Bike for Sale....a.k.a. Race Report, 9.13.2008

No matter what kind of pathetic shape I'm in or how long it's been since I've last saddled up, some part of my reptilian brain always believes it can win. It's a sad and clinically delusional fact, but a fact none the less. So the shellacking I took yesterday was an exceptionally large and bitter pill. I've tried to console myself w/ several rationalizations; It's early in the season. I'm not supposed to be rockin' the casbah. I was also pretty darn sick the week before and a bit overtrained. The night before the race I was feeling shaggy but figured I'd see how I felt in the morning. Well, morning came and I was feeling o.k. It wasnt' going to be 100 degrees so I thought I'd head to the course. I had fairly low expectations ( well, as I said mentioned earlier, my brain stem still had high hopes), but I was not prepared for the ego-nuke. I started slow and got slower. I wasn't like I was feeling bad. That would have provided a convenient out. Instead, I couldn't pedal. No power. HR ballistic. WTF!?!?!? I know I'm in much better shape than the previous year, but it was my worst showing in years. I've sacrificed a lot these past few months and at present, it feels like a waste. I mean I wasnt' in the mix from the gun. Oops. I'm not suppose to think about guns.