lucky thirteen


thirteen minutes and forty seven seconds...

I could spend days playing back the course in my head
easily finding ways to cut off thirteen minutes and forty seven seconds from my race to put my time bellow eleven hours
but why bother
such things will not change my actions of that day
and sadly
learning such things would more than likely not change my action on the days to follow

thirteen minutes and forty seven seconds...

maybe I did not need to change my clothes sock, shorts, shirt, and gloves at both aid station two and aid station five
but I did... and well... a change of socks gave me a short period of fresh feet
not fresh legs... but fresh feet... a short span wihtout hot spots on my feet

maybe I hugged my boys too many times at aid station four
or was that aid station three
either way
my boys wanted to share in the moment
and I wanted to steal some of their energy
so when grant wanted to take a bite of my p b and j
well... he got it
and I most certainly shared my swedish fish
when dean jumped into my arms
did I say... no... daddy is tired... I do not want to hold and carry you
no... I just took in the energy and enjoyed the hug
the process was repeated several times
each time it repeated itself there was no complaint
my wife gave me a great proud smile and she got a salty sweat filled hug and kiss
then once the bike was back and ready for the trails I had to show my boys the photo of them on my stem
no... that is not a place to cut corners... that is a place to return to again

no...
I can not go back and get off my feet and on my bike where I should have ridden
it is too late to put that chain in the middle ring and step out of the saddle
no reason to think about this stuff
even the downhills that could have been taken faster
well... I have to respect my choices
I was smiling and I was rolling
so no worries about maybe going faster

no...
it is too late to try and figure out the physics of it all and factor in the same input of energy (watts?) if I had been fifteen pounds lighter
no... it is too late
it is too late to try and do a few longer rides
or even a few more rides pulling the kids on the trailer

thirteen minutes and forty seven seconds

no need to worry about that time
as breaking eleven hours was really an arbitrary number
I really wanted to get out on my bike and race and ride as fast as I could
as well as ride as fast and fun as I could
all the while being smart and safe

I achieve my goal
my primary goal

I will not go on about this being my 13th race (lucky 13)
nor my turning 40 last month
as none of that stuff adds up to anything

are you sick about hearing about the shenandoah mountain 100?
shenandoah mountain 100
story in Harrisonburg Paper on the 100
story by Sue George in Cycling News
(sue george missed this 100 this year, having raced in the previous 8 SM100 she had been the only woman to compete in each and every 100 since its beginning)