By Kalani Hines -- Dunnigan Hills Road Race (3) -- 08/15/09
ahh dunnigan hills... i have never done this race before. until... i get to registration and realize, huh, i actually did this race last year... hmm, thats kinda funny. oh yeah i completely cracked on that stretch that was like 70 miles of cross and head wind...
10 minutes easy warmup on the trainer...
talk to the squadra...
go to the line..
race starts... not too bad...
actually wait, this is starting to hurt...
the wind is picking up now isnt it...?
seriously? another roller into a headwind...?
ok take it easy, eat, drink, breathe... ouch... okay i am serious, this is making me a little uncomfortable. got to... try... to... con..serve... a bit...
i am really starting to remember that terrible stretch, its coming up, wasnt it like 120 miles or something like that...?
here it comes... i am actually starting to feel good!! yeah, for sure, no that stretch isnt so long. i can totally finish this race as long as i can remember to stay topped up and not burn my matches... a finish here most likely will result in a top ten!! just dont get caught behind the splits and i am golden. for sure i am not hurting as much as that guy turning purple right there or that pale-green guy vomiting over there...
k, a little bit more and we will finish this stretch, oh, there goes travis moving up. its time to get to the front, i feel a split coming...
breathe, breathe, breathe, keep digging, i am are moving up a little at a time. i think i am about in the top 1/3... totally going to make it!! i feel awesome, waaay better than last year! all those hard 4-5 hour solo rides are paying off!!! top ten here i come i know it...
BOOM!!!!
oh, wait, just kidding, i hit a pothole or something, dropped my chain..
excuse me guys, filtering through here, dont mind me just a freaking mechanical in the middle of freaking nowhere on probably the most decisive stretch in this race. buhbye race is leaving without me, at that pace and with this wind? turning into the headwind and rollers? ill never get back on, no freaking way...
i get off of my bike replace my chain to the chainring, watch the race leaving me. i get back on and lamely do 2 or 3 pedal strokes. useless. no way.
what the...
i totally recognize that oil processing machine.. and this side road.. would you believe it? i stopped literally within 10 feet of the same spot one year ago... and i remember how far the hot parking lot is....
enter explative here.. and another.. one more for good measure.. now kick something while in lycra outfit with teeny tiny velcro and leather shoes on.. now get really mad.. k now realize you just got mad with nothing but a bunch of bushes, trees, and an empty field for an audience.. stupid trees... are those birds smirking at me? is that squirrel getting smarmy over there? i hate squirrels... this sucks...
i really, really, hate this stretch of road... my least favorite stretch of road... EVER!! does it even have a name? does it really even go anywhere? it just lookes dumb. hey,look at me, i am just a dumb road that doesnt go anywhere. i am filled with thorns that pop everyones tires, and pebbles that keep kicking up into kalani's face. i am seriously never doing this stupid race again...
* @30 seconds later... i am totally coming back next year! i will finish well and drive to this little stretch after the race. spit on the road. phtu!! its going to be awesome, like mad max in beyond thunderdome... two man enter one man leave... you are so toast road! hahahahahahahahaha.... *laughing maniacally*