Green Mountain Loop

Flagstaff Loop

Climbing Solo at G1

Morning Trail Run

Morning Ride

This was ridiculously fun and incredibly painful, even for us at the back of the pack. This is by far the most fun racing I've ever experienced. I didn't break an hour, but I didn't think I'd even be close. Did 1:00:30.

I started at the back with Sonia right on my butt. We gapped Angela pretty early, but she wasn't that far back. Sonia and I passed Brian With the Backpack early on and caught up to Brendan just before Front Porch. I took a clean line up the Front Porch and a different line than I had been doing. It was bit to the left. Sonia remained so close behind me that I was afraid I'd step on her hands.

Backpack Brian pulled up next to me to the right andinched ahead at one point, but I poured it on and made the top of the Front Porch just ahead of him, with Sonia behind him, I think. The queue was 2-deep at the rappels, so I didn't hesitate and did the downclimb. I caught Nikita here and followed him up to the saddle and down the steep trail with Corn Muffin just ahead of us. I passed a few people with my downclimbing maneuver and I hoped that I had gapped Sonia for good.

I cruised down following Nikita and Corn Muffin until they made a slight mistake and traversed too hard to the left. I got in front of Nikita here, but Corn Muffin opened up a big gap and was gone. I hit Skunk Canyon and started the most painful hike of my life. Getting to the base of Angel's Way hurt so bad and I was barely moving. I think I went too hard on the descent and I was paying now. Nikita closed up right behind me and John O's was right behind him and, gosh dang it, Sonia was right behind Jon. Dammit. My effort on the descent was for naught.

No one asked to go by me and I didn't have the breath to offer it. They were going to have to ask. At one point I tried to way Nikita by, but I don't think he saw my gesture because he didn't react. I didn't stop or pause, I was just urging him one. Once on Angel's I led for a hundred feet or more before Nikita passed on my left. Further up I made a mistake at one crux section and Jon went by me. Now Sonia was once again so close, that I barely had time to move my foot before her hand would go into the same spot.

Further up, at another crux section, Nikita paused, not sure of the best way. Jon went by taking a tougher route and I took an easier route and Nikita fell in behind me. Further up, I found an efficient solution to another crux and closed on Jon a bit before he pulled away again.

Hiking up to the saddle behind Satan's I was pretty close to Jon and we had gapped Nikita and Sonia. We flew down the slippery descent and amazingly I caught up to Jon and he graciously let me by, but followed right on my heels.

Just as we started down the gully to Hillbilly, Corn Muffin reappears. He had started down to the north of Hillbilly and had to correct. Corn Muffin took Derek's more difficult start and I went my easier, faster way and got in front of him, with Jon a bit further down. Above me was David Glennon and I closed on him, nearly pulling even with him and then followed him to the top. We both got on the rappel ropes at the same time, but I descended at warp speed...right into the tree below. I tried for just a couple of seconds to free the rope from the tree before giving up and getting off rappel and downclimbed the boulders and cut right to the descent trail. I had David on my heels and then Corn Muffin who closed and passed David. I led maybe half the descent before stepping aside at a switchback and cheered Muffin and David on by. On told I fell fell times, all minor butt bounces, but this last one I put my hand in a cactus. Bummer. I couldn't keep up with the two in front but did my best.

I hit Skunk and was running scared. David was soon out of sight, but I could see Corn Muffin most of the way out. On the hellish climb out of Skunk up to the water tower I was so afraid of Jon or Sonia or Nikita getting a glimpse of me and urging them on. Near the top I squatted a bit to try and hide behind the grass, so badly did I not want to be seen. I power hiked that hill and all the remaining hills. I was on the rivet with nothing left. I couldn't catch Muffin, but I wasn't far back.

At the last hill Sheri urged me on, thinking I could still break an hour. I knew I couldn't and power hiked the hill, hurting badly. I did my best to run it in, but it wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast. 

You pretty much have to be a Minion to understand after reading that description that I thought it was SO FUN! Seriously. I don't think normal people can consider this fun. 

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Bill Wright

2018 Tour de Flatirons: Stage 2

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