So at 2:45 this morning, my alarm went off. By 3:00 I was riding to the hotel where the race starts to get set up and have breakfast, by 4:30 I was in line with 400 other riders getting ready to embark upon this crazy race.
At 5:00 am, we rode in 400 person mountain bike peleton for about 5 km following a police escort, after about 5km, the police let us loose and the pack quickly split up into the packs that rode about the same pace. After another 10km on the highway or so riding some decently steep hills, we turned off on the first big gravel assent. I was riding in the middle of the pack and making decent headway, little by little making my way a little closer to the front. All of a sudden, my bike comes to a grinding halt and the wheel won't turn. With my mechaninal knowledge, I kick the tire. Still nothing. Luckily a mechanic was riding in the race just for fun (I know...) and stopped to help me out. He then called over 3 of his mechanic buddies to help free up my hub. After about 30 minutes of working on it, they got it back in fairly good condition, except that my wheel moved about half an inch in either direction to the side. No biggie.
When I started to ride again, it took me about 10 minutes to catch up to the second last person (I was the last), and thus began the real race. The rest is a blur of incredibly long climbs and the worst mud that I've ever cycled/pushed/hike a bike through. Everyone that I've talked to has said that that was the toughest day of racing that they have ever had, so I don't feel so bad.
I managed to finish up the 117km with a time of 11hours 30 minutes or something like that, and the cutoff was 12hours 30 minutes, so I'm still good!
I'm off to bed, as tomorrow sounds like another big day where 20% of the people don't make the 10 hour cutoff.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
So this morning I was having trouble dragging myself out of bed at 6:30 to ride to work. And then I though to myself, Ryan has probably been riding for over and hour already. Poor Bugger.
Around noon I was feeling lazy so I took a nap. When I woke up I thought to myself, "Ryan is still riding his bike!"
Good work buddy, I still think your nuts.
Safe travels Ryan! Enjoy the moment! (Felt better after your mom said that was not you with the beard!!!)hahaha Follow your dream! Keep Blogging for us old folks!
Nice work Ryno. Next time you need to embellish a bit. You know, "a hot bike mechanic appeared it seemed from nowhere and was suddenly joined by her 3 hot mechanic friends..."
The key to blogging is --> think beer commercial.
Again, well done and I agree with the king, u r nuts.
Great Job Ryan. I hear U of C has a wicked "Fix your bike while wading through 3 feet of mud while in the Jungle with only a frog and a stick" class through their distance education.... :)
You'll definetely make it tomorrow, you're crazy! Besides, we need to see some pics of you on the website.
Post a Comment