SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY...
I arrived to the start area plenty early to check in and get a good warmup. This is where the race started. That's right, we started right in the shadow the only US nuclear power disaster site, Three Mile Island.
The weather started out cold and damp but turned out to be a great morning for bike racing. The course ran from TMI to Marietta PA (24.8 miles or 40 kilometers). My start time was 8:49am. 40 minutes and 20k later I was in Marietta averaging a good speed and in a good rhythm through quite a headwind. However, it was not to last. As I was making my turn to comeback my tire picked up a 1 inch piece of glass causing it to go flat. The good news was the race organizers had spare wheels right at that point. I quickly hopped off my bike and changed the wheel, however I still lost 5 minutes during the change. Unfortunately the wheel I was using had a 9 speed cassette and all the spares had 10 speed setups, so the entire way back I only had 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 6th gears in the big ring.
Because I had a headwind out, it was tailwind the whole way back, combined with adrenaline from the wheel change, I managed to turn a respectable time back to TMI. My actual time was 1 hour 21 minutes (18.3 mph avg.), but my actual time spent riding was closer to 1:16 (19.2 mph avg).
That time was good enough for.... last place in my catagory and 4th to last overall (click here for the results). I suffered, I got a flat tire, finished last, and loved every second of it! In fact I am planning on doing another 40k TT in Carlise next month!
Overall I had a great time and learned how far I can really push myself!
Until next time thanks for reading
Captain Crunch
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