The Mash

I should have skipped the second waffle...

Riding with my second helmet casualty of the week. I should be a product tester. As the race progressed it was loose and bobbing around on my head. It was on the side of my head like I was wearing a freakin' beanie.

The start of the Mash. Yes, I'm in there somewhere...

See me? I'm like in the center of the picture. I'm wondering what the heck I'm doing starting with the elite men. I actually went off the line with Mike. It was a 4 + hour endurance race. If you came around before 4 hours you could do another lap. The person with the most laps and fastest time is the winner. I was the only women to do 4 laps...

I started a little too fast. I realized this when I could still see some pro men a few minutes in and I was on the wheel of a pro woman. I made myself slow down so I didn't blow myself up. In the first lap I broke my helmet and lost my gel. Second lap, no mishaps, Chris Eatough flew past me like I was standing still. I remember I was amazed at how clean he looked and smelled. Most of the time the men who pass you leave you in a vile wake of stench. I kept thinking "How can he keep those white shoes so clean?". When I went to pick up another bottle at the car I noticed Ike was sitting straight up in the backseat and watching everyone....he had a front row seat! Third lap, lost bar (the rest of my food), flatted, helmet was sooo bad had to stop and smash it on my head. Fourth lap, survival. I finished and had no idea I had won. I went to the table and they told me I was the only female to do 4 laps. I didn't know if I should be happy or feel like a sucker because I was the only one to keep going! Either way, it was good training...