A WRONG TURN, TURNS OUT ALL RIGHT

PRE-RIDING/RUNNING A COURSE can be the difference between winning and losing. Amateur preparation ranges from simply registering, to looking at...

... the promoter's description.

Pros memorize
it all.

Then there's lil' ol' me.

I'd raced the Filthy 50 four times previously,
seeing no need to preview it...

... or even look at the route.

The start was stout,
posting a PR on Raptor Ridge.

4 of us escaped.

I kept getting gapped and chasing.

Uncharacteristically, the pace eased into the fast, twisty single track along the lake's edge...

... and I moved to the front.

Why not?

At least that way I could control the pace.

One problem.

I made a wrong turn.

You'd think they'd wait.

It wasn't much a deviation.

I lost about 15 seconds.

Never got 'em back.

They were gone.

Outta sight.

I could have pulled the plug, but there were still 35 miles to go.

Time to play a mind game with myself.

Ride at my pace...

... and see if I could limit the damage. 

The day was a total victory..

• zero insight to how I was doing
• keeping my HR in check
• posting good power

... riding at my limit, alone.

In the end, I finished 2 minutes and 24 seconds behind the my former friends who sprinted for the win...

... we'll be friends again tomorrow.