DNF Not the way I would have liked to finshed the season.

" A $2 part can end your race." Derek Bell on mechanical failure in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona Auto race

Well Today was Nutmegman my last tri for the 2008 season sadly it seems all the negative energy from the economy, my grandmother's passing, family and fiscal situation all decided to clog themselevs in my front deraileur. But before I get to that, there was a high note on the day I was second out of the water, and the volunteers were excellent but it seems from the second I hit T-1 things weren't going right. First I had a problem un zipping my wetsuit and getting out on to the bike. I was in second then dropped to third about 3 miles into the ride. then as we hit one steep little burner, my front derailleur just wouldn't kick from the big ring to the small ring, when I finally summited the thing the gear finally shifted over. Maybe I overloaded so I decided I would short shift, just to make sure I had enough time to kick it over. ( also I haven't really ridden in 2 weeks so I had no idea what was going on with the blasted thing.) I ended up stopping after pedaling but experiencing more than normal resistance on a flat section, there was no frame rub, the brakes weren't locked so maybe it was my head playing tricks on me. I was in 5th at this point. We hit the turn around and after losing some spots on the descent I short shifted only to hear the sound on my chain hitting the frame as I was beginning to climb. I stopped muttered a few explatives,almost thought of tossing the bike over the guardrail Normann Stadler style. Then walked the bike to a flat area, fixed the chain and started again, by this time I was in god knows where place. I figure that my problems were over, tried to calm myself, saying "Bobby Cowboy the Fuck up and finish this thing!" I caught back up to one of my team mates from HEAT Gary G. but he soon ditched me on the crazy fast part of the course. I managed to retake some of the spots I lost but as I started up another climb, I tried to short shift, the chain didn't kick, I unclipped because other wise I would have face planted, I walked the bike up the hill to the aid station and politely asked where the mechnaic was, the voulunteers told me my safest bet was to ride to transition as the SAG car was still a long way back. I rode to the start point of the second loop, my bike now finally in the small ring, I informed the State Trooper that I was heading back to transition and I rode the way back. I got there and found out the mechanic was gone I thought about just ponying up in the small ring but took off my timing chip and dropped out, instead, I needed all my gears on this course and also maybe dropping out from a $20 mechanical problem was saving me from a 40+mph bike wreck and time in the ICU. It just sucks that my season had to end on such a low note. On a high note Gary and at least 3 of my fellow HEATsters topped 10ed.

As for now I don't know what awaits me other than school and work, maybe I'll just take a few months off and focus on those aspects of my life for a while, maybe I'll enter the Hartford Marathon, or re-sign up for Masters, all I know for certain is the stomper has a date with Al later this week.

Bumed out big time
R.D.

I now have a reason to put this race on the schedule next year...it owes me a big one.