Dude...where's the finish line????

I did a few bicycling races in the Utah Summer Games last month. Apparently there are people who have never known about the summer games in Cedar, or who have always thought they were actually the Special Olympics (Mom). Anyhoo....there weren't a lot of women who competed, but those that did are pretty hard core bikers. I have never done an official race where you get a time and have to cross the finish line and all that....so I didn't really know what I was doing. I started with the 1.4 mile hill climb up cedar canyon, which I have never done before, so I wasn't aware of how steep it is. Before the race, I drove in my car up the course and saw where the finish line was and then went down and got ready to start. My start time was 10:07:30 (everyone started 30 seconds apart). So when it was my turn, I start and then realize that my speedometer isn't working so I don't know how fast I am going, or what my time is or anything....then my chain comes off, no...not just comes off, it gets stuck between my wheel and the chain ring doohickey. So I am pulling with all my strength to get my chain out so I can keep going and I can't get it out. Meanwhile 2 of the old guys who started after me are passing me now and my hands are completely black from the chain grease. I am just about to give up when I give it one last tug, and it comes free. So I get back on my bike and I keep going until I get to the sign that says :

1.3 mile

Finish

100 meters

So I am like...."cool I am done......but wait there's nobody up here to record my time....uh oh, maybe they record your time when you get down to the bottom of the hill." So I cruise down the hill but of course the only people down there are the ones who are still waiting their turn to start the race. So then I was thinking: "Maybe there was someone at the top, off in the bushes and I just didn't see them....WTH?????" I was so mad about my chain coming off that I couldn't even focus on anything else so I just left. I had to be back later in the day for the Time Trial, and I figured I could just find out my time there. So, I get to the time trial which started at 6:00 pm that same day, and I go over to the tent to look at the list of times from the Hill Climb......well, there was no time listed under my name, WTH??????("What The Heck", for those of you who don't know the lingo) All of the sudden, a light bulb goes off in my head.......stupid, stupid, stupid. You know the sign that said:

1.3 mile

Finish

100 meters

Well.....that meant that the finish line was 100 meters ahead!!!!

Ok, so just when you think things can't get any worse, they do. I am pretty angry at myself for being so dumb, but I have to get over it fast because I have to start my time trial. Start time for me was 6:08:00. The time trial was 10 miles (5 out and then turn around and come back for a total of 10) I had taken a few things off my bike to make it lighter, like my water bottle holders, and my saddle bag with tools and stuff in it. I also changed out my seat, and I borrowed the one that Adam has on his bike because it is a lot lighter. So I put the new saddle on my bike and I have to adjust it so it is in the right place for me. About 3 miles in to the time trial, my saddle starts to get loose and slides all the way back, and the front part points up at a 45 degree angle.....FOR THE LOVE!!!! I could barely reach my handle bars. But I couldn't stop because you are racing against the clock and I would loose a lot of time. So I rode the rest of the 7 miles with my saddle like that. Thank goodness I had 2 days before the 40 mile road race so I could troubleshoot my bike. I did pretty good on the 40 miler.....no problems with the bike.

Well needless to say I learned a lot and I will keep riding and hopefully racing too.