Updates from Debhttp://www.loopd.com/members/dirtybikerchick/blog.aspx/RFS/83/08929e5d-b09d-4c5b-b549-81ed602fdcbfi.jpg/RFS/83/08929e5d-b09d-4c5b-b549-81ed602fdcbf.jpg5050Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:23:26 GMTFri, 19 Sep 2008 11:23:26 GMThttp://backend.userland.com/rssInfluenceNetwork RSS Generator30<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: larger">I had a chance to &quot;compete&quot; in my first race on September 14 at Town Run in Indianapolis.&nbsp; What a day.&nbsp; I was very pyched for about a month about this race and it almost never happend.&nbsp; Hurricane Ike threatened to cancel the event.&nbsp; However even with the chance of bad weather approaching, DINO went ahead and started it anyhow.&nbsp; My start didn't happen until 2 pm.&nbsp;&nbsp; I competed in the intro category.&nbsp; The storm hit at about 1:30.&nbsp; The rain started pouring down and yet we still started.&nbsp; It was a nasty start.&nbsp; They already has the sport division race before we started and talking to a woman who completed in that division said the course was pretty bad.&nbsp; It was very slick and muddy.&nbsp; I was still set to go.&nbsp; The course when i started was just as she said.&nbsp; very slick and very muddy.&nbsp; The first hill was a killer.&nbsp; My goal was to stay on the bike as much as possible and finsih the race.&nbsp; I knew that there were going to be places that I couldn't stay on and would have to walk.&nbsp; The beginning of the race was ok.&nbsp; The hills were bad, but if you got a good start and kept peddling you could make it.&nbsp; If you had to stop for any reason like people in front of you stopped you were screwed.&nbsp; Walking you bike up the hill was trecherous.&nbsp; It was hadrd enough to walk up the hill with out your bike, but adding that made it almost impossible.&nbsp; I continued.&nbsp; When the rain finally started to lighten up the winds came in.&nbsp; The middle and the end of the course were pretty much slick and puddle filled.&nbsp; I had only one major wipeout, where the bike went one way and I went the other.&nbsp; But after surveying my body and realizing that nothing was broken or too bruised I got back on and kept going.&nbsp; I knew that if I just kept going I could finish this.&nbsp; I knew that my time was not going to be what I wanted it to be, but at least I would finish.&nbsp; I knew that no one would have blamed me or even looked down upon me for not finishing, but I needed to do this for myself.&nbsp; I had a couple more falls than I wanted to have, but each time I got up and continued on.&nbsp; It took me 1 hour and 18 minutes to finish just over 7 miles, but I finished!&nbsp; When I was done the only thing that you could see on me was mud.&nbsp; I finished my race in a tropical depression with winds that topped out at 60 miles an hour.&nbsp; The only thing I thought when I finished was I can't wait to do it again and again.&nbsp; The day was great.&nbsp; I felt great.&nbsp; It was only the second time riding that course and only my third time riding in general.&nbsp; What a great sport.&nbsp; I am disappointed that it is the end of the season.&nbsp; I can't wait for next year.&nbsp; </span></span>http://www.loopd.com/members/dirtybikerchick/blog.aspx?resourceId=c24aef3f-662c-4edf-a018-f1a9ea04d7b6Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:23:26 GMTis happyhttp://www.loopd.com/members/dirtybikerchick/blog.aspx?euid=66176eb3-4019-4e39-9d3f-e8a17fdb7594Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:51:58 GMT