Road Race Six

To Nanyang Tech University, 64 km. My first official road race is today. I want to get a decent placing and take a taxi there. There, the racers have team tents, vans and supporters. Me, I'm alone. The last event - MTB category - starts late. So late that I keep extending my warm up until I've logged 10 km. As the race starts, people laugh and joke, going at barely 30 km/h. I fail to rein myself enough. The pack surges past me. First, I'm in front, then there's a gap in front of me, until I lose sight of them. I still can't figure out how they surge past me in Lap 1. I'm disadvantaged after that, since they get to draft while I can't. I catch sight of them in Lap 3. I reckon I'm a few minutes behind them when I cross the finish line. I'm 7th out of 12 who signed up. Some riders Did Not Finish. While my lungs were bursting during the race, my legs don't feel tired and I cycle for home within half an hour. Some roadies overtake me; one flashes a thumbs up. They were spectators at the race. I see them again at Mandai Road and give chase. Only then do my legs feel tired. I'm disadvantaged when it comes to hills.