Incentive and a half

[tuco]

We had the bi annual 120km handicap race on Sunday.

I've never ridden more than 60km and that was with a 10 minute rest after 30km plus with my back I thought I'd get left lying on the side of the road waiting to be picked up so I gave it a miss. Probably best because I jarred my lower back on Wednesday when my foot slipped out of the pedal after starting up at the lights and heading up a hill. I heard it click in but it wasn't in. It threw my foot forward and twisted my lower back, ouch! Probably wouldn't have hurt if it had been my left foot but no, it had to be my right foot, the side I have the trouble with my back.

Sad part is the woman who tried to talk me and a few others of our grade into racing so she'd have a group to ride in actually won the race! She beat me two Sundays back and the guy I beat that day came in 4th!
Hooray for handicap racing I say!
One poor girl in our grade rode all the way and was only 5 minutes behind the winner and was disqualified for 'outside assistance'. I'll have to find out what 'outside assistance' is so I don't cop that.

That's given me a massive incentive to train for the next one in August later this year.

Damn this thing called work! I could be out training now.

PS - My back came good Sunday afternoon.

[DrEvil123]

Do you have any more details about the August event? Link?

[tuco]

Do you have any more details about the August event? Link?

No. It's still a tentative date in early August but the fact it's in Townsville will put you off however the weather is magnificent that time of the year and there's plenty of accommodation. 26C and little chance of rain.

I just checked the weather bureau web site and these were the weather conditions during Sunday's race.

Time-----------temp---Wind--km/h
22/06:30am - 19.5 - CALM - 0
22/07:00am - 19.6 - CALM - 0
22/07:30am - 21.5 - CALM - 0
22/08:00am - 23.4 - CALM - 0
22/08:30am - 25.3 - W - 2
22/09:00am - 25.8 - SE - 9
22/09:30am - 26.8 - SE - 11
22/10:00am - 27.8 - E - 13

Don't you just dream of racing conditions like that.

[Mulger bill]

Has the rain stopped then?


Seriously jealous

[tuco]

Has the rain stopped then?


Seriously jealous

Sure has. We've had about 5mm in the last 30 days.
We're back into the dry season so we won't see rain until late November.

It's great riding weather.

PS - The advantage of having a set of hooters.
During the group ride today I discovered, well over heard really, that the higher grade guys riding with the woman who won this race let her win. They said it's good to give the lower grade riders a bit of glory. I checked the results and sure enough they were only 1 second behind her.

I bet they wouldn't have done it for a lower grade guy