FIll in the Blank: D.N.__.

Race entry fee: $20.00
Rental car cost: $100.00
Gas: $10.00
Electrolyte Mix: $15.00
Getting dropped after one lap of a three lap race because you thought you could break off the front on a hilly, wind-swept, rain soaked course with only one other rider after not havign really trained properly for 4 weeks: PRICELESS.

Yup. I showed up with MaxEdge attitude. 'Who's the new guy?' everyone was thinking. 'I am your worst nightmare,' was the reply in my head. 'Who do these B racers thing they are?' Well, I was just a bit off.

The Breakdown:
I get the race program and have a glance:



Then a closer glance:

An even closer glance:

Maximum Edge. To be fully represented in an Auckland, New Zealand road race. Beauty. I was stoked. Fired up. Ready to rock. All that training back home would surely pay off. Right?

Rather than numbers, they give racers these canvas type bibs (see below) to wear. They reminded me of the flag football belts we used to wear in high school gym class. My arrogance, though still robust, is beginning to take the form of wariness.

We line up for the race and everyone knows everyone, aside from me. 'I'll take 'em by suprise,' I think. Boy did that statement ever come true in the worst way possible.

We are signalled over to the start, and suddenly, without a gun or horn or anything, the race starts. Guys just take off. Confused, we eventually settle into a nice peleton and approach the first climb of the day. My plan is to sit in until the end and see what happens. Let the race unfold.

We are making our way up the climb. 'Not too bad.'

I start passing people. 'Sit in.'

I pass more people. 'Sit in, moron.'

I'm at the front, leading the group. 'Maybe these B racers aren't so strong.'

I keep pedaling away and hear a guy breathing heavily behind me. He says, "Hey we got a break, let's go for it."

'No way, dude. I can't do that for 80 kms!!!' I think.

"Alright," I say.

Still leading about 10kms later, we're on another climb and I'm in Cullion's hurt locker. Except it was dropped into hell while I was in there. I was done; all kinds of pain; lungs wheezing; legs screaming. I drop back to the peleton. They swarm around me. And past me. And then off into the distance. Done. DNF. Like a shooting star, my time had briefly come and gone.

Gentlemen from Maximum Edge, my apologies, I guarantee that my next race in our colours will have a much better result.