CMWC 2015 - Main Race Day

Date: Sunday April 5^th, 2015

Distance: 36 miles (27 miles while racing)

Song of the Day: Broke – Modest Mouse

I wasn't happy getting up. I am pretty sure the crash last night broke my shoulder. I can't tell if it is the collar bone or something else, but this isn't a sprain. One of the bones in there is cracked and not happy about it. I wasn't going to miss the final race though. Turns out that biking and wearing a backpack aren't too bad for the shoulder. Trying to change my t-shirt really hurts though. Nothing to do about it, so I left to get in for the final race.

I got to the course just ahead of when the race meeting was supposed to start. It didn't. Not that I mind. I mean, these guys work really hard to put this whole thing on. I am impressed that it happens at all. Most of labor and effort to get it all happening is free. I was happy to wait. That also did give me a chance to have some breakfast. 
 

Things really got going right around noon. They gave an announcement for all of the people racing. Then everyone was lined up. It was a group start. All sixty people going at the same time. Bikes lined up in order of qualification. The race started at 12:35 and would go on for three hours. 

Photo courtesy of Jambi-Jambi

I started things off pretty slow. I was still annoyed with myself for breaking my shoulder the night before. It wasn't terribly painful, but I could feel it the whole race. It meant I couldn't ride as hard or get the jump on things the way I wanted. Basically I was feeling bummed out by the whole thing. I couldn't compete the way should have been, so I just wanted to finish.  It was more a mental thing than physical. I just wasn't pushing myself to try that hard.

Photo courtesy of Jambi-Jambi

As the race wore on though I started feeling better. Not my shoulder really, that still hurt. I had gotten used to it though, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. So I wanted to try and see what I could do. I started picking up my speed doing pretty well. I was able to complete all of the first manifest, plus the required stuff, and all of the rush jobs for extra money. I was really getting into it. I had just about 30 minutes to work on the second manifest. I was really tearing through that one. I probably got about a third of the way through it before time ran out. I wonder how well I would have done if I had been feeling good the whole race. Maybe I need to get myself to Denver and find out...

After the race I did some laundry and took a nap. It is strange to mix one of the most exciting events of my life, with some other mundane things. That is life though. 

That evening I went with Yoshi and some friends to the after party. It was actually really nice and relaxing. I got to chat with the cool people I met and say goodbye. I have had such a fantastic time in Australia. I really enjoyed meeting everyone and being out here. I wish I had more time. There are so many cool people and great places, I wish I had more time for all of them. 

I stayed through the award ceremony. I knew I had no chance of winning anything, but it was fun to cheer for friends. Smokin' Joe won top Australian. Fred from Seattle won  "Most Professional", which I thought was awesome and well deserved. It was fun to see all the people who raced their butts off get some recognition. I made my last goodbyes. Hopefully I will see some of the folks at the Westside Invite. Maybe Denver. Thanks to everyone for helping out and putting the stuff together or just being rad in general. Thanks to Yoshi for giving me a place in Melbourne. I had a wonderful time. I hope to get back one of these days.

-Dravis