Saturday AM one of my extreme buddies and I headed up to Fredericksburg with the bikes in tow to participate in the Fredericksburg Off Road Duathlon (F.O.R.D.). We registered for the beginner version which was a 1.3 mile run, a 6.5 mile bike, then the 1.3 mile run again. The Advanced race was two 2.5 mile runs split by a 9 mile bike. In preparation of this race I did the James River Park System loop 6-8 times. The JRP loop is an advanced loop, and to this day it has me dismounting occasionally to traverse the extremely hard parts. As with the Muddy Buddy, I did barely any run training, except for a quick road-mile the week of the race.
The course was extremely tough, and judging by the times, about 30% harder than the previous 2 F.O.R.D.s this year. I was already fatiguing 1/2 mile into the run when we turned off the small trail and up a fire road with a 1/4 mile hill! The remaining 1/2 mile was through a wooded trail with an extreme downhill appropriately named "The Wall." I completed the first run leg in 12:46. Thirty-four seconds later, I was through the transition and on the bike. While transitioning, I noticed there weren't many bikes and figured I was doing well.
The mountain bike ride started very flat and easy, but for my single-speed configured for advanced hills, demanded high RPMs which tired me out. Once we hit the single-track section, the fun began. The trail was extremely difficult with many technical climbs. In fact, they had numerous logs staked down across the path. There must have been 2 dozen roots and logs in total. As I completed second mile, I had a bit of a mishap which resulted in an injury. Me and a kid in front of me were coming up fast on another guy. As we neared, the guy had to dismount to pass a root and the kid suddenly slowed. In turn, I was got hard on the brakes to avoid an accident. I'm not sure exactly how the rest played out, but I can remember hitting the root and dislocating my shoulder! Judging from the twisted handlebars and the huge bruise on my right leg, I think I hit my leg on the handlebar stem. My shoulder was pulled out of socket when my tire hit the root and turned flush against the root which in turn jolted the handlebars and subsequently my arm into one of my danger-zones*. The next thing I really remember is reaching up to grab my shoulder and feeling it dislocated still. Yikes! I took a moment to recall my re-location technique**. I decided to lay down in the middle of the trail behind my bike and reach up to grab my seat post. I pulled and twisted, and in slid back in pace! I got up, straightened my handlebars and started walking the bike to reorient myself. Now that my shoulder was re-located, I had options. After walking a few hundred yards, I decided to try riding the bike. I was nervous and my shoulder hurt, but it worked--I was biking again. For the remaining four miles, I nursed my shoulder and cautiously completed the bike portion. I finished 47:53 after I started.
The next transition was almost twice as long as my first, clocking in at 54-seconds. My second run leg was much slower as I was in pain and extremely fatigued--15:37, 3 full minutes slower. I had to walk nearly 30% of the second run and stop frequently to stretch out cramps as I felt them mounting in my calves.
My total time was 1 hour 17 minutes and 44 seconds, which earned me FIRST place of beginners in my age group, and 10th place of all beginners! I was surprised to hear the news. The organizers treated everyone to BBQ and beer down by the river while they awarded prizes--I received a trophy and an "injury prize" of sports-drink powder. With BBQ and beer, I almost didn't leave.
* My arm and I have an agreement that if I don't put it in certain vulnerable spots it won't dislocate on me. I've tend to violate the agreement once a year or so, usually while sleeping.
** A year ago I dislocated my shoulder while sleeping and refused to go to the hospital. I knew there had to be a way to put it back in. Remembering my grandmother telling me how they do it in the emergency room. They lay patients down on their stomachs and have them hold a jug a water below the bed. Eventually the shoulder slips back in. I grabbed the headboard and pulled. Then I pulled and rotated and it slipped back in. I cried with joy. This time I didn't have a headboard, nor a comfy bed.
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Sunday AM my speed buddy (Adrian) and I headed out to RRC for our monthly autocross. We got 5 runs on what I considered the best course all year. It had a large skidpad that was looped twice. The Miata felt solid in this section and really performed well. I only had 1 clean run, my fourth, but that is all I needed. I placed 1st in class (of only 3). Seventh in RAW time behind 2- TUI Super Vs, 1 Caldwell D9, 1 Corvette, 1 Lotus Elise, and 1 Miata. The top 3 cars aren't even really cars, they're things. Excluding them, I finished 4th in cars that were once street-legal cars. I placed 10th in PAX'ed time behind some seriously good drivers. A successful day in all.
Labels: autocrossing, biking, shoulder
