It’s been gorgeous weather the last few days around Seattle and it feels like summer is right around the corner. But, it changed really fast yesterday. I packed up my bike and gear around 4 and left for the first Adventure Race of the season. The rain started drizzling when I pulled out from the garage. When I reached Bellevue 15 minutes later it was pouring and I could barely see 100ft. Shorts, t-shirt and pink socks suddenly felt like a really bad choice of race gear and I felt happy I packed an extra bag and a puffy coat for after the race. The race went well. My super bestest master partner did awesome as usual and we crossed the finish line without any broken bones. And they waited for us with hot food and drinks. So nice. It’s been a while since I felt so miserably cold, I could not stop shaking. This early in the season it gets dark really fast and I could really tell I haven’t been biking trails in the dark in a while. I have some work to do. It doesn’t matter how good of a light you have. When I finally got in the tub before midnight my toes looked scary white and fingers red as little hot dogs. It was crazy wet the whole race and extra clothes felt unnecessary since it would have gotten wet again after 2 minutes. And nothing beats the feeling of soaking wet mountain bike shorts, sagging and hanging low. I switched gloves on the second bike but it didn’t help, couldn’t feel my fingers anyway. The last 30 minutes was fast biking with lots of hills and nothing gets you like fast downhill when you are soaking wet, so cold.

What an awesome start of the year, great race, lovely people, nice volunteers and basically in my back yard.

The sun is out again today. I packed up my bike but took it to the cycling shop. Last night, the last hill up to the finish line got really steep, I switched gear a few times as and tried to keep up. Suddenly my chain got all twisted and stuck. Ran a little with the bike and tried to fix it on the flat. Got up again and couldn’t change gear. Thought the whole thing got too muddy and just needed a nice wash after the race. When I got home I felt so cold I just hooked off the bike, parked it beside the other bikes and drove the car as far in as I could with the bike rack on and closed the door. But it didn’t look pretty this morning when I washed it off and tried it out.

I always have a hard time explaining what I think is wrong I what I think they need to fix. And I feel completely out of place. The chain was broken. When I tried to explain that the buttery feeling when I switch gears was gone the poor guy thought I was mad. And breaks didn’t feel right. I was right this time…it looks like I know my bike. Fixable for the price of nice dinner out for a dozen friends, totally worth it. And I got the nicest compliment when I left, that I must have biked like an aggressive young man to trash it like I did. Yeah. Thank you!

Since my bike is in the shop for a week I decided to run to the gym today. Oh my. My legs did not cooperate at all. I thought life was close to over on the first hill. But somehow my legs warmed up. 2 hours later, on the way back home, it felt really good. 9 minute miles became 8 minute miles on the way back and I somehow forgot about all aches and pains.

Happy Earth Day!