[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-3hK7s4P3fos/UsT85xpLM9I/AAAAAAAARQ4/MePQpNJl5-8/s144-c-o/IMAG2150.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876054160338″ caption=”Water Tower” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2150.jpg” ]
October 5th and 6th, 2013 were the 2013 Tropic of Cancer Randonneurs 400k. This ride was one of the most devastating I’ve ever done, it was fun, tiring and had an unexpected ending.
The day started with the typical commute to the start line. I headed off at around 4 in the morning to get the start line with plenty of time to take a quick rest, sign in and consume some food.
The water tower pictured above just caught my eye. I don’t see too many of these, so there you go. You’re welcome.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-RPROjUn0-L8/UsT8534xdmI/AAAAAAAARQ4/JHGHXU4eSYM/s144-c-o/IMAG2151.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169877730195042″ caption=”Sunrise” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2151.jpg” ]
The sunrise was typically wonderful, rising over the hills to the east. I look forward to this every time I head to the start of these rides. The sun over the hills, the lush green fields, and I’ll conveniently forget the stench emitting from some of the nearby factories. Glorious for the eyes, though.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-8nv8_pAZH8Y/UsT85xJbsoI/AAAAAAAARQ0/5emBjFwIb54/s144-c-o/IMAG2154.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169875921023618″ caption=”Morning nap” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2154.jpg” ]
I got to the start with plenty of time. So I lay down and went to sleep for a while, remembering to turn on my alarm so that I wouldn’t just miss the start.
[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/-fCve6S4ztq0/UsT852j6o2I/AAAAAAAARQ4/NSAnMJEKIkk/s144-c-o/IMAG2156.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169877374280546″ caption=”Registration table” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2156.jpg” ]
The organizers were all ready and I went to grab my numbers and other little bits before the start. Much the same as the 200k and 300k I did, but with slightly fewer entrants. Not too surprising really.
One fellow I had hoped to get a chat with was Jake Pollock who people were talking about as the foreigner with the fixie coming in before the final checkpoint had even opened. Well, we got to chat for a little bit, but as soon as the road went upward he left me in the dust. Really, hats off for doing it on a fixie, albeit a very nice fixie, and for going it at a pretty fast clip.
Worth mentioning is that Mark Roche wasn’t at this one, so I knew I’d have to find someone else to latch onto for some motivation later in the ride.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-3wEFND68cVs/UsT855B_6gI/AAAAAAAARQ0/CpFFsF-kxFk/s144-c-o/IMAG2158.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169878037326338″ caption=”First checkpoint” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2158.jpg” ]
I made quick work of the first checkin. I did the checkin and then pushed on. I had taken a bunch of stuff to eat with me, so gobbled down some on the road after leaving the checkpoint.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-6jPNvrEqfjk/UsT85-sDdGI/AAAAAAAARQ4/hMnKTnPjr7k/s144-c-o/IMAG2159.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169879555896418″ caption=”Bridge” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2159.jpg” ]
Cruising along, this bridge is one I usually avoid. There is a small, tree-lined road that provides a much nicer view and is slightly flatter and shorter. However, as I found when riding to Hehuan Mountain, there are no lights at night, so I’ll be relegated to this big road for night rides in the future.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-IuW3Pkt7H_s/UsT85z2gWFI/AAAAAAAARQ4/d5xhwL3Wl40/s144-c-o/IMAG2161.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876646942802″ caption=”Train track” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2161.jpg” ]
The main road goes over the train track, the alternative goes under it.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-Ewgq0Vgz7zo/UsT853slEhI/AAAAAAAARQ4/WVd-iWU56mg/s144-c-o/IMAG2163.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169877679051282″ caption=”Which way?” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2163.jpg” ]
I had managed to stick with some fellow riders and was hoping that they would lead me in the right direction. However, they were as clueless as I was. We waited for some time for other riders to come. Some did come, told us to go straight, and that turned out to be the wrong way and we took and alternative sideroad to join back to the main road a little while later.
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-qhpjCWNjZzg/UsT85zo1ZeI/AAAAAAAARQ0/q3GGMHoJYjU/s144-c-o/IMAG2164.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876589602274″ caption=”Some guys” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2164.jpg” ]
These guys got to pull me along for a while. We didn’t get to much chatting, but they did help me to keep up the pace for a bit.
Aside: I really dislike the pace of most of the riders I follow. Perhaps there is something to be said for the culture of cycling that I grew up with. For me, consistent pace is of utmost important. I find so often that the folks I ride with accelerate really quickly, but inevitably get caught at the next traffic light. I see this as completely inefficient. Gathering speed is really taxing and takes far more energy than maintaining speed. I’d much rather gather speed slowly, then keep up a good rhythm. Racing to a red light just seems silly to me. Slow down, cruise to the light and try to catch it as it turns green for the minimum of effort.
