Do or die

The title refers to my weekend experience. I had not fully recovered from illness but yet trained normally throughout the week. I normally scale down my workouts but due to the great weather, I ignored my usual protocol;this proved to be a grave mistake.

Saturday agenda-beat the heat duathlon

The deck was stacked against me. I was not at my best, & worse, I couldn't sleep with the loud music being played my someone a block south celebrating somebody's birthday the night before. People like to ask me how am I going to do prior to a race. This is when conditions come to play. Both the internal (sickness) and external (wind, rain) were antagonists. It was very windy all day & will affect a non-avid cyclist, like me, greatly. As soon as a race official said go, it began to drizzle. First run leg, I was in 7th place but by the transition, the signs of illness began. Midway through the bike leg, I felt dizzy, tired & nausea & wisely stopped to recover somewhat. After approximately a 2 minute delay, I finished that leg then struggled to complete the final run. I was in so much pain, I felt like I was going to die but yet had the desire to do (finish). I started by walking (1st time ever for me) then picked up the pace slowly;I actually passed somebody before finishing the event. I wanted to at least salvage the event since I do not like not finishing what I started. Despite all that, I managed to be the 2nd 40-44 person, who did not place in the top 3 overall, to win. However, since the race directors allow double dipping, I am classified as 3rd &, unfortunatly, my plaque states that too. Can you believe the one who won the race was in my age group? Just my luck.

Sunday agenda-Homestead speedway century ride

Not a race, but still a challenge. I met up Caroline, sole female of the 5k 5 person team that won last year at Palm Beach 5k & member of the 4 person marathon co-ed relay of this year's marathon of the Palm Beaches do to the metric century (62 miles) ride. Also, cyclist of Du Tri Harder (JJ) was there with a cycling buddy; they elected to do the full century (100 miles). We all started & rode together for about 5 miles before those two felt the need for speed. After all that happened to me & the fact that this was not a race, after we crossed US 1, I wished them good luck & stuck to my original plan. We (CM & I) rode, more or less, together to 1st rest stop, where remarkably, I saw JJ. She took off again with partner while I wound up being a windbreaker (lead cyclist while others draft) for caroline & others. When it came time to switch, no one stepped up as promised. On the way to 2nd rest stop, JJ's partner was on the side fixing a flat but she wasnt there. When we reached the stop, I saw her again. She hung out there for him but before I left, I challenged her to catch me before the next stop. On the way, I saw her friend heading toward the stop I just left. Amazingly, I got to the final rest stop without being passed by my teammate. CM & I discovered we already finished 62 miles but yet had not completed the event;it seems the course was not measured correctly. We completed the ride, even though it was 5-6 miles longer, by about mid day. Yall know I was gonna do this despite what happened the prior day;I am crazy like that. Oh, by the way, those two who were gun-ho on the full century wised up & did what we did;you could say they wimped out. We (CM & I) were behind them most of the way but finished in front of them, despite their speed. I knew from the get go that i'd be challenged plenty with those high winds in effect. Had it been a calm & cool day, another 40 miles wouldn't faze me.