25 Sunday 19

Adoring and concerned Fans are holding a collective breath around the planet wanting to know if your correspondent arrived alive or in black plastic aka ‘body’bag.

SO HOW DID YOU DO ?

Well, yesterday I felt pretty good finishing and riding a strong race. Conditions were ideal and even optimal. I started at a fast pace as planned and kept going with it. I didn't seem to get tired and when I did I stopped for a brief rest.

I made three (3) stops for a total of 23 minutes again according to the race plan. I stopped for a couple of minutes to leak and take on water at the 30M Rest Area (RA) and right back.

RA 5 just before the ‘Hell’s Gate’ was a little longer for more water and sent out a status to Wicked Strong ground controllers. Final stop was at RA 8 which was 77 M and a certified party atmosphere. Loud reggae music made one (me) not want to leave OR come back after the ride to just hang out there.

But of course I didn’t.

As last year, the ‘fuel’ at this stop was the best, loads of volunteers passing out drinks, wet towels and spirit lifts.

I drank draining my on board bottle and filled it with fresh ice water as with the other two stops and got a disposable cup with ice water that I gave a healthy squirt of a concentrated K-Roget vitamin & electrolyte solution that was a real boost.

I also had a ‘fatty snack’ I carried in the form of a beef stick.

This ‘fueling’ allowed me to pass ALL of the remaining RA’s before the finish which was great.

Stopping was going to set me back just that much further and talk about NOT feeling it.

My time was 6:10 and crushed the 7 hour goal and shattered last years 7:23.

The average speed posted was 16.2 mph according to the chip timer and a little brisker pace and eliminating the stops I could have been under six (6) hours. I looked at my watch timer approaching the end and the thought of smashing six crossed my mind and hindsight says yeah, I should have pushed but fatigue was setting in, the wind was there mild for the first time and the pavement was rough none of which favored a kick finish.

I finished 27th in my age bracket and there were a total of 77 other older fools behind me so that was quite high I thought but still humbling to see that many still ahead but MORE behind.

S2 rode and he finished the 100 M with a very limited training and he was stoked at that.

There were some rock star moments as always.

This Mom had two young boys alone out in the street in Burkburnett as I was passing thru at a good clip and I saw them as they saw me.

I turned the bike towards them on a collision course turning at the last and flying past slapping the pair of outstretched little hands.

Waving at the spectators acknowledging the applause and cheers was cool too.

To them sitting watching all the bikes and riders are CONSTANTLY zipping by but for the riders it is just part of the scenery. A slightly different perspective.

So, going to take some time off from serious riding for a while and focus on other things like art and the fortress. Shows coming up, some repairs and maintenance tasking will be taking a higher priority that riding to the program.

That's for sure.