[pe2-image src=”//lh4.ggpht.com/-xBGwVniQUVQ/UsT85_4gMmI/AAAAAAAARQ4/_aID9oy0LX8/s144-c-o/IMAG2165.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169879876547170″ caption=”Old house” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2165.jpg” ]
This house looks awesome. Abandoned, but must have been great while in use.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-Sq1exsvt8gU/UsT85wYvmHI/AAAAAAAARQ4/0R78BjkGRrY/s144-c-o/IMAG2166.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169875716806770″ caption=”Yay! Downhill” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2166.jpg” ]
The reprieve after the first big climb. Not too many pictures after this.
After the downhill I started to realize just how much I was struggling. I didn’t feel at all right and was wondering what it was.
I can pinpoint two things.
First was not riding my bike. Duh! Between the last big ride and this one I had hardly done any riding. I’m not the most regular at the best of times, but I had slipped out of shape without realizing it. It should have been obvious, but only when I thought back did I realize how little I’d done.
Secondly was single-leg pistol squats. An exercise I had added back into my training routine on the Thursday. Bad move. My hamstrings were sore, I thought they might loosen up over the ride, they did, but not enough. It was a lingering tiredness that raised its ugly head every time I put unnecessary pressure on the pedals, just spinning was fine at first, but even that got tiring later on.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-ty8xXorKL8M/UsT85wh_8_I/AAAAAAAARQ4/7IHNLSzydWQ/s144-c-o/IMAG2168.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169875755627506″ caption=”Panorama from bridge” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2168.jpg” ]
A little way before the turning point was this beautiful view of a valley. I always love these, even if the river is all destroyed. Cliffs pouring down into the valley are awesome.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-RZ0IgeUwifk/UsT85zBj0JI/AAAAAAAARQ4/Z3Qk7YNaJHc/s144-c-o/IMAG2169.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876424872082″ caption=”Steep cliffs” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2169.jpg” ]
From the other side the cliff looked like this.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-3b61ZA81flc/UsT854InqEI/AAAAAAAARQ4/rCkMTx8hogI/s144-c-o/IMAG2170.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169877796661314″ caption=”Turn around point” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2170.jpg” ]
The turnaround point was not too much later and it turned out to be a much longer stop than I had hoped. I was very tired and had consumed a lot more food than I thought I’d need. That meant I was struggling, both because I could eat too much and because I was going slow enough to easily eat more.
I chatted with Noles, the organizer, for a bit and finally headed on.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-qr8vDbohUwY/UsT85zlnQpI/AAAAAAAARQ4/W7ovLR55qjk/s144-c-o/IMAG2171.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876576092818″ caption=”The hills by the turnaround point” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2171.jpg” ]
[pe2-image src=”//lh5.ggpht.com/-5zuiTotv-ZQ/UsT858aF4NI/AAAAAAAARQ4/XgwvWXO1vP4/s144-c-o/IMAG2172.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169878943686866″ caption=”Sluice” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2172.jpg” ]
The next time I felt like taking a picture was at the sluice. I was hurting and not liking my chances of completion.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-sZRg0RcQEBc/UsT85yD_6SI/AAAAAAAARQ4/tbdz2fiXGOA/s144-c-o/IMAG2174.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169876166666530″ caption=”New friend” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2174.jpg” ]
At some point after I met this dude. He had a pace I could follow and we chatted for some time. We also helped to find the way as we were heading into the evening.
I was fading fast and becoming quite unmotivated.
[pe2-image src=”//lh6.ggpht.com/-q9VyIVu9gYQ/UsT85wECBvI/AAAAAAAARQ4/Rs_s71hh-Ek/s144-c-o/IMAG2175.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169875629934322″ caption=”Stuff by the road” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2175.jpg” ]
I even managed to start taking random photos of nothing.
[pe2-image src=”//lh3.ggpht.com/-n2KgPQlQJXk/UsT85xQT3xI/AAAAAAAARQ4/nwiGjKkgoNY/s144-c-o/IMAG2177.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/110249026098208712655/2013TropicOfCancerRandonneurs400k#5964169875949870866″ caption=”My handlebars” type=”image” alt=”IMAG2177.jpg” ]
I kept going over in my mind if I could make it to the finish. I hardly ever give up on a ride, but this time we passed within 25km of the house. I had very little left in me and decided to leave this battle for another day.
A quick call to the organizer to tell him I’d dropped out and then a slow ride back to my house.
If I’m going to continue to do these rides and continue to do the longer ones I’m going to have to ride more. I’ve put much less time into training these days, and it shows. Although I don’t have time for long training rides I think I’m going to have to at least incorporate some interval training into my exercise schedule. At least that way I’ll keep my cycling muscles in some sort of shape, rather than turning into jelly.
Finally, it needs to be said that this ride was great. I’ll need to give it a bash another time though.