of your competitors.
And even after she washed her hair, she still smelled like the corpses of fellow competitors.
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