12 Hours of pain....well maybe 5...

12 Hours of Pain? Ok how bout 5?
Jeeze...I don't train nearly enough to do a race like the Rapture in Misery...
Next year I do the 6 hour.
I do have pictures up. They are here.

I got up and got in a hurry to get there on Saturday morning. Didn't really feel like I was prepared but I never am so I over looked it. Got to the race site and checked out the Trail run race that was going on that morning. Quite a few people and they all looked like they were having fun. I don't know how...running is torture to me. Set up my pit area that I was sharing with Emily. About the time I finished setting up I was already annoyed with the people that I set up next to and wanted to move. Once Emily and TS arrived that is exactly what we did. Moved down the row to where Em is usually sets up at. Better spot. Right next to the "unofficial" Bike Source team of Hunter, Kyle, and Blake. Much better spot. I got busy lounging around and almost wasn't ready for the start...oops. Did the Le Man's start and hopped on the bike. At the first climb things were already backing up. 150 people all trying to cram into the single track at once causes some delays. Ran trough the back up and hopped back on and powered up the climb. I was feeling really good, but it wouldn't last. During the first lap I had another racer ask "Are you going to ride this fast for 12 hours?" I wasn't sure how to answer. I didn't feel like I was going fast. Just riding zeke pace. I tried to back off a little during the 2nd lap worrying that if they were right I would never make the 12 hours. But when you are on a single speed you have to keep some speed to keep your momentum for climbs and obstacles. I powered through 3 laps (I thought 4) and took what I was afraid was too long of a pit. I was having lots of noises from my bike so I really needed TC (my pit bitch for the day) to check it out. I hopped back on heading out to what I thought was lap 5 (turns out I was only on lap 4...that sucked to discover) I wasn't even 5 miles in when I hopped off a little drop (maybe a foot) and got a little side ways. The front wheel hit the ground turned and the tire started to roll, the rim was on the ground sliding, the wheel just folded over. It happened really fast. As the wheel folded I endoed over the handle bars in the trunk of a waiting tree. Slamming in to it right shoulder first (doesn't this story sound familiar?? I just did this exact same thing a couple of months ago). I am pretty sure I was laughing before I hit the ground. As I lay there giggling on my back off the trail I hear the gal who was riding behind me say "Oh my gosh. Are you OK?" Yeah I am fine. I just feel stupid. "Well I don't think you are going to be able to ride your bike any more." My first thought was: "what is wrong with me that she sees that I don't feel yet?" But it wasn't me. It was the bike. I rolled over and sat up looking over to where my bike lay in a crumpled pile. The front wheel was tacoed...so much that it wouldn't spin through the front wheel. Well shit. Ok. Since I know there is not saving that rim I tried to "trail fix it". As in I pulled it off the bike. Hung on tightly to the rim and slammed it in to a tree a couple of times. The idea being to bang it straight enough to ride not walk back to camp. I gave it 3 or 4 pretty good whacks that appeared to do nothing. The I went to turn the axle and noticed that it was locked up as well so I wouldn't be able to ride it any way. Oh well. I trudged off down the trail, wheel in one hand, and bike in the other. Got lots of riders passing asking if I was OK and being amazed by the condition of my wheel. At this point I knew my shoulder hurt but my jersey was intact (very happy about that) and I didn't bother looking for a while. I walked about a mile until I came to a spot where two sections of the course ran side by side in different directions. I wasn't really sure which way would get me back to start finish faster. I could hear the music at start finish and then a racer went buy and I asked if I was going the right way. I was so I kept walking. I came stumbling down the hill into the pit area with a big smile on my face. Everyone was amazed by the wheel. I pealed off my jersey to check out the shoulder damage. All superficial. It is bruised more than anything. But I figured my race was done. I cleaned up a bit and opened a beer. Changed out of my kit in to shorts. TC was making me some rice for some chow. I ate up quite a bit. He pealed off after that. Figured if I wasn't going to need any more help he would go hang with his wife before he had to be back at the fire station the next morning. I wandered around the race site. Shot the breeze with lots of people, drank some beers. Ron had a great area set up with a giant fan and a home made margaritas machine. Its a Igloo water cooler on a stand. a whole cut in the bottom gives access to the garbage disposal that is the blender. You dump the ingredients in the top, flip the switch, it grinds the ice, mixes the liquor, and then you pull the lever and hold your glass under the spicket. Nifty and the drinks taste great!
I was getting late. Emily was still riding well. She actually broke off her seat post at one point. She had to ride with out a saddle for a bit. When she got back in TS swapped out posts and got her back out for her finial lap. She picked up 2nd.
I am not sure who won or placed. I was beat and my shoulder hurt so I bailed out right before the awards began. I got home about 1 AM showered and crashed out. Today my shoulder is pretty sore. But so are my legs and my back. Very happy that I came home instead of sleeping there in the van. Full results should be up soon at the Heartland site. Check them out if you want. There should be a big DNF next to my name.
Next year unless I really get some training in I am only doing the 6 hour solo. I was cooked after 3 laps which is not a good sign, plus I was way off the pace. The guys that placed in the 6 hour solo all did 6 laps. I was way off target. 6 laps was my goal for the 12 and I barley make it 1/2 way there. I am actually happy that I crashed out. It saved me the embarrassment of having to quit. Which I would have had a hard time doing so the crashes later would have been worse.
Oh well, that's racing. Pro racer from Gary Fisher, local boy done good, Cameron Chambers was on hand. He was using it as a warm up for the up coming 24 Hours of Landal next month (on my birthday no less). I haven't seen the results but I would guess that he won. (I should hang out with Cameron...maybe I can meet Willow...she is a cutie or any of the GF gals for that matter.)

My next race is supposed to be a 3 hour marathon off road race called the K.C. Cup on the same trail as RIM. I don't know if I will actually be able to ride or not. Kind of depends on that morning. I am working a Tri that morning and the tentive plan is to go straight over to the race and ride after. We will see, I am sure I will tell you guys about it if I do.