NHFH

I walked into the locked room at the gym yesterday morning and heard someone arguing on their phone. They were in the tanning booth. 

No one has amazed me like this in quite some time. Whoever you are, thanks for having a conversation on your phone while tanning. The experience reminded to unplug, to take a break from social media and become more aware of the world around me. 

It was a liberating feeling when I woke up this morning and realized that my day would not start with looking at Facebook posts. I’ve reclaimed that time for myself.

nothing ventured (the summer i learned how to run)

The summer before my freshman year in college I decided that I wanted to be a camp counselor. Now, my memory isn’t that great when it comes to this stuff, but apparently I had my heart set on New England. 

There was no internet. There was no email. I obtained a list of camps and started writing letters in the early spring. Three responded to set up phone interviews. I was hired by “Camp Onaway” which sits on Newfound Lake in Hebron, NH.

The campers arrived the last week of June. Counselors were to report a few days prior for orientation. I packed up my Hyundai Excel and headed north. After nearly seven hours in the car, I made a left turn on a winding, tree lined road and continued down a gravel path. The view opened up and the lake was in clear sight. I was greeted by the camp director and shown the “cabin” where I would be spending the summer. 

She introduced me to the other counselors, all of whom had been campers at Onaway for several summers during their childhood. It was then I discovered that I was the first counselor hired that had not been a camper at Onaway. That’s when it started to get awkward. They were being reunited with their summer family and I felt like an outsider. 

The first day of meetings came to a close and we retired to our cabins. I spent the night awake, wondering if the animal I heard clawing from an unknown location would somehow find it’s way into my bunk. At sunrise, I got in my car and headed back home.

I spent that summer working with my mom at a mail order company in town. A friend of mine who lost her mother that spring found out her father had cancer. She was 15 years old. That was the summer I learned how to run.

leave it at the door

I’ve been training some new people this fall. After a week long absence, one of them returned to inform me that a family member had fallen ill. She was under a great deal of stress, which was exacerbated by the impending Holidays.

I listened to what she had to say, then I told her to “leave it at the door.” I didn’t say it to be mean; I said it to be honest. You get half an hour, twice a week for yourself. Let that time be for you.

Thankfully, she was receptive to my message.

Lately, I’ve found myself engaged in conversations with my clients about my personal life more frequently than I’d like. At times, it’s difficult to balance being personable and professional...and I know they mean no harm, but it still doesn’t make it appropriate. 

The reason for this struggle is because I practice what I preach. When I walk through that door, I am there to do my job. If only everyone else would "leave it at the door" we’d all be more productive.

Fair Hill CX

There are times when I am so focused on training and racing that weeks can pass without notice. Last weekend I was on an adventure in Texas. I sat in a car for too many hours, spent quality time with my brother and his family, drank beer and ate tacos. After four days, bikes were the furthest thing from my mind. It took a lot of strength to get up when my alarm went off at 6am on Saturday morning. A post-race stop at Iron Hill was good motivation.

I’m just going to come out and say it, the races have been really predictable this year. Granted, anything can happen, but it rarely does.

After getting pinched at the start I fought my way back to a decent position. By that point, the lead group was out of sight. I spent half an hour in no man’s land and finished in 6th place (as expected).

This is one of my favorite races, which is surprising because it doesn’t play well to my strengths. Maybe that is just what I need. As this season winds down I am already thinking about next year and dipping my toes into some uncharted waters.

life unfiltered

Last weekend, I was on the road early, headed to HPCX. The sun rose as I made my way North on the Turnpike. I thought about the pictures that people take of sunrises and sunsets, frequently adding the hashtag “no filter.” 

And then I thought about filters...isn’t nature beautiful the way it is? Why would it need a filter?

And then I thought about life...it’s not alway pretty...and I think a lot of people have a tendency to live life filtered. They see what they choose to see. They select what to show us.

For better or for worse, that has never been the case with me. I say a lot of things I probably shouldn’t and I give zero fucks about it.

In some respects it’s good because you will always get exactly what you see when you interact with me. In some respects it’s not good because expressing myself in this way puts everything on the table, leaving me without shelter.

It follows me in conversations at work...at the gym...at races...in emails...in text messages...and I know that it is all with good intention, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Still, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

WhirlyBird CX

I mentioned in a previous post that growing up, I wasn’t exactly an all-star athlete. I was over weight, made fun of and always the last kid picked in gym class. I participated, but wasn’t very good at sports. 

In high school, I didn’t allow my parents to come to the games. What was the point in them coming to watch me sit the bench? 

Thankfully, I grew out of the awkwardness (about four years after my peers) and shed some weight. I was a decent athlete (rowing) in college. Twenty years have passed, but I’d like to think that I am still in fairly decent shape for my age.  

WhirlyBird CX was later this season and at a different location, but it is a special race for me because it was my first. Three years later, it became even more special with my mom on the sidelines watching. 

I’ve come a long way since those awkward teen years. I’m sure it must have hurt my mom that I did not want her at my sporting events. Even though it was never discussed, she probably understood the reason why, because that’s just the way mom’s are. 

