The Seldom Killer (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ill_prezidante) wrote,@ 2009-04-17 13:00:00 |
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Out on the course at last. Cue the fiasco.
I arrive at the HQ a bit later than expected and due to the rain and general misery of the evening I rashly plump for the empty #2 slot. Then as I mooch back to the van to get changed I see the starter loading his signs into the car and head off. Suddenly it's a disorganised rush to get changed, check the tire pressure and spin out to the start, on a bike that I can't ridden since I reconfigured it. In fact I haven't ridden fixed for two weeks.
I roll up to the start line as the #1 is pulling away so I'm lining up my wheel with barely any time to spare and as the pusher grabs my bike he says "fixed wheel, is that wise tonight?" Very inspiring.
The rain doesn't ease, the crosswind is cold and distracting, I pick up my minute man at the three mile mark and my legs start to ache shorty afterwards. Other than that, things seem to be going well. On a course with three turn arounds I can keep an eye on all the people following me and it's looking like I should be clear to cross the line without being caught (no big deal in a field of 10 riders).
Then disaster strikes. With about two miles left I throw my chain to the outside. Fatalistic mode kicks in immediately and I presume that I'll not be finishing the ride. As I continue rolling out I descide that there's no way I'm walking the four miles back to the HQ in the cold and the rain so I decide to stop and try and get the chain back on. It grinds back on with the second attempt. At that point I realise that the next person behind me still hasn't made the final turn around just behind me so I jump back on and start pushing for the finish. I don't quite have the courage to hammer it in case the chain does something really nasty.
I cross the line first with a time of 28.38. I could have saved at least 30 seconds by not being a slack chain twat. I'm just grateful that this didn't happen on a good day when I might have clocked a PB and that the chain didn't jump into my spokes, leaving me as a greasy patch on the road.
As soon as I can get at least a minute and a half off this time I'm going to buy a bigger chainring.
I arrive at the HQ a bit later than expected and due to the rain and general misery of the evening I rashly plump for the empty #2 slot. Then as I mooch back to the van to get changed I see the starter loading his signs into the car and head off. Suddenly it's a disorganised rush to get changed, check the tire pressure and spin out to the start, on a bike that I can't ridden since I reconfigured it. In fact I haven't ridden fixed for two weeks.
I roll up to the start line as the #1 is pulling away so I'm lining up my wheel with barely any time to spare and as the pusher grabs my bike he says "fixed wheel, is that wise tonight?" Very inspiring.
The rain doesn't ease, the crosswind is cold and distracting, I pick up my minute man at the three mile mark and my legs start to ache shorty afterwards. Other than that, things seem to be going well. On a course with three turn arounds I can keep an eye on all the people following me and it's looking like I should be clear to cross the line without being caught (no big deal in a field of 10 riders).
Then disaster strikes. With about two miles left I throw my chain to the outside. Fatalistic mode kicks in immediately and I presume that I'll not be finishing the ride. As I continue rolling out I descide that there's no way I'm walking the four miles back to the HQ in the cold and the rain so I decide to stop and try and get the chain back on. It grinds back on with the second attempt. At that point I realise that the next person behind me still hasn't made the final turn around just behind me so I jump back on and start pushing for the finish. I don't quite have the courage to hammer it in case the chain does something really nasty.
I cross the line first with a time of 28.38. I could have saved at least 30 seconds by not being a slack chain twat. I'm just grateful that this didn't happen on a good day when I might have clocked a PB and that the chain didn't jump into my spokes, leaving me as a greasy patch on the road.
As soon as I can get at least a minute and a half off this time I'm going to buy a bigger chainring.
