October 22, 2006

Tejas Wrap-Up - Part One

I don't have time to type much, but here's a few points - mainly for myself, for next time:

MINUSES:

1) need better time management between laps - need help waking up from sleep breaks
2) have support work in shifts - support each other as well as rider
3) Two-Man team? not a bad idea, considering the mileage DT and I massed ALONE.
4) More REAL food & Carboplex, not SE anymore (need something cheaper, more flexible)
5) Training, training, training:
a) more speed work at the century-level, to keep average consistent
b) commuting is good, but need distance on weekends, too, even if it means a break from riding during the week.
c) fewer miles this year is NOT what killed it - it was just SPEED & time management.
6) Figure out what happened to the ankle/achilles tendon - and prevent it.
a) right pedal on Cannondale is loose at bearing - replace it!
b) avoid campsite where it's a long walk from car to camp - avoid ankle twists
c) get cruise control for the car, or rent a van w/ cruise - ankle in one position like that for 12 hours might have been a factor.
7) Buy DT some better tires.




PLUSSES:

1) it was FUN!
2) I learned more stuff - always good.
3) I was never fatigued or sore, and never cramped!
4) only one saddle sore
5) the sky at night ALONE was worth the ride.
6) I *LOVE* the course
7) the injury was the ONLY reason I stopped
8) The support we had was tremendous!
9) the fireplace
10) a single halogen lumotec is PLENTY of light - LOVE IT
11) Only one flat tire, and it happened at the start/finish line - no field repairs
12) IT WAS FUN!
13) the super-car caravan on Saturday AM (16 (no lie - SIXTEEN cars) ferraris porsches and lamborghinis on the way to a morning golf game?)
14) IT WAS FUN!
14a) MUCH stronger riders than me ALSO went home as DNFs.
15) IT WAS FUN!
16) VERY well run event - EXTREMELY well run!
17) cruise control for the car. that drive sucked.
18) only ONE jerk on the road.
19) the training I HAD worked well - had I not slept so long, I would have been on a perfect pace for 500 miles - (but, again like MV24, the sleep monster gets me in the end.)


There is a little of a been-there; done-that feeling about Tinbutt and Tejas now.
Thinking next year I might host DT up this way, and try Iowa 24-Hour for something new - but that's still open for discussion, too.

BUT, it comes back to vindication - if you can't read between the lines, I was NOT an official Tejas 500 finisher this year, so part of me looks to next year, and how to get one of those nice trophies. DT and I have talked, and it looks like Tejas again next year for sure -- he wants to get a finish, and that's good enough for me! Heck, *I* want a finish, too. There is no reason I can't do it.

Much much more to come about Tejas - stay tuned! I had to get this stuff down, tho, before too much time passed.

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