eriksbliss

After more than a year of stewing about it, I hit the race course for the first time yesterday. The course was a mess. No conrcrete or grass sections. Half sand, half dirt roads that were often ankle-deep mud puddles from recent rain. The lengthy "beach section" was ridden by about half the group, but at my weight the bike sank into the surf/sand too far to ride. So, I carried or pushed my bike for almost half the course. Which was good, because from ten minutes in my shoes were so caked with mud and sand that I couldn't clip in. I went over my handlebars twice, once at 20 mph. I screwed up a dismount on the run and cut up my leg. And the race winner lapped me just as I came to the finish line, so I finished an embarassing and official lap down.

And, oddly, I'm anxious to try it again.

crossthreaded

Welcome! Sometimes it gets worse and sometimes it gets better. Thing is, you'll dig it either way.