Another good night's sleep. Was freezing at breakfast though so I grabbed my porridge and ran back to the room with it. Waited to the last minute to leave as a group to ride to the equator. I wore my big rain jacket as it was so cold! It was only a few km. Those of us with GPS systems set them to 'navigate' mode to see exactly where the equator was - just about 10m short of the official sign!! Pretty amazing though - crossing the equator!! Lots of photos! Leaving winter and now in summer - don't think we are going to notice too much difference there though!
The race then started. Quite a few people badge out before me - and I keep an eye on Paul - he badges out and I follow suit. He is just ahead of me and then pulls over and stops to sort something out. So I slow up and get chatting with Matt. Dennis then comes flying by followed by Paul. Instead of reacting straight away which I should have done and a mistake I paid for for the rest of the day - I carried on chatting for a while before saying good bye to follow the other guys! They were a few hundred meters down the road. As soon as I got to the back wheel of Paul, Dennis decided to sprint off. Not feeling so great I had just used up all my sprint and all my energy in catching them over a short distance. So they now opened up a gap - I put my head down and tried to chase but they just seemed to get further and further away. I ended up completely on my own for the next 25 km, pedaling as hard as I could! Every time I looked up the gap seemed to have increased. The two of them were working together - I was on my own. It really makes a difference. It was killing me - just looking at the ground and pedaling as hard as possible. Exactly what I didn't need!
At about 25 km I caught up with Bastiaan who I knew would try and help. I was annoyed -so annoyed that I'd been left and annoyed they were riding so quickly. I couldn't understand why. Normally we set out steadily and even if you are a few minutes behind you cam easily catch up. Today that wasn't happening - I assumed they were just taking advantage of the fact and trying to lose me. I was riding as fast as I could.
Anyway Bastiaan realized the situation and immediately starts pushing. The two of us work together really well for the next 25 km or so. We were flying along at 40kmph. I keep thinking " I can't do this any more”. One thing I have learnt during this race so far is to suffer - way better than ever I could before. And I am suffering like crazy - but then we are going ridiculously fast.
Finally I see the group again for the first time since about 5 km. Getting closer and closer to them and feeling better - I know I am slightly stronger on the hills normally . Bastiaan doesn't like the ups so much - we are taking it in turns to lead. Both of us pedaling as fast as we can. Finally at about 50 km we get to a decent hill and he shouts out " see you later - good luck!". So I head off up the hill still trying to catch the group - so close but not quite there. I keep thinking I will just give up and let them go - but manage to keep going. I am battling with myself. My legs are killing and I am super tired - not sure how I am still moving. Just before lunch at 60 km I catch Tori and then Dennis. I roll into lunch, the guys are just stopping. I immediately hop off my bike and just stumble around, disorientated - I nearly fall over. Think to myself “OMG whats going on?” I can hardly breathe and can't talk. Realized I hadn't been drinking enough during the ride. I was in a daze - trying to figure out what I should be doing. Washed my hands ready for some food when I look up to see Scott walking back towards his bike - so I immediately turned round and hopped back on mine and off we go. I wasn't going to lose them having spent all day chasing to this point. Scott, me, Paul,Dennis and Adam. Dennis is trying to talk to me but I am too exhausted to reply.- amazed that this is happening. I keep riding, head down. I am angry. Angry that I missed the start, that I paused when I should have just left with the others but also angry that the group had started so quickly - racing full out from the go for no real reason.
Finally after about 20 km in the group sitting on the wheels of Scott and Dennis I recover enough and calm down. I knew that Paul was pushing, trying to take advantage of the fact I was behind. Anyway then I hear from Scott the reason the front group went so quickly was because the three new Kenyan riders were at the front and pushing the pace - straight from the off. And that is what I had missed by not being in the group. Any other day I would have caught them and it would have been fine!! Never mind I was there now and I was slowly recovering - I had a red bull which seemed to help a lot and gave me a boost - considering I hadn't had time for any lunch. So I started to feel better though still very annoyed and angry. However I knew that Paul had also had to chase all morning so must also be feeling pretty tired - he didn't seem like he was going to take any initiatives. Scott and Dennis were up at the front - so I surged ahead and took the front for a while and sprinted, hoping that would start Dennis off and he would also sprint and maybe we could tire Paul a little more. So I rode the front, sprinted and then dropped back and sat on Paul's wheel, hoping that Dennis would go but he didn't have it in him either. Scott took the front for a while and then Dennis and I sat at the back until I got bored and then sprinted at the front again. I was hurting but ok. It had been such a difficult day I thought I might as well go for it and get it over with. So I went up front and pushed a little bit more - I guess I really wanted to show everyone what I was made of! Anyway I hit the front and then dropped back behind Scott. The road was smooth and we were flying at about 35 km/h. When we saw the flag I did a little sprint to just before it and then pulled to the side to let them pass for the win. All in all it was a pretty awful day for me – seriously hard.
To be fair half way there I had remembered Kendra saying “Remember to look around while you are riding” No way!! I completely stared at the road in front of me today – in my drop bars – my lower bars – for the whole day. Going as fast as I could for most of the day. In the end I did about 100km in about 3 hours – that’s pretty damn quick!
The Finish flag was on the`road and camp was a couple of km down a little track to a great campsite on the river. In fact camp is like an Adventure Centre down by the water, with really nice grass for the tents. There is a bungee tower, which I did quite fancy but it cost $50 and I do plan to do the one in Victoria Falls and Cape Town so I figured I really didn’t need this one! Then it hit me – I was so tired!. I didn’t want to put the tent up yet as it gets so hot but I lay it out ready! Then had a sleep on top of it!! In fact after some local food – beef curry – I slept for a couple of hours, woke up and ate the TDA dinner ready for bed again!! That and the heat probably explains why I didn’t sleep so well that night!!
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