You will know me by my funny walk

I got elected to start for my team at the Hurkey Creek 24-Hours of Adrenaline, which means I had to run for about 5 minutes in my mountain bike shoes before getting on the bike to ride the 10 mile race loop (the same loop that left Joey loopy).

The way this works is that 170 people start sprinting on the word go at high noon. Because I sometimes lack common sense, I didn’t line up soon enough in the first-come, first-served starting chute and so I was forced to start in the middle of the field. While I was dodging elbows and praying that no one’s cleats would bounce off my knee caps, I managed to finish the run in about 20th. As I type this, my legs are still pissed at me for running.

The course put us straight into singletrack so going from 20th to the front of the race wasn’t easy. In fact, once I had pedaled my way through traffic into second place, the dude up front had already checked out. Slowed only by the human-eating bridge and a rear wheel that I bent while descending the first of two hairy downhills, I handed off the baton positioned in second overall, first in Corporate Team division. Turns out, the kid who I was chasing is a pro triathlete and although he didn’t win the run, he got his bike to the singletrack first and didn’t have to deal with traffic. I bet he doesn’t have shin splints today either.

So, here’s where it gets interesting. When I originally agreed to be a part of this team, I was not aware that the CA State XC Championship was in Big Bear on Sunday. Luckily the guys on the team where cool enough to dismiss me after I had completed 3 laps so I was at home and in bed by 11:00 PM that evening and on my way to Big Bear by 8:00 AM the next day. Meanwhile, my teammates where enjoying a 3-lap cushion over the next Corporate Team – headed only by a 5-Person Team of young ringers – one of which was Mr. Triathlete. Mission accomplished.

Some might say that turning 3 hot laps around Hurkey Creek the day prior to the state championship isn’t such a good idea. To them I say, “Mind your own business. Supporting your excessive spending habits with credit isn’t such a good idea either.” With that said, my excessive racing habit garnered a 4th place, but not without controversy. After the race, Chuck Jenkins, “the winner” was protested for allegedly missing a turn and shaving off several minutes of the race course. Somehow he convinced the right people that he had never gotten off route so the original results stood. Suspect.

It's hard to walk on to the podium with shin splints, so I just settled for fourth.

I wonder what Ryder is doing right now and if he knows that shin splints are typically caused from intense or vigorous athletic activity and can be resolved with adequate rest, stretching and modifying your exercise routine?