I didn't get accredited through any professional society or go through years of school to get initials tacked on to the end of my name. Nope, all I had to do was personally blow up on the Rocky Gap Duathlon course...
The weekend started off perfectly. Slept in on Saturday, rolled to Frederick to coordinate plans with my parents, got to Rocky Gap in record time, pre-rode the 7 mile bike lap, showered, napped, dinner, nap, snack, sleep.
At 6 am on Sunday, I woke up with nary a problem, showered and hit the transition area, which was basically right outside my window. Is this perfect or what?
I ran into some old friends and prepped my personal TA space. I stretched, fueled up and was ready to roll out. I prepped pretty well for this race between adventure racing, mountain bike racing and marathon training...I thought the moons would align for this event.
The gun went off and the Duathletes hit the first 3 mile run course. At mile two, I logged a 7:44 and 7:47 split...and this course was silly hard. And then, "down went Frazier". I clipped a root and hit the terra firma with extreme prejudice. I popped up with scrapes and bruises, which didn't affect me...but my heart rate was spiked to an astronomical number. At this point I tried to regain composure, but I just couldn't find that groove. I fell twice more and tweaked my already hurting ankle. I hobbled home to the TA with a 33 minute three mile...horrible. 17 plus minutes to regroup/hobble/walk/run back to the TA...blah...makes me sick to my stomach. Bye career day.
My mentality shifted from race to enjoy - if that's even a remote possibility. I hopped on my bike (note: seat tube at the top tube was cracked, so I slammed the seat post down to apply more rigidity to the tubing) and it felt refreshing to be on the ol' rig. I caught some of my group and knocked out the first loop with no problems. My calf was cramping a little from the ankle compensation on the run and I felt the initial twinges of an inner thigh cramp due to the low seat post height.
I was really starting to question whether I should continue or not. I gave the pirate throat slash sign to my parents as I entered the TA, thinking about calling it a day. But, the competitor in me wouldn't allow for it. I went out for the second bike lap and I actually caught up to the field I was running with. It felt great knowing I made up this ground, but with about two miles left in the ride, a spectator got in my way on an uphill section and I had to hop of the bike. CRAMP, CRAMP, CRAMP. After yelling explicatives at this person with a crowd of youngsters around (I never signed up to be the poster child), I hobbled a couple hundred feet to the aid station. I tried to stretch it out and even hopped back onto the bike, but my day was done. I pulled the cord and recorded my first DNF.
It is haunting me today. I don't quit. But I've never been in more pain. I wanted to reach the finish line for my mom. She came to watch my first real event and I wanted to give her something special, but those damn "moons" didn't align the way I thought they would.
Well mom, pop and RideCam readers - you better make reservations for next year, I'm gonna put on a show. Time to avenge my DNF.
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