Race Result

Racer:	Anne Pastorkovich
Race:	Reston Half Metric Century
Date:	Sunday, August 24, 2008
Location:	Reston, VA
Race Type:	Bike - Other
Age Group:	Female 40 - 44
Time:	2:50:00
Comment:	I guessed time +/- a few minutes (it's close), b/c I actually have no idea how long this ride took me!

Race Report:

Here's my weird tale of not-actual-woe (because I had fun)...

1) Uncharacteristically, I never started my watch. I never wear a watch at work, but I always where one when running and biking. I have no idea what time I actually started to ride. I know when I got to RTC - it was about 8:50 a.m. - but then I was running my mouth for a little while and have no idea when I actually left RTC.

2) At the first rest stop, I needed the services of the mechanic. Hooray for the mechanic. Normally, I'm a rolling tool bag. But everything was on another bike. (I also realized that my spare and patch kit were still in my car; glad I didn't need 'em!) While I was poking around in the bike shop, I bought a bike. I have no idea how long this diversion took me, because I still hadn't even bothered to think about my watch.

3) I apparently was enjoying one long stretch of parkway so much that I forgot to turn, ignoring the obvious signage and arrows on the ground. So I tacked a couple unneccessary miles. Oops. This is not characteristic for me. I was actually grateful for the detailed cue sheet. Even though they were multi-page this year, I found it useful to be able to see where I had made that wrong turn. At first, bikes in front of me, bikes behind me. Then, no one but cars. And then, really, no one. Egads. That's when I turned around.

4) Returned to RTC, running into my boss and a co-worker at the rest stop. They seemed to be having fun, too. Although I don't actually sit down and eat the lunch, I do try to hit RTC just as it's getting served up at noon. I don't know why, because, like I said, I don't sit down and eat the lunch. But having that time in mind meant I finally remembered to look at my watch - zingo! hit that one on the nose! Got there at noon. Honestly, I had one thing on my mind at that point - ice cream - and I was thrilled to see the ice cream truck. It's not like my tail NEEDS ice cream (aside: I do believe I look a bit like a ground hog when I run), but doggone it, ice cream and chai from the 'bucks is what I want at the end of a ride! One of the best things about the RBC ride is that they get that ice cream truck; this is something they should never, ever, ever change. It's like the ride's signature feature to me!