Wayback 6/15/2008 - Darkhorse Gallop
So this is the first part of my recap on the DH Gallop from 2008. Unlike the other races, I do remember this one to a point. Here's part 1:
It may be the beer talking, but here are te 2 best things to happen to me today. The second was when Fred and I were pre-riding and came up on a young, maybe 12 year old girl who was about to cry. She had tossed her chain so we helped her out and told her that if anything happened there was a *very* tall woman behind her named Ann and to ask her for help (I had introduced myself a bit earlier). We saw her after and she thanked us for helping her out.
The best thing was that my little girl, right after her bath, says to me, "Poop....toilet." So I put her on the toilet and for the first time ever she peed in the toilet. Ok so not a poop, but I was pretty psyched about that.
Part 2, the actual sort of recap:
A few minutes before bed so I'll throw out some thoughts. I don't really know what happened but I think a combination of just overdoing it in recent weeks, dehydrating myself doing a pre-ride, and going out way too hard blew my race totally apart today. The prologue was really fun but then after that everything was an endeavor in trying to manage my blowing up. I think my mistake might have been getting on the front of the line and going off too hard.
I found myself doing a lot of things I thought I had learned not to do, like cooking myself early and on the climbs then losing control on the downs and braking too much. By the end of the first lap I was feeling better but when we hit the fire road climb I was dragging ass again. I was just trying to hold on by this point. I'm sure by then I was way dehydrated.
The second lap was really up and down. Sometimes I'd feel good, other times like shit. I cleaned that big hill in the middle even though I was feeling like junk, but after that I had little left. I found it hard to pass anyone, to gain ground anywhere. At the end of the lap my calves both cramped up. The last fire road climb was like going up a 90 degree wall. I was probably doing about 6 mph. 2 guys passed me with about 50 yards to go. I watched them go and had absolutely nothing to give. Kinda sad.
Pretty demoralized after this one. Like Fred and I were talking about after the race, it never seems like you have your best ride when it's race day. But today I had about my worst on a course I should have done well on. So it goes.
It was a good day seeing everyone and I have a new t-shirt and pint glass from Mike who ran the race. Plus I got to hang with Fred all day.
I specifically remember blowing up early. Then I guess after that everything else fades from memory.
It may be the beer talking, but here are te 2 best things to happen to me today. The second was when Fred and I were pre-riding and came up on a young, maybe 12 year old girl who was about to cry. She had tossed her chain so we helped her out and told her that if anything happened there was a *very* tall woman behind her named Ann and to ask her for help (I had introduced myself a bit earlier). We saw her after and she thanked us for helping her out.
The best thing was that my little girl, right after her bath, says to me, "Poop....toilet." So I put her on the toilet and for the first time ever she peed in the toilet. Ok so not a poop, but I was pretty psyched about that.
Part 2, the actual sort of recap:
A few minutes before bed so I'll throw out some thoughts. I don't really know what happened but I think a combination of just overdoing it in recent weeks, dehydrating myself doing a pre-ride, and going out way too hard blew my race totally apart today. The prologue was really fun but then after that everything was an endeavor in trying to manage my blowing up. I think my mistake might have been getting on the front of the line and going off too hard.
I found myself doing a lot of things I thought I had learned not to do, like cooking myself early and on the climbs then losing control on the downs and braking too much. By the end of the first lap I was feeling better but when we hit the fire road climb I was dragging ass again. I was just trying to hold on by this point. I'm sure by then I was way dehydrated.
The second lap was really up and down. Sometimes I'd feel good, other times like shit. I cleaned that big hill in the middle even though I was feeling like junk, but after that I had little left. I found it hard to pass anyone, to gain ground anywhere. At the end of the lap my calves both cramped up. The last fire road climb was like going up a 90 degree wall. I was probably doing about 6 mph. 2 guys passed me with about 50 yards to go. I watched them go and had absolutely nothing to give. Kinda sad.
Pretty demoralized after this one. Like Fred and I were talking about after the race, it never seems like you have your best ride when it's race day. But today I had about my worst on a course I should have done well on. So it goes.
It was a good day seeing everyone and I have a new t-shirt and pint glass from Mike who ran the race. Plus I got to hang with Fred all day.
I specifically remember blowing up early. Then I guess after that everything else fades from memory.
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