Saturday, June 14, 2008

Nature Valley Grand Bust

So if you have not figured this out, my blog is a place where I like to complain about my life that's really not bad, but I like to pretend things are a lot worse than they really are and bitch about them on the internet... so let my complaining commence!

The lesson I have learned is that sitting at races & watching, is way less fun than actually racing them. One of my least favorite feelings is feeling like I am the weakest link. Well that is exactly the way I feel right about now.. I was given an awesome opportunity to ride with a women's team for Nature Valley & just completely f-ed it up. The first day was a crit that was a total crash fest because of the poor weather, tight turns, man-hole covers galore, and the 140+ field of women squeezed on to the course. I managed to stay upright. But by the 10th lap of the 30 lap crit, I sat up because I seriously had trouble distinguishing the front of the field from the back as Kristen Armstrong lapped the field, crashes in every corner, and chicks just getting popped left & right. Luckily no one on Advil got hurt, the race promoters decided to not count this race as a stage, and I had another opportunity to grow some.

Next day, 65 mile road race with a finish that consisted of a 5 lap, 2 mile circuit. So line up on the 2nd line of the start (thinking sweet position today! I started about 3/4 the way back the day before which sucked pretty much) At 5:30PM, we're off! Until 20 seconds later when the lead car forgets to turn. The whole field turns around, now I am at the back. It's a bit of a chase to get back into the field. Once I am settled a bit, I check my Navigator and it's 110 arrow pointing straight down and the projected low is alarming at me. I think to my self, are you effing kidding me??? At the start of the race, I was 150, arrow pointing straight across. I start eating dex4 glucose tabs and drink gatorade. Ugh, the feeling of no power and like I am about to pass out starts to take over. After about 15 min I am totally dunzo... out! I get into the team car chug a coca-cola and feel like a total failure.

Pretty much this week sucks. What makes it even worse is I still have to stay with Advil until Monday when I fly out to Texas and I just feel like a waste of space that can't pedal a bike. I totally flew all the way to Minnesota to do maybe 30 min of racing total and now get to sit around for 3 days watching the chicks race and feeling like a dumbass. Yeahhhh, bike racin & diabetes!

Well folks, off to TX on Monday for some athlete days & racin, maybe I can redeem myself or I'll do something stupid again.. either way I'll be hangin with illegal immigrants and Lance in Austin! yeah!

2 comments:

BIGWORM said...

Hang tough, Morgo. I've got faith in you!

Anonymous said...

Moooorgaaaan!!!

You're awesome, and could probably beat me right now.

I'll train with you during winter break when I get back to the states, and you'll get super fast.