The iconic picture from the Granogue estate. Taken during CX season but I hear the MTB race will be taking a pass at it. |
It was with much difficulty that I made the decision to pull the plug on the 12 hours of Granogue. Registration for that ends at 11:45 tonight, get on it. It will be a bummer not to see Fat Marc and the rest of the C3 crew. I would also like to take this opportunity to give a huge shout out to Marc and L Web and all of the other folks who give so much time to insure that we have rad places to ride and race. Good on ya!
The tumble I had on the road combined with 13 hours of torturing myself at the Leesburg Bakers Dozen was apparently not the best thing I could have done for my aging body. Frankly I am tired of hearing about how the body is aging.
So I decided not to go even to ride a few laps and party. I know me, I would go further than I should and still be ticked at myself. Besides CX season is staring me down and I need to try to prepare. Did someone say that dirty 5 letter word….. Train?
As I get ok with the decision to not race I get offered the opportunity (Maybe I pleaded a bit) to do the NE Rapha Gentlemen’s Race with Jed and his merry group of bicycle folks. I’d call them misfit’s but I don’t know them all yet. After a day of suffering together I’m sure I will. If the emails bouncing back and forth are any indication this is gonna be a riot.
Just when I thought I was starting to make rational riding decisions I bow out of doing 12 hours on the mountain bike and sign up for 130ish miles on the road with a huge percentage on gravel. OH…. and a rumored 14,000 feet of climbing.
How exactly do I let my back heal and train ride at the same time? And is that my knee screaming at me? Shut up Knee! Shut up Back!
Why am I excited about making stupid decision’s?
Rumor has it there is a theme for our team. Let’s just say I am looking for a pair of Oakley Factory Pilot’s to complete the look.
Sorry to hear you won't be at Granogue, Gary! But 12 Hours + 1 bad back = Bad Idea. And no matter what I've heard about the course being re-designed to be more endurance friendly, I still can't get past the fact that this is Granogue, a place where I've witnessed two of the worst crashes I've ever seen and a place with deceptively much up-ness. Cpme to think of it, why the hell am Idoing this thing on one gear? Oye!
Feel better, have fun at Rapha!