What a freakin day!!!

Wow, I feel much better this morning than I did yesterday. The first pic is the bavarian night sky last night. It stays light til after 10'ish.

I did the race, 75km in 4 hours and 13 minutes. But getting to the finish line would be a whole nother thing.

We lined up to the start, there were about 5 other women and lots of guys. Justin got as far up front as he could, and I just hung out more towards the back. I also didnt want to get caught in a crazy pack, as we were heading up a steep narrow hill from the get go.

I managed to stick with the main group of women, they would hammer up the hills, ride more conservatively on the downhill parts, so that is where I would let it go. We would all stay together through most of the first lap.

After riding through some fun singletrack forest stuff, we headed out of that to fun grassy fast doubletrack stuff, then it went into the cornfields and there was a steep, quick, but very steep downhill. I did not anticipate it and for some reason put my foot out and went over the handlebars into the trees on the side. I just closed my eyes and when it was over i promptly shook it off and got back on my bike. I was passed at this point by a bunch of guys that were in my group and so I stayed on this one guys wheel hoping to catch back up to the girls. We went through more singletrack, a lot of muddy stuff, a lot of FUN! Then we headed into a cross roads, it was a cluster f*&^ and disorganized at this junction, I just followed the guy I was riding with and we went back up a hill we went on before. He suddenly turns around after a while and doesnt say anything to me, just turns around. I keep riding for a bit, and notice all the riders have the 50km number plates, so I decide that I will turn around too.

Yes, I went the wrong way. So now, I am farther behind from the girls due to the stupid crash and the stupid wrong turn, oh and yeah, thanks dude for giving me the heads up!!!

So I turned around, I was not feeling the legs from the get go, but by the second lap, I felt good, I told myself, I can do this, maybe I can catch them. So I head through and start my third and final lap. I am about 5 k into the third lap (25k) and I push on my pedals and I hear a clink. I look down and my chain is hanging, broken! So I walk for about 15 minutes, and I come upon the fork in the road, the place I originally went the wrong way. There was a nice guy there and a bunch of kids. The man basically with bare hands, and a stick put my chain back together for me! At this point I thought my race was over, I was bummed, I only had 20km to go! OH NO< he put my chain together without going through the front derailleur!!! SHIT!!! He says SHIT, AY YI YI and breaks it again! At this time all the little kids are talking in way too fast german, one says I look like a little doll, which was cute. haha..This time he puts it together right and tells me he hopes it sticks!!! Well it did!!!! Danke! SO SO much! It would have been easy at this point to say screw it and walk away, but I didnt and i am so glad i didnt.

So I rolled in, probably the last person in the world. I lost over thirty minutes for the chain breaking fiasco. I think I could have finished a 3:30-40'ish. Justin did it in some 2hrs 50min. He's way to fast!!! He said he wasnt feelin' it either, but geesh, at that time, he was feelin' something!

I am proud of myself for finishing, even when I felt sometimes like quitting.

It was a fun race and the german hospitality was great (im serious). Thanks!

Next up: Ansbach us mil. race on Sat. Sun is another marathon, but Justin most likely be doing that one himself.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! The pics are from the race, sorry not so many, my picture taker was preoccupied with my 2 year old and I dont blame her! At the finish I look like hell!