Happy to not race
I spent a great deal of this winter, like the last couple winters, grinding away on the trainer and dreaming of racing. A little more effort here or there might pay off the next time I came to a particular section of a race, and sometimes visualizing that moment could help me push through what could be somewhat unpleasant. That was the carrot on the stick.
The forecasts all week called for rain and chilly temperatures, and race organizers were sending out emails encouraging us to sign up for what promised to be an epic event. The course is nothing new to most of us, as I cracked severely on it only last fall during the final stage of the Tour of Anchorage. The hilly circuit race isn't really my cup of tea, and it punishes us fatter guys with repetitive, punchy climbs. It hurts, even in the best of conditions. Add in the fact that wrecks happen with some regularity at various points along the course, and you start to get the picture. A little rain and cold just makes it that much more miserable, which I guess makes it all that more attractive to cyclists.
I loaded the car the night before, so I didn't have to wake up so early. I checked the weather report one more time, then turned in, secure in the knowledge that life was soon going to be unpleasant. When I woke up, a glance out the window revealed lots of little, white, wet flakes falling from the sky. I started digging out extra cold weather gear, finished loading the car, and drove the short distance to the race. I wasn't happy about it, but due to my pig-headed nature I was going to line up if the race was held.
I was met at the start by the race coordinator, who informed me that since there was a half inch of slush on the back side of the course, we would not be racing. It was an amazing relief. I've been fighting a cold all week, and this would have nearly killed me. The stuff falling from the sky wouldn't have been as bad as the stuff coming off of the roads, and we would have been soaked within a lap. As muscles got cold and wet, bike handling skills would have gone out the window, and wrecks would have followed. It's too early in the season to end it that way. The race crew did the right thing, and for that I'm eternally grateful. I certainly didn't have the sense to stay at home in bed.
Now it's back to the trainer and daydreaming about racing.
The forecasts all week called for rain and chilly temperatures, and race organizers were sending out emails encouraging us to sign up for what promised to be an epic event. The course is nothing new to most of us, as I cracked severely on it only last fall during the final stage of the Tour of Anchorage. The hilly circuit race isn't really my cup of tea, and it punishes us fatter guys with repetitive, punchy climbs. It hurts, even in the best of conditions. Add in the fact that wrecks happen with some regularity at various points along the course, and you start to get the picture. A little rain and cold just makes it that much more miserable, which I guess makes it all that more attractive to cyclists.
I loaded the car the night before, so I didn't have to wake up so early. I checked the weather report one more time, then turned in, secure in the knowledge that life was soon going to be unpleasant. When I woke up, a glance out the window revealed lots of little, white, wet flakes falling from the sky. I started digging out extra cold weather gear, finished loading the car, and drove the short distance to the race. I wasn't happy about it, but due to my pig-headed nature I was going to line up if the race was held.
I was met at the start by the race coordinator, who informed me that since there was a half inch of slush on the back side of the course, we would not be racing. It was an amazing relief. I've been fighting a cold all week, and this would have nearly killed me. The stuff falling from the sky wouldn't have been as bad as the stuff coming off of the roads, and we would have been soaked within a lap. As muscles got cold and wet, bike handling skills would have gone out the window, and wrecks would have followed. It's too early in the season to end it that way. The race crew did the right thing, and for that I'm eternally grateful. I certainly didn't have the sense to stay at home in bed.
Now it's back to the trainer and daydreaming about racing.
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