Thanks Mom, for supporting me all these years.

HPCX

The rule for this season is no races more than an hour away from home. Charm City is one of my favorites and it was tugging at my heartstrings last weekend. I resisted the urge to travel to Baltimore. It was the right decision for both personal and financial reasons.

HPCX was new for me last year. I remember that it was brutally cold and that there was no place nearby to get coffee. 

I arrived at Thompson Park a little before 8AM and proceeded to double flat on the pre-ride. My initial instinct was to pack up and go home. After some persuasion, I headed over to the Stan’s No Tubes tent for support. The mechanic was able to seal my front tire, but couldn’t guarantee that the rear tire would hold. No pre-ride, no warm up, sealant oozing out of my back tire and my race goes off in thirty minutes. 

My pit bike is a peanut butter sandwich...let’s eat...then let’s spend $100 on new tires at the bike shop!

I can’t say that I was thrilled when the alarm went off at 6am on Sunday morning. It was dark and cold, like frost on the windshield cold. This time, I pulled out all the stops...a road bike, trainer (what?? who warms up?) and two CX bikes made the journey with me. I cannot believe how much shit one person needs for a 40 minute bike race.

The course on Sunday was new this year and it included two sand pits. I watched people ride, but I also saw some epic failures. Running would be the fastest way for me to get through this section. I committed to the run, even though most people around me would be attempting to ride.

I had a decent start and settled in somewhere around 4th or 5th. There was nowhere to recover on this course. If it wasn’t the sand it was a climb or a run up. It wore me down, but it felt good. I hung in there and battled it out for a third place finish, which was a nice turn around from the double flat on day one.

Caffeinated CX

When it comes to racing, I have found myself walking a fine line on more than one occasion since my brother’s diagnosis two years ago. Racing has either served as a distraction OR I have been too distracted to race. I walked that line this weekend. 

I was up at 6am and on my way to work registration. After a pre-ride I scratched the idea of riding my mountain bike. The clay run up was way too steep and that bike was too heavy to carry. 

This was the third year for Caffeinated CX. I did not race the previous two years. It looked as if this year would be no different. My mind was not in the right place. There is a lot of anger inside me right now. Far too many times I have been met with the response “I’m sorry” and it has only made it worse. It has made it worse to the point where I just shut down and sat with my anger. 

I saw a couple friends at the race who made me feel a little bit better...people who understand what is going on...people who will be real with me. 

I got my number and pinned it on. Maybe racing will help. 

So I did...and I did it for no reason other than to forget life for 45 minutes...and it helped. 

I ride for an amazing bike shop. My teammates are all great guys. The friends I have made racing cx for the past three years are genuinely good people.

Gratitude

Hippo Cross(ing)

Hey, check out these fancy cloth race numbers!

The Pope gave me an extra day off tomorrow so I can write this race report tonight. Hippo Cross(ing) was new this season so I didn’t know what to expect, BUT all of the cool kids were racing and it was less than an hour away from my house so I registered. 

The guys at the shop put the finishing touches on my Super X the night before the race. While adjusting my saddle, the torque wrench snapped and part of it lodged into the bolt. We kept our fingers crossed that the saddle was on tight enough and in the correct position. 

When I got to the race I saw a couple friends who told me that the course was bumpy. That was an understatement. It was so bumpy that the piece of torque wrench dislodged itself during the race...that was the good news...the bad news was that the saddle was not on tight enough and I finished the race with it in an EXTREME nose up position. 

Aside from the course being bumpy it also had some tough climbs, followed by downhills. All in all it wasn't looking like this would be a good race for me. I had a decent start which was something that I wanted to improve on and I rode up the set of tiny stairs (which terrified me) EVERY LAP!!! I did not do well on the down hills, coming to almost a complete stop on every one before turning to face my next ascent, which didn’t do much to help my cause. 

After the race I went back to the car to change and eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I missed the podium photo but it was worth it because the sandwich was really good. I still got my payout for coming in seventh, which was pretty much where I expected to finish. It covered my entry fee and I’m content with that. 

There was a pig at the race and I wanted to take a selfie with him, but by the time I finished my race there was yellow caution tape, restricting access to his pen. That was disappointing. Also disappointing was the fact that I did not realize that it was National Pancake Day until later that evening. I ate a pancake today but it wasn’t the same. 

Next weekend is my team's sponsored race Caffeinated CX. Spoiler Altert: I'm going to ride my mountain bike.

