Madison-Basco-Madison

The week leading up to this race was filled with doubt and wonder. Would my single speed cross bike make it all 100K? would i have legs to ride 100K? did i really sign up to race my longest off road race, and my longest single speed race this fricken early in the season? does this finally prove i have lost all my marbles? (i mean i figured i did when i quit my job to be poor and back in school, but this might be the official flag that signify my leap over the edge.) To late, so off i went

Friday night was spend at Amber's apartment, the girl friend of Jason, my friend and only other Wisconsin member of Half Acre. It was a nice relaxing night of pasta and being geeks about our iphone, yes all 3 of us had iphone. its a good think i had mine because Amber told me i wouldn't be my friend if i didn't have one... i hope she was joking. This was also the first time i met Scout, Amber's rabbit that had free run of the house. She was nice, and we bonded surprisingly nicely. After a night of restless sleep i woke at 6am, thanks jason! (i enjoy sleep and normally wake shortly before i need to leave, not 2 plus hours early.)

The morning of the race went pretty quick, a toasted bagel thanks to Amber (she was like a mom away from house) and off to the start with Jason. after checking in and getting our sweet ass H8terville water bottles we headed back to the car to debate what to wear. I choose my Pink Floyd Darkside of the Moon jersey, a pair of black bibs, underarmour winter longsleeve mock turtleneck, underarmour winter hat, and some old school Planet Bike winter gloves, with a pair of SixSixOne gloves in my back pocket just in case i got too warm. (i choose not to wear my jersey knowing that i was going to suffer horribly, and i have too much respect for our kits to suffer like that in team kit, plus it wasnt an official race so i choose dark colors to keep me warm in the 50ish degree weather.) I believe i only saw one other person wearing only bibs, ie no knee or leg warmers or leggings of any type.

After the standard meet and greet, we were told the order of business and head out for our 100K race, this is where i should say it was more like 50miles, the head of the race cant count i guess. After a short lead out for safely, and a very loud tired blow out we were off. After the blow out someone asked if it was a gun shot, to which Jeff Kao said, "if you live in chicago you KNOW that wasnt a gun shot." back to the race, the lead out was short, but the lead out was mainly to control the few who believed they had a chance at winning, ie it was not for me. after a mile of nice even clean pavement we were off to the "unfinished" part of the course/trail. they call it unfinished, i call it hell. think of single track thought a farmers field, on an over geared single speed with no suspension while scraping your legs on very bush possible. now repeat for about 8 miles! After about 6 miles i took off my winter hat and switched gloves. i was working up a good sweat and didnt want to over heat yet.

once the trail hit the crushed gravel/limestone it was nice, i grouped up with a few people, but was feeling really demoralized and seriously debating on turning. i know at some point i would run into the tunnel, but i seemed like forever. But hitting that tunnel was the best thing, mentally and physically that could have happen to me. it was dark, cool, and slightly damp, it was nice i would have love to explore that tunnel some more, but it was a race. I must say that my newly purchased Planet Bike light, i got just for this race, worked wonderful!!

after the tunnel it wasn't long before the turn around, and the 10ish mph head wind the whole way back. The way back had a twist, instead of going back thought the tunnel, you would ride the mountain stage of the race. it was a series of uphills that sucked on a single speed. i ended up walking part of the hills in an attempt to save the legs some. than back to the trail for the ride back.

I finally got in a groove and started slowly caught people, place didn't matter but i was just tapping out a steady rhythm on the pedals. I came upon Jeff Kao, and Jamie (unknown last name) fixing Jamie's flat, so being a good friend i stopped and offered help. as he was changing his flat we started talking about all the flats we had seem that day, i counted about eight. he finished his change we were off again. three miles later i got my flat, a slow leaker in the front. but again jamie and jeff stopped to help me, karma can be a good thing!

back on the bike and off we set, the three of use ended up slowly separating, regardless how much we tried to stay together. in the end we just split up and finished the race on our own, with me being the farthest ahead, still just tapping out a rhythm on my pedals. this is when the mind starts to wonder, like singing "just keep pedaling, just keep pedaling", to a song for Finding Nemo, you know the song i mean, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming!" the mind also wonders to better things like attract female you know, some of your past, some of the present, and the wonder of the possibility of some in your future. and other random things like umpa lumpa taking over the world.

The final part of the race had to be the hardest, it was back to the unfinished section, on tired legs and with a tired body. I did my best to tap out a rhythm a slow slow slow rhythm, but a rhythm that kept me going. finally back at the start i fell over and laid on the ground and attempted not to cough up a lung. after gaining all my strength i rode/walked/hobbled to the car and changed, than back to the start of the raffle. i ended up winning a pint glass, but i was happier on the ground sleeping than i was to get the glass. (i was one tired puppy)

after the raffle i head back to Amber's with Jason to shower, rest, and get some SUSHI!!!!!!! i had not had real sushi in, well ever so this was going to be a treat, and it was! it made my trip so much nice on the way home.

more training this week, and the slow start of a diet. i need to go buy healthy food to have in the house before starting a diet, it would have made this week more successful and cheaper. more than likely i will do the madison crit this weekend and pass up the mountain bike race. until next time


PS as a side note, Jason killed me by about 45 minutes in the race. he was a beast and a monster on the bike, i predict a good year for him, he is stays health.

PSS i owe Jason and Amber a huge thanks, for letting me hangout the night before the race and taking me out to sushi afterwords. and to Scout for letting me not sleep in a cage while you ran around the house.