2:48:02
8 out of 9 women
I did finish ahead of a few guys doing the same distance tho...
Course and Elevation
Let me start by saying I had friends doing the rides, they enjoyed it, had a great time. I didn't hear any complaints. They said the course wasn't that hilly, well supported, great time. Boy was I jealous...
DO NOT DO THIS RACE UNLESS YOU ARE A TRUE CYCLIST!.... or if you want your ass handed to you..... The riders are fast, it is hilly, and it is hot by the end. If anyone is keeping track, it should be obvious from my other posts, I don't take any of this that seriously, it was obvious I didn't belong here. With the exception of one very friendly newbie, who beat me by 28 minutes, the group was not exactly inviting.
Pros:
There was a waterstop at 10 miles that you pass 3 times, I felt like it was enough. There was also a med tent w/ water if you were desperate at the start/finish.
Jerseys for the winners, I don't know about quality since I sure didn't get close to one. The medals are cute with the little skeleton rider on it (I did get one of those since there were only two in my age group).
Food! Good food at the end, you just have to ride back to get it! There was a small spread at the race site with some stuff to refuel and a place to rest before heading back.
Showers, I've never had an event that offers a place to shower afterwards, really nice facility.
Cons:
There was a 5.5 mile ride to the start, which you also had to ride back after the race.
Some difficult hills, but one killer hill 10 miles into the loop. I saw a guy zig zaging it in my last lap. It was hard.
Okay, tri's and du's usually have a bike shop tent at the event to offer basic mechanical help before and after. There was nothing like that here. No one with the race/ride had a pump or anything to help. On rides I've done SAG usually has some basics to help, but this SAG was apparently around to only take you back.
Road hazards were well marked the last 3 miles, the other 11 miles were not!
Personal:
My goal was to finish in 2:30. I seriously believed I could avg somewhere in 17mph. My friend Amy and I drove the course before the start and I seriously considered changing to the ride. We got back barely in time for the ride out. I didn't want to huff it the not quite 6 miles to the race start, but I had to push a little to keep up with the group. The ride was looking more and more appealing. Then up rode Alice, she appeared at the moment I needed her to! I realized I was at the back of the group and had decided I might just watch the race start then go back and ride with my friends. Alice's small talk about all the men stopping to pee by the road helped me get my mind off the daunting task at hand. It was her first cycling race too. I wasn't the only first timer! I could do this!
The problem was I really couldn't, I was hoping I could keep up for most of the first lap at least until that killer hill at mile 10. I held in there for 4 miles, when the 65+ men showed up I got bumped out of line. Retrospect I should have kept pedaling and held my ground, by moving over and letting off to try and slide back behind the last guy I had already lost too much momentum to keep up, not that I would have made it to 10 miles anyway, but to have my confidence shot so early made the entire thing more difficult.
I could always see someone in the distance so at least I had someone to chase. I caught up with one guy half way through the second lap, we chatted for a minute about when we would be lapped by the guys doing 4 laps. Sure enough in the last two miles of the second lap, here they come swishing on by like I was standing still.
I dropped my chain on the decent leading to the hill up to the timing map. I coasted as far as I could trying to finagle it back, I got it, but then couldn't convince it to shift to granny gear so I still had to get off and fix it. I got to the timing mat and I'm not sure what got my attention, but I suddenly became very aware of my rear tire. It was definitely looking depressed. No.... you're just looking for an excuse to stop..... it's just your big rear weighing it down...... I can't get a flat.... I've never gotten a flat except in my driveway.... I can't have a flat....... I rode while my inner monologue continued. By the time I was 7 miles into the last lap I knew my tire was going flat if not flat already judging from the sound that developed. The more I thought about it.... Why bother getting off... I only have one cartridge. I've never used it before and I know I'll screw it up, which would just leave me to be sagged in. I've forced myself to continue each lap as much as I wanted to stop, I was not going to allow myself to be sagged in with only 7 miles to go.
Life was great when I crossed the finish, I headed straight for the watermelon I eyed going into the last lap. I didn't want to linger since my legs would just feel worse. I mounted my bike, looked down, sure enough my tire was flat. Silver lining, I got to sag back to the Simmons Center. Changed my tire, tried to use my cartridge and sure enough pierced it too early and wasted it. Good thing I didn't stop during the race to change it.
