Running on Empty

Why are fast days always so slow?

I survived the Yom Kippur fast, as I always do.  It usually ends up being abou 27 hours of no food or water for me.  Services started at 6PM on Friday.  I like to arrive at least an hour early so I can make sure everything is in order.  So we sat down to eat our final meal at 4ish.  By the time we got home from services at the conclusion of the holiday and sat down to eat again last night, it was approaching 8.  My challenge was to load my body with as many easily digestible carbs as possible, to rehydrate, and to replenish my depleted electrolytes because, the genius I am, I registered for a bike race for Sunday morning.  I didn't want to arrive at the start line completely running on empty.

This morning I raced the Cobbs Hill Cyclocross Race.  If you aren't familiar with cyclocross, google it.  It's a blast.  Cyclocross races are ridden, usually, on specialized cyclocross bikes.  At a glace, these bikes look like road bikes with wider, knobby tires.  But there are more subtle, yet significant differences.  For example, on many of these bike the underside of the top tube (that which you stand directly over) is often flattened.  Why, you ask.  Because flat is more comfortable on the shoulder.  Why should it matter how comfortable a bike is on the shoulder, you ask.  Good question.  Cyclocross races are often held on grassy field, hence the knobby tires.  But what makes these races particular unique are the obstacles that cannot be passed while riding a bike.  So, at full speed, riders jump off their bike and hurl themselves over barriers and up steep, loose, muddy inclines, often while shouldering their rig.

You see, I don't have a cyclocross bike.  Yet.  To give you an idea of the extent of my genius, I decided it would be fun to ride this race on a single-speed mountain bike with cyclocross tires mounted on the rims.  That's right, 1 speed.  I thought long and hard about the size gear I would run.  I didn't want to run too small a gear because that would limit my speed in the flat and downhill sections, and because I was the only idiot riding a single speed bike, that would put me at a great disadvantage.  I didn't want to run too big a gear either.  Too big a gear hinders acceleration and because CX courses are twisty and turny, acceleration is key.  Also, too big a gear would make pedaling up the hills too difficult, possibly causing my heart rate to red line, or worse, make pedaling up the steeper hills physically impossible.

Off I go on my practice lap.  Taking a shart left turn out of a short wooded section of the course, I leaned a bit too hard and nearly rolled my front tire right off of my rim.  I lost half of the pressure in my tire and a bit of tire sealant, but I managed to find a pump before the start of the race.  I was relieved when I was able to pedal the entire way up the section of the course that took riders partially up the steep face of Cobbs Hills, though it took everything I had while standing out of the saddle.

Waiting for the race to begin, the official called riders to the line by name, one by one, based on the order in which they pre-registered.  I was first, meaning I registered first.  Shock...  I asked the official if that meant that I get a headstart.  I didn't.

3...
2...
1...
GO!!!

I went.

I had a mediocre start, largely because I was stuck with one gear and couldn't spin my wheels up to speed as quickly as everyone else, all of whom were riding fully-geared rigs.  Nonetheless, I managed to stay in the front half of the group.  I got up to speed and I started to make up a bit of ground.  Towards the end of each lap, as I passed my small cheering section, Rachel and our two girls, Talia and Elly, I was recharged by their enthusiasm.  On lap two Rachel shouted out, "You're top 10".  I was shocked, honestly.  With the limitation of my single-geared bike and the mere fact that I had fasted while everyone else was hydrating and carbo-loading, I had no expectations for this race.

I was caught in no-man's land for laps 2 and 3.  I was riding alone.  Then, heading up the big hill in lap #4 I was surprised to see several rivals ahead of me within striking range.  That was enough motivation to push my heartrate out of the 170s range and into the 180s.  Over the final lap and a half, I managed to catch and pass a couple of riders, just missing one more guy at the line.

Crossing the line, I was completely satisfied with my finish.  I rode the race last year but I was not in race shape nor was I in the mood to suffer, so I finished very close to last.  This year I was motivated to test my fitness.  Additionally, a season of mountain bike racing did wonders for my bike handling skills and my confidence, so I was able to take the tight turns and the descents at speed.  I didn't stick around to find out what place I secured.  I had bigger and better things to attend to- Elly's 5th birthday party and one giant piece of cake.  Call it retroactive carbo-loading!