Where to start.........the weather wasn't ideal.....I didn't have exactly an ideal race but I hung in there to take 4th in the solo single speed category with 13 laps. A few laps from my projected 16 I had grand visions to obtain but a podium finish is a podium finish no matter how you get there in the end. It doesn't have to be pretty. The rain with the 40 mph winds stifled me a bit as I hunkered down after lap 4 to see which way it would go. Mentally I was heading south and at one point while I sat there Laura said to me "did you sign up for a 24 hour race?" I didn't even answer her as I was out the door without hesitation and pushing through the night. She was 100 percent correct. Nothing to say beyond that one comment. Done. Go. Get my butt moving. Suck it up buttercup. I had 6 laps at 12:05 am and should have been on lap 7 or 8. I was starting to beat myself up for being a wuss earlier in the evening. Nothing to do now but get to work and see how many laps I could crank out before it was over. I had some good moments and bad moments before it was said and done. I was wet, cold and nauseous at varying times but manged to keep it going. I had to change clothing a few times so my late night laps were not very impressive time wise. When daylight finally ascended on me Sunday morning I was happy to get out of the dark but it was still cold and windy. I had clawed my way back from 10th up to 6th at this point and had to keep the gas on to crawl into podium contention. I learned I was nearing 5th place and turned a fairly decent lap time on lap 11 to jump into 4th/5th place area . All I had to do was get through my 13th lap without any mishaps. I was thoroughly ecstatic with myself to get a podium finish as it has been 2 years for me to make it entirely through a 24 hour race without cracking. I kept to my game plan on not going out to hard and just riding my race without worrying about the others. At last the monkey is off my back.
Photos courtesy of Kiviok Hight and others. More pictures to follow as they trickle in from various sources.
Shawn Gregory taking top honers. Mike Melly in 2nd in black top. He usually wins this one.
One happy boy!
I had to take the Vassago out for lap 12 as the chain on the Airborne had loosened up and kept falling off. Lenny and Laura got her fixed for the next lap.
Pre race preparations.
My varied food table.
Adam and I prepping for race time.
Sunset in 24 hour town.
Dan Lehnberg working on the landscaping as Nate watches with a beer.
Adam resting pre-race.
Post race. I was tanked. Keevin Blue in the background.
Shawn Gregory taking top honers. Mike Melly in 2nd in black top. He usually wins this one.
One happy boy!
Pre race preparations.
My varied food table.
Adam and I prepping for race time.
Sunset in 24 hour town.
Dan Lehnberg working on the landscaping as Nate watches with a beer.
Adam resting pre-race.
3 comments:
Way to stick with it and get a podium.
Way to crush it!
Did you really drink that much Coke? I'd have diabetes after that much sugar!!
Carney...I had an 8 pack of small size (4oz?) cokes on the table and drank only a couple. I always have the variety cause you never know what you feel like eating/drinking during the race.
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