October 12, 2011
Well, the long weekend is over and we are halfway into the next week and are just now finally getting the wheels back on the tracks. Travel is hard. Even easy travel is hard. All best laid plans require effort.
We arrived at DIA to the wonderful news that Cate's field hockey team had beaten Noe #2 in the Buckeye tournament semi-final 1-0 with Cate scoring that winning goal. If ever I was glad that a hard decision worked out, it was at that moment. They now will be playing in the tournament final this Friday evening.
We were able to zip on up to Ft. Collins to the second half of the number presentation, but had missed most of the people we know. Except for Kaitie Anntoneau. We run into her everywhere because her flights from Indy pretty much mirror ours from Louisville.
Saturday morning started gloomily. We got Mike and Ian to the course early to pre-ride before the rain started. It was a good thing, because the rain started shortly after that and it didn't stop all day. 40 degree weather, cold rain and a 10-15 mph wind. We left 85 degree weather in Louisville the day before. It was a shock to say the least. And while we were prepared, can you really be mentally?
Mike was a nervous wreck. And I mean a nervous wreck. It was bad. And that's all I have to say about that. The 45+ guys lined up and started the race. It was a mud fest by this time and the race past 6th place was blown out of the water. We only had 2 bikes, one of Mike's and one of Ian's. I had to work the pit with Ian's bike because we didn't know what the conditions would do to Mike's bike. This meant no warm-up for Ian who was racing right after.
The slog started and Mike sat third pretty much the whole race. The people who were racing 1-2 eventually crapped out or had mechanicals and Mike ended up in second when a local zipped past Mike to take the top spot. The conditions were definitely a factor as Mike's technical ability in mud helped secure the 2nd podium spot and with it, the overall jersey.
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| Podium Day 1 |
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| In the jersey |
Ian's race was a mess. He didn't get to warm up and the cold rain was almost unbearable. He was cold to start and didn't ever warm up. The race passed him by and he finished 8th. We were all so tired, wet and cold that the die-hard McShanes left the venue before the elite races, warmed up and went to the movies. Moneyball...3 thumbs up.
Sunday we woke to much more favorable weather and the flags outside the hotel weren't standing on end. We went to the course and the boys pre-rode and we found warm-up space in the Challenge tent, thanks to our friends Tom and Bill. It was a much more laid back day as Mike was tired. He wanted to do well, but knows he's a better first day finisher. It got down-right hot as the race started. Because of the drier conditions, we knew that there would be people flying off the line, especially the locals. And we were right.
Off they went and Mike did his best to maintain decent position. The guy who had won the race the day before just rode away and Mike and Tim hung with 4 other locals for a few laps before they dropped a couple of them and tried to hang onto a podium position. The sea-level dwellers were no match against the altitude-bred locals as they went 1-2-3 and Tim and Mike came in 4th and 5th. Mike was spent and bummed that he nearly had his worst finish ever in the 45+ USGP races, but was glad that he salvaged what he could and that he will be bringing the overall jersey in Louisville next month.
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| The start line of the 45+. Sue Butler giving Mike crap. |
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| Tim and Mike battling for 3rd |
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| Gutting it out |
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| Curse those locals! |
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| In the jersey heading into Louisville next month! |
Side note: For those that think that altitude at Fort Collins can't be that bad, Mike's average heart rate was 149 on Sunday, when his normal average in a race is 165. Like I said, he was just glad to salvage what he could.
The conditions were much better for Ian even as the altitude was bothering him a bit. He was hot off the line and battled for podium position through the whole race. In the end he finished 4th behind 3 locals. He was happy to end the weekend on a better note.
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| The start with the mountains in the background |
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| Ian battling with locals |
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| Finishing 4th on the day |
So it was quite the experience as usual and I was able to add 3 more pint glasses to my collection - thanks to the Fort Collins Brewery in FOCO and to the Fish House in Denver that suggested that my glass fall into my purse when I asked if I could buy one. uhhh...
But the trip was not complete without some drama. First, our friend Tracy was involved in a bike crash (which ended up involving even more friends) and was transported to the hospital. Then I found out my boss was in the ICU with some unknown infection which has turned out to be Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Last, before we left on Tuesday, we got a call from my mom that Cate's temperature at the Immediate Care Center was 104 degrees and that she had strep. She had been complaining of not feeling well the entire time we were gone, but it wasn't until my mom came over to take her shopping that we realized how sick she was. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. But there was nothing I could do so far from home and luckily we got her all on the road to recovery right away.
And then I got sick...
Bloomingcross next weekend. Ahhh, so good to be back in the Ville.
L
