TeamBlue

Monday, May 19, 2003:

join me as we go pain caving.

all times Pacific Daylight Time, Friday 16 May 2003
noon. top of fluids and carbohydrate reserves.
12:15 decide to suit up
12:33 depart for course
12:50 arrive at course and realize the rear deraileur is not shifting down. upon examination the deraileur cable (which had been double checked to be whole the night before) has two frayed threads.
12:51 panic
12:52 roll up to the gary fisher tent to use their bike stand and see if i can ride the damn thing with a frayed deraileur cable
12:53 gary fisher mechanic finishes talking on phone, pushes me out of the way and replaces all rear cables and housing.
1:04 i giddily ride away, testing my new cable.
1:05 arrive at luna chix tent and borrow a trainer.
1:07 find a shady tree near start line and begin spinning legs in circles.
1:14 two other people have lined up on the start line. i decide its a good idea to be there rather than here in the shade.
1:16 fourth person to line up on the front row.
rolling
rolling
1:48 oh damn i have to pee
1:50 all trainers off the starting grid.
2:00 bang
2:03 get the hell out of my way
2:05 ok i like this pace
2:07 just riding pace, following my hrm, taking the lead.
2:08 and relinquishing said lead.
2:20 still climbing, still in the lead group
2:30 begin first descent, 5th wheel
2:33 frustration begins as fourth wheel isnt as fast as 3rd wheel
2:42 begin first full lap, in chase group
2:51 pain sets in
3:10 pain still setting in
3:20 pain still pretty well established and setting in to all major leg muscles
3:30 oh joy the pain will let up slightly as i descend
3:45 feelin good, go get 'em attitude as i begin final lap
3:45:21 fear as i drop my final bottle/clifshot while trying to put it in its cage.
3:45:27 coach katie comes through in the clinch picking up said dropped bottle and giving it back.
3:50 as i bridge up to 5th-7th places they surge and i get dropped again. pain has set up camp in my legs with lactic acid as his wingman
3:59 cant see anyone in front nor behind. they all must be hurting as bad as me.
4:20 just keep the feet going in circles, oh the pain.
4:30 sweet sweet descent wherever you are, come to my aide
4:35 gonna make it gonna make it gonna make it
4:40 hot damn its all down hill from here
4:43 riding like an 8-year-old girl on a pink huffy with a bannana seat and ape hangers with glittery steamers off the molded grips
4:50 hammer the flat like hell and dont get caught
4:52 left hammie cramps.
4:53 done. 8th.

doug // 12:26

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