This marks the beginning of my blogging thus the name Starting Line. Just read a post from my brother on a race he did yesterday and got me pumped for 2 things. 1 racing, and 2 writing down my experiences. Seams like life does the same thing day in day out if we don’t write it down. I guess what makes our experiences memorable is if we record it. So now I begin.
Today is my anniversary of 3 years. I love it, love my wife, love my Daughter (10 months old) Today is also Fathers day, and my first one as a Father. quite the experience to think of me as a father when she is 10, 16 or even 32. Things will change but I love her all the same.
I too had a race today and though I may not be in the same league as my brother and other Bike Racers, I was proud of my performance. I raced in the High Uintas Race, called over the top. Starts in Kamas Ut. up over the top in the Uintas to Evanston Wyoming. The raced stopped this time miles before Evanston due to construction but was one ride I was proud to have done. I was anxious and nervous the day before and eager the morning of. Jenny (my wife) told me to relax it was just a ride, just go and have fun. My response was “How can you relax when the line judge yells GO!!! and all riders jet off jockeying for position…. ‘ah you guys go on ahead, I’ll see you when we’re done’” is what one might say. NO Way!! You push and ride no matter what you have in you. This race started with about 6 miles of gradual up hill while we all stayed in a large pack. About 4 miles in the group of about 75 separated in to two groups. I was tagging on to the front pack feeling still anxious as I was trying to figure out how to drop my heart rate. It was at 155 when the guy said “riders go!” I wasn’t even peddling then. With that and me not really knowing what lies ahead and the thought of my brother in me was ‘Don’t get stuck in the middle alone’ This crossed my mind again at mile 7 when the group pulled hard up the first real hill. The groups are headed by a Lead car and a Lag car. In ours a Police motorcycle was behind me as I was the last of the group. When they pulled ahead and the motorcycle moved slowly around me I knew I was in for a long haul. Thoughts of “What the Crap am I doing” flowed in an this was now mile 8. 42 more to go and 30 of it all up hill, big ones I hear. I boosted my esteem by remembering my 2nd wind is usually quite good and just hang on till it kicks in. the remaining was grim but golden. I was mostly alone, 2 riders I rode with then they pulled away. The golden is that was all that passed me. I held on passing other riders from ours and other groups. The climb was long and steady. I like those, it’s the steep ones that are hard. I passed another guy and I asked him “Is this the Bear?” looking ahead as the climb steepend. He replied with a ” yeah, the start of it” Hmmm. Ok here we go. I kicked it in and felt the powerbar surge me energy. Lasted for a while, and felt good. Felt really good as the road kicked back to the left on a switch back where you could see the entire area you just came from. “Wow, I just peddled up that!” I thought. Judges were there giving us the .5 miles to the top. Got there no problem and BLAZED down the other side. Very cold, about 6 feet of snow up here. So going down was really cold. Beautiful day however. As I was BLAZING and while screaming out loud cuz I was alone, Yeeaaaahhhh!!!!! I remembered, there was another peak to climb. It’s all down hill from here is what I was thinking. This one more peak a guy told me I could do it in my big ring so not to worry, the worst was over. DON’T MESS WITH MY MIND. I wish I could yell back to him. My mussels were frozen at this point and the climbed kicked straight up. What whas he thinking big ring, Big Ring on the back maybe. Still on my own from way back there I peddled on. One more hill to conquer. I was always looking back to maybe get another rider to go with me. No one caught me and when I would catch another rider they were to slow, thus my catching him. Get it? Rounded the top and again began my Blazing. 55mph Blazing I might add. What a fast decent, and boy was I glad I had purchased new tires the night before. Still alone I blazed the wind as it graduated into a gradual downhill. I pushed hard against the wind caught another guy and thought cool, now we can work together in the wind and fly. I asked him if he would like to ride together and he said yes if he could only keep up. What was I left with but someone riding behind me for miles. Screw this I thought, I’m going on. Miles clicked away compared to before and the finish line came up rather quickly. I pushed that much harder and finished feeling good. Jenny was there to see me waiting for hours and just as I came over she was getting Adyson out of the backpack and barely saw me come across. I was really glad she was there. This can be liked to life… Sometimes we go do the work or things that are difficult and many times do it alone if your friend can’t be there, but it is sure nice to come home or finish the race with your best friend waiting there for you. This ones for you Honers! I love you! Happy Anniversary!
Philip.
