Tour of Walla Walla, Part 2

    Yet another early morning, however today is the pinnacle of the Tour of Walla Wall, the Kellogg Hollow Road Race.  A 64 mile course over rolling terrain just outside of Waitsburg, WA encompassing an entry, exit, two laps in the eastern Washington country side, and an uphill finish, fit perfectly for a race.  However this morning, there is a slight breeze.  Upon arriving in Waitsburg, signing in and starting the warm up on the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer, the familiar knot that pulls from the end of my fingers and toes and draws everything into a mass of twisted anticipation of what lies ahead, who will come out on top, how much cycling suffering will today produce, begins to form in my stomach.  As all of the CAT 4 men approach the start line, the anticipation and excitement only builds up until the moment that we are released for the mass start, to follow the referee on his motorcycle through town and up across the rail road tracks and begin to race.  “Thank you Jesus,  for such a great sport, thank you for a beautiful day to enjoy your creation, please be with us, watch over us, today, may you receive the glory and not anyone out here. “  

 

    I had forgotten how much I enjoy road racing, being in the peleton, all grouped of similar skill and ability, all working together, yet still looking for that advantage that will crown one as the best of the day.  It is a living, moving, entity, the peleton, always changing and dynamic, rarely is someone in the lead for more than a few moments until the next hero of the moment claims the seat at the head of the pack.  As the first gentle climb of the day approaches, the wind becomes noticeable, yet still being part of the peleton, with the protection that it affords those whom it encompasses, there is little worry or concern, still the pace is easy and a casual glance at the Joule GPS reveals that still we are just warming up for the day. 

 

     Gradually the road begins to attack the tires and wheels of those riding upon it as it fights and grasps to gain elevation, rapidly this fight is won by the road and the first test of the day is upon us.  As the grade increases, the peleton stretches out forming a single pace line, and almost as soon that pace line begins to fracture.  “Hold steady, the day is still early, do not attack yet or they will hide behind you all day.”  Spinning my feet from under me, the assault this climb is coming at us is gradually beginning to be thwarted…”There it goes, the first true break, only 300 meters to the top, do not let them gap, hold, hold, hold that wheel” the exertions of the past minutes are rewarded not only with a rapid decent but also a break with a group of about 14 riders.  “Thank you Lord, that you have put me here!!” 

 

     Now the plan, I know that we still have about 40 miles to go today, and with the wind we will all need to work together, “take your turn in the front, do your pull and drop back, do not get caught in the front, drop back and keep your legs under you.” Still the pace does not seem to be intolerable nor even taxing.  Soon as we are rotating through, Joost comes up alongside and asks of the prayer I prayed before the start, if it was for all of us or just myself.  Indicating that it was for all the riders of the day, I prayed for him in particular. “Lord, you have given me this opportunity to ride, may it be ever for You and not myself, please continue to open doors that I can share Your love and grace to those that I am riding with!!  Thank you”

 

     Coming into the final stretch of the first lap we are immediately bombarded with a continual pummeling of wind.  Later I find that it was on the order of a 30 mph head wind.  These last 10 miles of the first lap still pass quickly, however as we approach the start of the second lap, I notice a hardly imperceptible sensation in my legs.  “never mind, push through, just hold the wheel in front of you.”  Yet again as we approach the same hill that gave the break in the first lap, the imperceptible erupts into a public display, it is not just the legs but from every point of my body I can feel the drag.  As we continue to climb, slowly the wheel in front beings to slip farther away, always just out of grasp until it happens.  I’m dropped.

 

     “Just continue, the race is not over, still have about 20 miles to go, a lot can happen in 20 miles, Lord please help me.”  Through the next several descents and climbs, corners and straight roads, the break is leaving me in their dust until the dust has begun to settle again.  Still, I know that most of the peleton is behind me.  Just keep fighting.  Somewhere along this though, the training from my earliest childhood kicked, “never give up” “always finish what you started”  Yet with each rotation of the crank arm, with its hope of gravity helping on the downward stroke, fatigue slowly begins to set in, until the point of the dreaded bonk, when all energy is used up. 

 

     This dreaded moment finally arrives at the final stretch of the loop we are racing on, about 12 miles to the finish line and a head wind.  As the wind rushes over my body, at a rate almost triple what my forward speed is I long for a group of riders to work with to finish the course with, yet the only avail I have is the brief moment when the chase group comes congratulates me on a “strong pull and good work” and continues off.  Exhaustion has fully sunk its teeth into my very being, having trouble staying up right, maintaining a straight line.  Even the wish that I would reach the point where I would pass out, so that I could receive a ride back, yet even this non hope is fleeting and does not come, I have to stay with it, to suffer all the way to the finish. 

 

     My coach says that in biking that there are two kinds of racers, “either those who dish out the suffering or those who receive it.”  Today I had been on both ends and now was reaping the culmination of several deficient factors; not eating enough of the right food, not having been on long enough training rides the past few weeks and I am sure not maintaining a level of adequate hydration.  As the exit of the loop finally comes with about 4 miles to the finish there is a meager wave of both elation and energy that creeps up and gives hope. 

 

      As Romans 5:5 says “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”  With this God given hope, I am carried to the finish line.  Out of obligation, I try with all that I am to sprint the last few meters, yet to little avail, gaining at best a second against the clock.  “Lord, thank you for carrying me to and across the finish.  It was You and I thank You for that.  Yeah, I wanted to win, but I know that You are sovereign and Your plan is perfect.  Thank You for an awesome race, and for finishing.  I do not know how I am going to get back to the start, but thank You for bringing me here.”  With this I sit down on the side of the road.  The next thing I know, whether it was a minute, or 10 I could not tell, but one of my fellow racers asks if I would like to ride back to the start in his car. “Thank you Jesus for your perfect provision.” 

      While it did not turn out the way I would have liked, I learned a lot, was able to race with the stiffest competition that I have ever raced against, and I believe that the Lord was glorified through it.  As the pain begins to subside it is replaced with a remembrance of the enjoyment, the exhilaration of the race, and leaves me longing for the next one.  Thank you Jesus!!