So every day id push myself a little harder and get a little better hoping perhaps maybe something would come from it. Well something did happen. I decided to try out a 28 mile race with the pro's just to see how i could handle myself. The race started with about 35 people and as the miles went by the pack grew smaller and smaller. Now at the time of this race in late September i really didnt have all of the "professional" cycling equipment. Technology might not be everything but it sure as hell helps. Most of the competition had bikes that were above the 10,000 dollar mark. Some of the other cyclist shoes cost more than my bike. Yes i no i have lots of fancy watches that are expensive but at this time i was riding the cheapest bike and wearing some good old adidas running shoes. I didnt look like much of a cyclist but i was getting there. About 15 miles in the pack was cut in half and 25 miles in the pack was down to 6, and guess what i was still there! The 6 of us were in a single file line with me clinging onto the back, for a few moments i was contemplating grabbing the other cyclist bike to see if he could pull me but i decided not to. Good thing i didnt because the cyclist right in front of me was slowly losing speed and separating me from the 4 leaders. A small sense of panic ran through my mind but i gained the energy to get back into the lead group. 1 mile to go and it was down to 5. The other 30 riders weren't even in site, for all i no they stopped to grab a bite to eat knowing they had lost. Hmm what to do what to do. At bethel cycle we all get our classifications. In other words this tell you what you're good at and what you're not. Im a bit different from everyone else. My strengths happen to be hill climbing and sprinting and my weaknesses are flats and down hills. If you think about that im good at the stuff thats hard and not very good at the stuff thats easy. But yes its true im to light for the flats and am to reckless going downhills. Well with one mile to go i thought of the course lay out. In about half a mile we were to hit a steep climb up for 1/4 mile than a sprint finish for the last 1/4. The 5 of us traded positions and i found myself in 2nd right at the base of the climb. Being my height with such long legs and being very light weight does have advantages when everyone else weighs 200 pounds especially climbing a hill. Mid way up the climb i could see the rider in front of me getting tired. His hips shook from side to side with each pedal stroke and that was all i needed. With my cheap bike and holey running shoes i took off. I gripped the handle bar so hard i unthreaded where it hooks into the fork (bike talk dont worry if it makes no sense lol) I gritted my teeth so hard im surprised they are all still there. As i reached the top of the climb i looked back and thats when it hit me. I finally found the sport ive been searching for.
And that was it. I looked back and not one of them was in sight, and being the youngest rider with the worst equipment created a special feeling that was like nothing else
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