head games

so here's the quick and low-down on the rest of the series this year. it was me against myself..after a fun, (rainy) 200k, the weather was choice for the next rides. I felt like I was in a fairly good place too. Lady Luck was not in my pockets or saddlebag :(

The 300k was off and running nicely. as we approached the snow camp control, I felt a little swish in the back end. yup. kinda soft, so i pumped some air and off we rolled the 11 miles to siler city. soft again, I had to fix it..as the front group rolled on, i cursed the darn thing because it (the tube) was 'glued' into the tire! arrgh! I chased and chased and finished with a nice time. solo for 200k, I had no other probs, and was home before dark..

Sidetrip! after a shower and some food. i pulled on the compression tights and hit the hay. I was up at 4:30. it was raining. temp in the low 50's.. I left the house at 6:15 and was on the bridge at old reedy creek at 7, where 5 other guys on mountain bikes were taking a long planned epic trainer-100 miles of single track and trails! due to the rain, the single track was out. I hung with them for about 40 miles and headed home. the cold was not doing the knees any good. 4 of those guys made it all the way. congrats!

The 400k was again on a lovely day. This time I made it beyond siler city and somewhere on old coleridge I punctured. Damn! as 6 bikes vanished up the road I changed the tube. off I went. hammering to seagrove, and on to the turn around, short stopping each one. The return was warm. I rode a bit with Tim, and we ate in seagrove. I then proceeded to rock out back to siler city with new pal Paul from atlanta. a terrific 'bent rider. we scooped up the florians, ian, and ed there too..it was hot tempo to the finish! 16:51 time.
joe ray and joel were a half hour ahead. damn flat...

600k.NEW TIRES. can everything else go right? sure it can. don't make a wrong turn or fall asleep. oops. a little booboo in the first half threw us off for a while, but I regrouped in white lake. easy trip on down to wilmington. left there at 12hrs. nice. fairly easy ride back to white lake. took a nice break, cleaned up put on a fresh kit and rolled about midnight. went in the store for a coffee with cindy and ed. incredibly, the temps dropped into the 50's overnight. this didn't help with staying alert! had to stop about every hour or so, and really struggled thru the night. we hit a store in wade about 5:30. biscuit and coffee, 15 min nap, and the sun came up. things got a bit easier. made angier about 8, and had 2nd breakfast-pancakes, yogurt, juice, coffee. viola! rode the last 40+miles non-stop and really strong. 29:50. A PR., and under 30, but was hoping for better.

what are the new tires? rivendell ruffy tuffys. what were the old ones? gran bois.
to be fair, they had about 3000 miles and had only flatted once prior to the bad luck.
in my hasty fix on the 400k, i bumped a brake shoe and it was rubbing the tire. almost burned thru the sidewall which clinched the deal for a new set..