300K Brevet completed. The inaugural running of the Midcoast Maine 300K put on by the New England Randonneurs was greeted by unseasonably cold temps and rain in the forecast. It was a cloudy 43 degrees for the 5 AM start in Portland--the weather clearly scared some away since the group consisted of 4 team-kitted racers boys and one racer girl plus 6 normal randonneur types. I set off into a headwind with my friend Mike with worries about my new shoes which I only tested for 40 miles or so troubling my thoughts. The route covered many familiar roads and introduced me to some new ones--overall lots of beautiful riding that showcased my home region. At around mile 100, the cool but pleasant ride took a harsh turn when the cold rain began to fall. We expected rain with temps in the mid-50s, but it never climbed out of the low 40s. I was definitely a bit underdressed, and our lack of fenders made it difficult for Mike and I to ride close together. Our food stops were dragged out quite a bit, since it was hard to go back out in the cold. By the end, I was very chilled and shivering. Negotiating the night roads in the rain with car headlights reflecting off my glasses was a challenge and I'm really glad neither of us got a mechanical. We finished in 16:35--definitely my slowest 300K, but glad to have survived such challenging conditions. The last two finishers didn't roll in until midnight, and I think there were 4 DNFs. My new Lake CX328 shoes with Superfeet Carbon insoles worked really well to my great relief. Some periodic numbness in my R pinky toe, but hard to tell if it was cold or shoe related. I definitely learned the importance of carrying an extra layer just in case, especially if rain is forecast.
David