I got my stroke of luck. I saw posted on the TMBRA website that rummer had it that a special guest was going to be participating in the open class marathon race. So I called Vanessa and told her that I wanted to race, and it looked like she would get a chance to meet a famous person she had wanted to meet, Lance Armstrong. That was it. I was in. I just needed to book a hotel room
I rode to work for a safety class on 1/20/08. On the way home it became very clear that my legs were not up for a full 52 mile mountain bike ride. So I was in for the half marathon. I was going to pre-register, but missed the deadline. When I did go look, I saw that Lance was on the pre-registered list. It looked like we were going to meet him.
Saturday morning we woke up about 5:30 am to get ready and re-pack the truck. We got to Flat Rock Ranch about 7:00. I walked down to registration and signed up. We were pretty early still so there was only one other rider in front of me at registration. I went back to the truck and go the bike out and pumped up the tires, put air in the shocks and got ready to ride. The day started out in the mid forties so I kept my jacket on and my tights. So I was basically ready to race, to Vanessa and I headed down to find the other Bike Lane/Woodlands Cycling members.
Once we found Sean Ansley, he confirmed that Lance was indeed at the race. He came in Friday and hung out and drank beer with everyone. We all proceeded to warm up for the race while we waited for the start. About 8:30 people started heading down to the starting area. They began lining up the marathon racers. Here is a picture of Wink (bib #6) and Lance (bib #7) talking before the start.
After the marathon racers started, it was my turn to line up. We started about 5 minutes after the full marathon race, of course there were a lot fewer of us. Here we are just starting out. (I am in the red and blue on the left side of the picture.)
The course was tough. We started out with a good climb and a couple tight tricky areas to slow the group down. Then things spread out nicely. Several of the rocks were slick and you had to be careful. I ended up falling on one rock with a small group behind me. I recovered before falling into the ravine, but it did make me slow down a little.
Flat Rock Rance is made up of two loops. The race started on the lower loop which is the longer of the two. It does have several long steady climbs but also has lots of good descents. The lower loop as a good mix of grassy sections, tree covered sections, and rocky sections. I was about half way through the lower loop and kept thinking that we were getting close to finishing up the loop, only to find out that we had several more miles to go. At one point I had to stop and take off my undershirt. The long sleeves just got to hot. After I took off the shirt I caught two guys who had passed me earlier. I ended up pulling away from them with about two miles to the feed zone. Far enough that I had no one to watch me almost wipe out on hospital hill.
On to the feed zone I go. When I get there I strip off my tights, refill my water bottle and grab a gel. Vanessa and Jamie ask me about Kellie. I tell them that she is behind me. I ask them about Wink and Lance. Both were back through and on the lower loop again by the time I got into the feed zone. As I am leaving I hear the announcement that the first half marathon rider was crossing the finish line. I had another 11 miles to go and my race winner just finished. Out I go again.
I plug on through and into the upper loop. It is a lot of climbing on some pretty tough climbs. I get through the first half not to bad. I am at about mile 21 over all and there is a valley that we descend into and have a long rocky climb up the other side. I get about 5 peddles into the climb and my right leg cramps hard. I get off the bike, suck down some water and another gel, and decide to walk out the cramp. I get to the top of the climb and ride around the top of the hill. I see a billy goat in the distance. I end up catching another rider on the course. She was struggling with some of the descents where I would gain on her, however on the next climb, I would cramp up again. More walking. Another climb. Walk. At the top of another hill I see some cows near the course. Turns out the cows were on both sides of the trail and I had to ride between the cows. At least one was laying down just 5-10 feet from the trail.
By this point I was walking up every hill and riding down. I was about 3 miles from the finish and I hear the race leader is approaching. I got lapped by Wink. Shortly after I get passed by the second place rider. I plug on. I decided that I did not want to get passed by Lance. I press on. I run out of water, and think to myself that I got to be getting close. I get passed by another rider, 3rd place. I fight off the cramps and plug along, pass the last check point and kick up the pace. I know the finish is within half a mile. I cross the finish with a total time of 4:17:01 for 27 miles.
I mentioned that I was just trying to not get passed by Lance. I then hear that Lance is already in. Turns out that he called it quits due to cramps after his second lower loop. Off Vanessa goes to see about getting his picture. I head up to the trailer as well since it is one the way to the truck. Lance came out about 5 minutes after I got there and was very nice and willing to pose for pictures and give autographs. We posed for this picture with him, and I got him to sign my water bottle. What a great Birthday.
