My lungs still hurt from the race on Saturday. We awoke to
blazing heat and hot winds whipping across the veld. As I was getting
oatmeal at the breakfast buffet, a race official came up. I commented
about the weather, adding the hope that it might improve. "Maybe it
will be alright."
"I don't
think so, but good luck anyway?" he replied, as South Africans do, making
all statements queries. He was right. 25mph winds combined with
temperatures near 100F turned the day into a convection oven on the rapid
dehydration setting. I took a bottle with sugar and electrolyte mix and
drank two bottles of water at the start. I thought that would be enough.
I knew there would be very little chance of getting on the podium. In
addition to the two women who beat me in the time trial, there was another
former pro from Italy at this race. So, my goal was just to stay in the
game for as long as possible. And, in the high winds, I knew it would
make my ride easier if I could have the benefit of drafting.
I started near the
front and at the first hill the leaders went easy. So far so good.
As the second hill approached, Jodee went out front! Cameras
snapped, she smiled and relished the feeling of flying on the front of the
pack! Then, on the next rise, the leaders attacked. Jodee and a few
others were gone. I hung on, but started dropping back. I could see some others
dropping off as well, and figured I could catch them and we could form a chase
group to get back. We did, although I had to spend quite a bit of energy
bridging. I sat in to rest for a while and only went to the front on the
descents so that I could be in a good position at the bottom of the climbs.
I was having a great time, waving to people, feeling the power of a dozen
strong women blazing across the sugarcane fields. On the climbs, I would drop
back and then have to work to catch up. But I was happy to be hanging in
there. I drank about half my bottle and was putting it back when it
dropped. Only half way into a 36-mile ride with almost 3000 feet of
climbing in these conditions, this was a disaster.
I stayed with them
for a while longer. Then, at the bottom of the last and longest climb,
Table Mountain, things started to break up. The leaders attacked and my
race was over. I looked down at my computer and just tried to keep my
power above 200. The climb was tough, and without water I was in fear of
cramping. As I rounded a corner, I saw a women spectator with a water
bottle in her hand. I pointed, begging and she ran after me and handed it
off. I was very grateful and drank it right down. There was a brief
moment when I felt a gentle tail wind! I began to hope that maybe I could
catch a few people on the descent to the finish.
The devil on the
veld had a different plan in mind. At the top of the mountain, it blew a
fierce crosswind that threatened to push me over. My bike began to shake
as I picked up speed. I envisioned the trip ending in a South African
hospital and refocused all my energy on staying upright. I had to lean
into the wind and ride to the right side, only to be blown back into the left.
At the bottom, I started cramping and had to ride in the last 200 meters using
alternate legs.
I was totally
spent at the end and chugged three bottles of water. Ann Marie was in already.
When Jodee arrived we all went to see Meg off on her race. Her race
was longer and the day had gotten even hotter. She cramped and crashed
into the sugarcane, loosing her pack, but she made it back in one piece.
As expected, there
was no podium for me, but I was satisfied that I did my best. Later there
would be nagging thoughts, (If only I had lost those 10 pounds, maybe if I had
pushed harder at the bottom of that hill, what if I had been more disciplined
training?) but I was able to let them wash over me and let them go. I
soaked my sore legs in the ice-cold hotel pool and later we made plans for a
balloon ride over the veld and a swim in the Indian Ocean the next day.
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