Cycling is like life. Cycling with no goal is meaningless. What meaning is there cycling in circles? Or living aimlessly? Meaning comes from direction and destination. Join me in my life's journey on a mountain bike :)

Blogging since 2003. Thank you for reading :))

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Medic not medal

Mar distance: 527 km


To Bukit Timah Hill, 46 km. Any hope of getting a medal was over after the first few seconds of the race. I'd a good spot at the start line but most of the pack of 16 Weekend Warriors just surge ahead. As I pass the commentator, his remarks about arm warmers gets me hot and bothered as he says naught about my rigid fork. I see someone ahead, lose my nerve and fall, hitting my chin on the handlebar. And after riding over 27,000 km since 2002, I learn something today - the power of the mind. I tell myself I'll go up those slopes and I do, as my rear wheel spins over wet gnarled roots. On the last downhill near the finish line, I relax and something hits me. The ground. The brake lever gets stuck in my shoe. After waving my limbs in the air like a helpless tortoise, I unstrap my shoe and try to cycle, then realise my front wheel is the wrong way round. I cross the finish line with a dangling number plate, and twisted saddle, rear derailleur and ankle. I miss a medal by 4-5 minutes; the guy ahead of me is the last to get a medal. This is my third off-road race, my sixth solo race and the worst race ever. But at least my wounds are treatable by the medic and I get home under my own steam. (Title of this entry inspired by RebelXH)
Photo courtesy of Deemax

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