Sechelt to Langdale ferry terminal today, which means the Highway 102 descent to finish - heavenly. Woke up like Oscar the grouch today, whole body below the eyes felt like they were in a garbage can. However funny things happen. I got my bike out of the check, filled bottles and had breakfast. Went over to aquatic center for drying some stuff on hand dryers and washroom... it's handy that swimmers are up early.
Felt full and bloated after dinner and breakfast. Didn't feel good through a little warm up. The climb through the gravel pit was a shock to the system, went backwards.
Then somehow I dropped the boat anchor and just started rolling forward. Road section catch a couple. Get into singletrack climbs and catch a couple. Wait till guys dismount and slide by. Repeat. Didn't really stop... so fun. Just pick away at the techy climbs. One spot we come off a road into forest, that's usually ridden opposite direction by downhillers. So from their perspective, last bit of trail in the forest is 20 feet of big log with chicken wire on it, a 4 foot steep steep ladder, then say 10 foot dirt rollout. In reverse, it's not rideable by any means I can picture, partly cause the ramp is longer than a bike length to get a front wheel up, and partly it would need a lot of speed to pull it off. Doesn't stop buddy behind me from trying. He gets part way up, can't unclip, and just reverse rolls down the hill with a big thump flat on his back. Rolling up to it with good line of sight should have yielded better judgement, but I guess that's Darwinism at work. I got the awesome view as I was standing there putting my bike on the log. He had a 1% chance of showing me and the other riders what wimps we were, and a 99% chance of exactly what happened. At least I was ahead and it had no chance of taking me out. Rubber side was down today!
More steep climbs, just inched along and stayed on the bike. Talked with the guy who went down with me on the gravel road the other day. He's fine, we both said sorry for whatever that's worth. He now took his bar ends off which got entangled somewhere in my and my bike.
Got to the Highway 102 descent and let it fly. Super fun, kept passing. All good till a mix of sun and shade section where I didn't see a turn. I slow down, guy behind bonks into my derailleur. We backtrack but in 20 seconds a 6 guy group goes by. Pass a few back, but I can't power the little sections as my rear gears are skipping. Pull over to fudtz with it. Few more go by. Oh well. Got to the part with the sharp left off the steep downhill and the big log "up" to lunge up. Made that just fine, other than the "up" made me envision Monty Python sketch of arms ripping off torso to get it done. That was probably the weaker link than my hands on the bars. Rode with Mike Sarnecki and Mike Blennerhasset for last bit after that, they were midpoint of that group that went by when we were off. Didn't really feel the need to request a pass at that point so left it.
Roll into ferry terminal for what is likely one of my better days despite it not feeling like it. Would have been quite good if not for the derailleur issue. Fun anyway, and felt good just riding more reasonable.
Got tired of sitting in the hot parking lot so asked the schedule. BCBR girl said I couldn't go wait down in the ferry lounge. Ferry employee heard the exchange and said we can go on any one, so I walked down. Girl is yelling after me that I'll be abandoned without a ride. I was happy to sit in Lion's Bay cute little coffee shops and wait for bus, or take my chance at finding a ride. Funny. Abandoned is a strong word for an anglophone with a credit card in idyllic Horseshoe Bay. They mean well, but just stay with one script. Later it emerge's that Neal Kindree won and was the only guy who made the 10:50 ferry which is amazing. Gave $5 back to Manny the Namibian at the food truck so I didn't feel like a mooch from yesterday.
Anyway, finding a ride was easy, a French Canadian guy who used to do U of C triathlon club with Tori recognized me and has been volunteering instead of riding as he hurt his shoulder... go figure.
So the big issue is I'm doing nothing this race of what I've learned to do in the past. Don't do any of these:
1. Don't start with injury, as they perpetuate and cause others. Sort of like showing up with a well functioning bike.
2. Don't stay off the mountain bike for three weeks prior if you can help it, the little muscles all over the body atrophy.
3. Don't lack high end fitness as it helps to get to singletrack without bottlenecks off the start.
4. Don't ride a hardtail. They're great, but not at this race. Don't hammer screws - use the right tool for the job. Especially with 1 and 2 above. I wish I were able to sit and pedal on the flats better.
5. Pick the right tire for the job. I tried to, but made a mistake on the ones I picked up in Canmore. Then the rain and my shoulders scared me, so I went overboard (which I'm glad of), but don't start that way.
6. Don't fiddle around at aid stops. The glasses wash in nice on the mud days, or lick them and drive on. It's nice they have a half dozen food choices, but these are 3h days for the most part. I just need a bottle top up.
I know/should know all these things, I was just distracted by my shoulder I guess, and bike was in the shop. Written reminder to self for next races.
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