FITT to be dirty!

That's right - another muddy buddy Fiesta Island Time Trial. Two years ago a persistent light rain turned an otherwise simple time trial into a mud bath. We were cleaning mud and sand out of cracks - on the bike too. This year we were looking at the same. Three days of solid rain slowed to on & off rain showers leaving the island road muddy and slick in a few spots. Nevertheless, the madness shall go on. Saturday I rode down to Fiesta and evaluated the conditions. Huge puddles crossing nearly the entire road. OK if you're in a car.. but racing a TT bike.. yikes. (On a funny note, I was riding in Tri Club San Diego kit and a fellow TCSD member driving home noticed me riding & pulled along side. After quick introductions he quickly smiled and said, "so you're the Indian Guy!") Race directors did a good job sweeping the course and reduced the massive puddles to mere muddy patches on the road.

More impressive when it comes to weather, was the absolutely abysmal conditions at Boulevard Road Race yesterday. While I haven't yet checked the numbers myself, rumor has it that a Pro/1/2 field had a 75% drop out rate. Snow. Last year I was so miserably cold I decided it wasn't worth it. I'm glad I did! I think even Landis froze his huevos.

Rumor had it Landis was being saved a spot at the time trial today. We did get some pro riders from Fly V Australia & Jelly Belly, but Landis was not among them.

The first sign the weather wasn't going to be ideal was the double rainbow. Pretty...pretty sucky more like it considering that was heading in our direction. My brilliant idea of bringing a little Murphy into the mix - if you don't bring an umbrella, it will 100% rain. If you bring an umbrella, it'll be sunny n'dry. So I called Stacy & picked up her tent... if a tiny little umbrella could spur a little Murphy action, then a tent... Iza wrong... it rained, so under the tent I went! I'm sooo pretty!

I had a friend come with me. Rie has been a long friend of mine from the horse competition days. We worked together for Olympic rider Charlotte Bredahl up in Solvang. She came down to San Diego for the weekend and wanted to see "this thing I do". Silly Raja. Get a car!

Ten minutes into my warm up, she says, "your steaming".

Last year I learned my lesson.. don't even think of cutting it close to start time. They indeed, will start without you. So I arrive 20 minutes early and begin to freeze my little **** off. Finally I'm off and riding. I told myself to take it easy the first lap. I have a tendency to bust out of the gate and see just how high my heart rate can go. Not necessarily the best of tactics. In fact, kinda stupid really. I just get sooo excited.. gotta go, gotta go!

Lap 1 felt good. Steady, but strong. Lap 2 ahead of target and feeling good, stronger than I remember feeling. Lap 3: Ka-BOOM! Legs were failing to turn over and feeling like rocks. So that's where I need more strength! I like to do these races as a test of conditioning. I can get a pretty good feel for my training. Today I was right were I wanted to be. Not a PR, but 1 minute ahead of last year's race and only 50 seconds off my PR. I placed 2nd (and 2nd overall) with 32:24 behind local crazy woman Anna Gerber. This girl is a fire ball of energy and loves to give those boys a little pinch in the butt as she whips past. I expecting a proper Gerber spanking, which I got, but I'm cool with that. Well, I'm not cool with it, but a little reality keeps me cool.

Happy Riding!

Raja