I’m finally home and attempting to blog. Hmm, what to say? First, you must understand why I was as grouchy as a bear with a thorn in its paw today. Yes, I was irritable, but with good reasons.
The main culprit is abdominal pain that developed after Saturday’s race. When I arrived at my friend’s house, I started having these attacks that nearly doubled me over in pain and gave me chills. I had persistent pain in my lower stomach throughout the evening. The result? A restless night with hardly any sleep.
So there I was on a perfect day (when I should have been mountain biking) with my friends. But things started to feel off. I noticed, heard, and got reports that some of my friends were being treated disrespectfully at the MVC race venue. We non-road riders need the same respect as everyone else. If it seems we’re not taking things seriously, it’s because we’re just having fun. But I’ll stop there.
Despite the pain and the negative attitudes, good friends and fellow racers outnumbered the few unpleasant ones. So, just start the race, have a good ride, and enjoy a great cross course, right?
Oh yes, the course… It was another fantastic creation by Geoff. It featured a long pavement section for the power users, but that was the only flat part. The loop began with a dive around a corner through a short sand section, then zigzagged around the Helena High parking lot. The fun parts were the short, tough grassy climbs, great off-camber grassy corners, and two sets of long stair run-ups. This course brought a new kind of pain to the race, but it was a good kind.
I started slow, given the sharp pain I felt when running. Although I was suffering, I heard supportive comments from friends, which I initially misunderstood as criticism. They encouraged me, and I tried to ramp up my efforts, but soon I hit my limit and began to slow down. Despite my struggles, everyone’s shouts of encouragement kept me going.
On the last lap, I wanted to give my best effort, but my new shifters broke, leaving me with a poorly functioning single-speed bike. The finish line was on the flats, and I had to pedal furiously to maintain my position.
That was the last straw, and I was furious. I tried to fix my bike for a cooldown ride but to no avail. I packed it up and headed home, stopping for burgers with the team. On the way, I listened to the Two Johns Podcasts, reflecting on the beautiful day despite the bad luck.
Now, I’m here, drained and achy, ready for bed. If I can’t sleep, I’ll see a doctor tomorrow. With the State Championships next weekend, and my health and bike in question, I might resort to mountain biking.
Boneshakerbike 
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