As previously indicated in the blog posts about the NCBC 200 and 300,
One of my rando goals this year, maybe my only goal,
Was to complete the NCBC / Raleigh Region Series this year.
The 200 had gone better than I had expected.
Resulting in my best 200-km elapsed time in two or three years.
The 300 brevet pre-ride had gone pretty well, too.
Except for one moment with about 20-miles still to ride,
When my front derailleur had thrown my chain completely over the small chain ring, and
I ended up on the asphalt, with what likely was a hip pointer.
So, all in all, not only was I determined to do the 400,
I was looking forward to it.
Then, on the way to the 400, a not-funny thing happened.
I ended up putting in four consecutive physically hard and long work eays, Tuesday thru Friday.
My legs were WEARY come Friday evening.
My friend LynnL asked "are you SURE you want to do that ride?"
I replied that I wanted to do the ride, it was my only chance to get in a 400 for a Series,
That I was determined to do the ride, and
That although my legs were weary, I knew I could and would finish the ride.
Saturday at about 4 am, I headed out for my approx 20-mile commute to the brevet start.
Within a quarter mile, a flat quarter mile, my left leg "commented,"
"Are you sure you want to do this ride?"
The left leg "comment" was a twinge of muscle spasm.
"Okay," I told myself, "make sure to just soft-pedal to Morrisville."
About a mile-and-a-half into the cycle commute, the right leg "commented,"
"Are you sure you want to do this ride?"
And, "are you sure you can complete this ride?"
Obviously, you understand that the right leg "comment" was also a twinge of muscle spasm.
I told my legs, "shut up, legs."
I also reinforced to myself to make sure to just soft-pedaled to the start.
My Excel log indicates that I covered the 19.9-miles to the start in 1h26 in-motion.
That works out to be about 13.8 or 13.9 mph.
And I got to the start and registration table just before 5:30 am (for the 6 am brevet start).
I filled out the required waiver, etc., and
Took up a place on one of the chairs / tables that lines the outside of the shops
At the Morrisville Square shopping ctr where Alan's Raleigh Region brevets start.
I was tired. I knew it. I mentioned it to RBA Alan and his wife Dorothy.
I likely mentioned it to anyone that said hello or whatever.
The ride started.
TommyB and I were immediately off the back.
That was my plan.
And given who was there for the ride,
I was Tommy's only likely ride partner.
Soft pedaling kept the leg weariness under control.
Tommy and I more-or-less rode together to the 150-km control in Seagrove.
Well, Tommy was faster climbing, and certainly by the 125-km point,
Maybe sooner,
Tommy was occasionally stopping to wait for me.
We left the 150-km Seagrove control together.
As it had been several years since I had done the 400,
I had forgotten that one entered a roller-coaster almost entirely downslope for a couple miles.
Riding, standing with knees flexed, zooming down, it felt like a wonderful roller-coaster.
Then, the route tilted upward,
And I had to start pedaling again.
My right leg, most particularly the inside of my right thigh, cramped.
Damn!
Keep pedaling, it will release, it isn't a bad cramp.
Just use the left leg to provide the power,
But keep the right leg going up-and-down, or around in circles, if you like.
The cramping subsided.
But if I put any pressure on the right pedal, the leg would announce its intention to cramp.
I had repeatedly get the leg cramp to relax.
By soft-pedaling, or even less than soft-pedaling.
Eventually, Tommy disappeared up the road.
My struggles with my right leg continued for 20-miles.
I was also struggling to get the derailleur to move the chain into the 30-tooth ring.
And the 400 course is one that calls for use of one's small ring,
Then a middling or large ring,
Then rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat.
Approaching Flint Hill and Ophir Roads, I got the chain onto the small 30-T ring,
And left it there.
Just coasting down the reverse of the climbs.
The combination of the cramp that would not go away,
Despite all my soft-pedaling AND electrolyte tricks,
And the chain not shifting as it should,
Was seriously wearing on my brain.
20-miles of fighting those things,
Knowing that I was likely to have to fight the derailleur and the cramping,
For the remainder of the ride,
Solo,
With absolutely no prospect of a rescue ride,
And what seemed a certainty of slowly losing the battle with the control closing times,
I pulled over atop the last crest before reaching the cross-road community of Uwharrie,
Because I knew that I would have phone reception from that crest,
[I had made some phone calls from that crest the year before, when I was volunteering],
I called Alan to let him know that,
Since I wasn't trying to qualify for Paris or any other grand randonnee,
But was only riding for the fun of it,
The better plan had become obvious:
DNF now -- before I was unable to do so.
I then called ChrisK, who was providing support for his wife Annette,
And Wes that was riding with Annette.
I got lucky on the timing of the call to Chris.
He was just about to leave Seagrove headed for Siler City when I called.
Another minute or two later, and he wouldn't have gotten my call until he got to Siler City,
Because he sets his phone to not accept calls once the phone is moving.
I was also lucky in getting Chris to come and SAG me in.
Chris and Annetter are very fast riders.
I am not.
The longest conversation I had ever had with Chris and/or Annette
Was just a "hello" and a nod before the start of a brevet.
Because of the rescue ride,
I got to be with and chat with Chris for two or three hours.
Conclusion: Chris is a very nice guy.
I hope he thinks similarly of me.
After meeting Annette and Wes at the Siler City and Snow Camp inbound controls,
Chris agreed to drop me off at my hovel
Before heading to Morrisville to meet Annette and Wes at the finish.
=====================================
My goal to complete the Raleigh Region Series thus ended.
I limped about on my right leg for a couple days.
By Monday, I was having second thoughts about whether or not I should have DNF'd.
Several days after having those second thoughts,
My third generation of thoughts rose to the top, and I realized that pulling the plug was the thing to do.
I had planned all along to do a pre-ride of the Raleigh 600, because
I was scheduled to work the weekend of the brevet-proper.
However, as I could see no way to pick up a 400 brevet later,
And the 600 would be in VERY HOT conditions, solo,
I decided against doing the 600.
Again,
This year, anyway.
That is my story for the 400, the Raleigh Series, the 600.
And I'll be sticking to it.
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