Broke back Racing

Well huh is about all I have to say..  Yep,,

I went into the past weekend with visions of great things to come but a curve ball was thrown at me and I had to fight through.

The Laddies Loppet is one of if not the best weekend of the year. 

Great racing good people and whole weekend of bikes and racing. 

I went into the long weekend feeling ready for a throw down,, knowing that it would all start with a solid TT saturday morning.

Regardless everything was thrown out with the bathwater.

No really,, I got home Thursday morning after a nice mellow road 

spin, and jumped in the shower. 

Half way though this event I was washing my feet and I stood up and my back went out.

Totally locked up,, I spent the rest of the day on the floor or in a ball of pain.

I did everything that could to work on getting loose the only issue was 

it kept getting worse.  The freaking out started as I was unable to my bags packed bikes prepped and things ready to go for the morning.

Friday morning came and I fibbed my way through the morning saying that I was feeling better,

which only landed me back in bed and thinking that we would not be leaving anytime soon.

I did rally and get into the Rav with help from Anna,, I could not even lift the bags into the car. 

So driving for 7+ hours sounded like a great idea.

The Drive up as an event as it always is... Made it all the way to the north end of the Cities before the rain started and the parking lot that is 94 became the pleasure and pain that can be driving to Maplelag.

I wanted a solid TT that was the plan,, not being able to stand straight and still a bunch of pain in my back I gave it all I had.. Going first off I had a clear shot in front of me and crossed the line.

Timing was a bit of an issue,,the mat had gotten moved and my official time was different from my computer and my gps. 

From here on out the weekend was going to be about survival.

Having to survive the Short Track which was 20 minutes plus two laps,, only to get lapped on the last lap.

I had mad it through saturday in one piece but well out of the GC,, for the weekend.

Sundays race was going to be my last chance for glory,, and we had been woken up to thunder and  rain which was only going to make for some interesting lines in the woods. 

Sundays race went better but still just not great. 

I was a long ski trail start before spitting us into some single track. 

Having miss the front selection I had to settle in and see if I could generate some  power..

And with my back acting up power was hard to find. 

I was so damn happy to be done and off the bike by the time it was all done and said. 

Getting off the bike was an issue all with in its self

.

But I knew that the racing was done and now I could get to some beer drinking. 

TMB Images 

So the weekend came and went and I did not miss out on what is always a great weekend. 

Do I want to do it again,, well of course but I would much rather go,,, and not have to be in the pain that I was in.

The Richards family and crew put on quite a show,,, and 

am so thankful that I get to be part of 

the best weekends of the year..

As always,,, PARTY ON!!