Divide & Conquer

The Johnson’s had to divide duties to conquer the day. Forrest decided to participate in the Kalamazoo Soccer Tournament with his Clarkston Impact teammates and skip the Pontiac Lake TT. We drew straws (not exactly) and Norm decided to go with Forrest. He loaded his road bike in the Traverse and they departed. Montana also had soccer games, but somewhat closer to home. Two of his games were scheduled before and after the mountain bike race. It was decided that he would play in the 9:00 AM game, race Pontiac Lake TT sport category, and skip the 3 p.m. game in Port Huron.

Montana had a great 1st soccer game and the team won. Unfortunately, two teammates were injured which would leave them with ten players for the 11 v 11 soccer game at 3 p.m. Well they convinced Montana to go to game by saying he could play goalie knowing his energy level would be low after the race. Montana’s 1st game finished at 10:30 AM and Pontiac Lake Recreation was ten minutes away. We jumped into the Jeep and were off. We arrived at Pontiac Lake at 10:45 a.m. and Montana was fast asleep!

That was okay in my view because by the time I registered both of us for the sport category; I figure we would draw a noon start time. Registration was completed and both of us were to go off together at 11:59:00 a.m. By 11:30 a.m. I started to wake Montana. He said something inaudible. I tried again, and more gibbering. I finally said to Montana, “You don’t have to race; this is the first race of the season.” Still in his soccer uniform, leaning on the window with his eyes closed and not moving an inch, Montana responded “Okay I won’t race.”

Now I have twenty minutes to warm up before I start my first race of the season. As I lined up at the start, I suddenly felt alone and wished Forrest, Norm and Montana were racing. The feeling quickly passed as my Cycletherapy teammates cheered for me, and I was off.

The course felt good but I noticed something after the two mile marker or Heart-Attack Hill which was my average heart rate was at 170. Hmm, last year my AVG was 143. All week I had noticed it seemed to be rising as I rode the course. I didn’t dwell on it too long because I began to pass men and women, including women in the Sport Cat. 40+. As I approached the switchback I noticed one of my competitors; she noticed me and sped up. Something told me that I needed to catch her before she went down the switch back because she would not make it up the other side. The upside of the switchback does not leave room to pass. I didn’t catch her before she went down the switch back. I was feeling tense about now, but I had good speed coming down the switchback and I could feel the wind in my hair. Unfortunately my fears had come true as she was already half off her bike right before the first steep crest of rocks. I was angry with myself for not catching her so I used the extra adrenaline to jump off my bike and run, ran past her all the way up to the top. I can’t recall where in the path it was when I jumped off my bike. I have never practiced jumping off my bike at any rate of speed. At the seven mile marker my heart rate was 173. Fortunately it is mostly down hill for a time, and I could get my heart rate back to a more sustainable rate. I picked up more speed and passed some more people. I saw “Lake Muddy Water” at the last second and didn’t have time to react properly. I hit the water hard. Water and mud flew everywhere. Shocked, I stopped pedaling. Bad news as I lost speed immediately and was sinking deeper and deeper as I slowly drifted to the center of what I now decided to call “Lake Mud-Ville.” I switched gears and began to spin fast. I made it through the lake without having to get off my bike and I completed the race. As I crossed the finished line I surveyed the crowd, I didn’t see Montana. I went to the Jeep and there he was still asleep. I had to quickly wake him as his teammate was giving him a ride to Port Huron, and was on his way to pick him up!

Everything worked out for Montana, Forrest and I. I finished second in my category, Montana played goalie and they won the game. Forrest’s soccer team won the K-Zoo Tournament and had a photo printed in the Clarkston News. Unfortunately for Norm, he had no time at the tournament to sneak away for a bike ride. Maybe next time he’ll insist on racing while I go to the tournament.