My 41st Year

Charm City, WhirlyBird, HPCX, Crossasaurus Awesome, Swashbuckler (swashbuckler tattoo), Fair Hill, Kutztown, Nittany...MAC Series Champion...Focus, cantis for life, Batsto, Elephant Swamp, Parvin...Asics, Swiftwick, 2XU...Orange Theory Fitness, base, push, all out, splat points...CX Nationals, Heritage Trees...CLIFF!! Austin Texas, cupcakes, beer, fish tacos, pancakes, pizza, ice cream...lemon water, candy crush...The South Jersey Brewery Tour...Lunacy, Forgotten Boardwalk, Village Idiot, Spellbound, Glasstown, Tuckahoe...Katz Coffee, Chemex, Americanos...Hunter Hayes, Chick Radio, CCM Happens, Hozier...Opportunity Barks, off, jolly ball...disc brakes, cygolite, commuter...life in the slow lane...tabata tuesday...New Hampshire, Presidential Traverse, Lakes of the Clouds, Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, cairns, AMC...Greek yogurt, grass fed whey, wawa gobbler, Noosa, Oreo thins, Rexy’s Pizza, Bonk Breaker, ProMix Nutrition...Osprey, Brooks, Superfeet...Glacier National Park (is on fire), Two Medicine, Bowman, Kintla, Polebridge, Running Eagle Falls, Dawson, Pitamakan, Triple Divide, The Highline Trail, Swiftcurrent Pass, Avalanche Lake, Piegan Pass, Siyeh Pass, Hidden Lake, Ptarmigan Tunnel, Iceberg Lake, Grinnell Lake, Grinnell Glacier...T@B, Huckleberry Pie, trail running, Shea-Toe, Ptarmigan Village...At-lame-ta, Phila-dumphia...Franklin Fountain, Franklin Square, my 25 pound nephew...riddle me this, sandbagger, upgrade, Cat 2, masters have more fun...lost pines, the winds of change...another trip around the sun.

Mill Creek CX

I spent most of the night having dreams about forgetting something. The first time, I got to the race and forgot my bike. I woke up, went to the bathroom and back to sleep. Then I forgot my socks...rolled over...they were calling my race and I wasn’t dressed. I tried to put on my shorts and they were inside out...I woke up and decided to make some coffee...so much for sleeping in.

It’s been a busy week as far as bikes are concerned...a commuter cx bike and a race cx bike are in the works, along with some parts being swapped and my road bike being readied for sale...I was at the shop from early afternoon until close three days last week. As a result, my CAADX is built up for commuting and there are million bike parts in my living room. 

I’ve never done a 1/2/3 race in NJ. The start time (12:06pm) doesn’t suit me well as I am accustomed to racing in the morning. The length of the race (45 minutes) is also longer than I’m accustomed to. BUT this was less than half an hour from my house and much closer than my other options for racing this weekend. Surprisingly, only five women pre-registered. With an additional two day of registrations, the field size grew to seven. It was announced that everyone would get paid. Not a bad deal!

The sun came out for our race and it got pretty damn hot. When I passed the line and heard “three to go” I did the math in my head. This is going to be a long ass race...and it was...52 minutes (for me) which was 20 minutes longer than last weekend at Nittany. 

Lap four is where it started coming undone. The leader was well off the front and the two women I had kept close started to pull away. There I was, on a windy, open field in NJ, navigating twists and turns, a few off cambers and some barriers...no one to chase, no one pursuing me. I did my best to keep it steady and finish where I thought I would...fourth.

Those extra 20 minutes of racing gave me reason to celebrate with an excellent seasonal from Long Trail Brewing Company. Cheers! 

Nittany CX

Being even less prepared that last year, I couldn’t think of a better way to begin the cyclocross season than a double race weekend at Nittany. This year the MAC added a women’s 40+ Masters category, which I was extremely thankful for because I am FAR from UCI material.

The vibe at the starting line was much more relaxed and friendly. It made for a pleasant racing experience that did not lack competition.

Saturday was flat and fast, which played to my strengths and a third place finish. Late day rained altered the course dramatically for the second day of racing. The turns were slick and there was a large mud pit not far from the start. On the first lap I was forced to dismount and run, which put me in chase mode for a good portion of the race...but as I like to say “I’m not a starter, I’m a finisher” and my endurance enabled me to fight back to a fourth place finish. 

Overall, it was a pretty good weekend. It was nice to see everyone from the CX community, people who are like family to me for the next few months.

When I got home I took the dog to the field and drank a Pumking. Then I ate a kick ass burrito. Tomorrow won’t be very pleasant, but the bikes are clean and there’s another race to look forward to next weekend.

0 of 10

Race participation is (obviously) a component of being on a race team. In my case, I need to participate in a minimum of ten races per year across all disciplines.

For the past two seasons I competed in a series (PACX, then MAC). This year, I just wanted to do the ten races that were closest to my house.

I registered for Granogue CX, which was about 40 minutes away. Then I found out that my brother (his wife and my nephew) would be visiting that weekend. It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. I would be racing in the morning and home early in the afternoon.

They arrived on Saturday evening. It was the first time he had been home in two years. Almost one year to the day he had major surgery for cancer, he was here with my 9 month old nephew. They were tired and immediately went to bed.

I was up early the next morning and arrived before the races began to preview the course. Something didn’t feel right. It could have been that the venue was new to me...or that I didn’t see any familiar faces...or that I didn’t feel comfortable on my bike...or that I really just wanted to be home with my family. Any way you cut it, my heart just wasn’t in it. I packed up my bike and headed home to spend time with my nephew. CX can wait another week. 

There are more important things in life.

sans goals

Over the course of the past several years I’ve had discussions with significant others, friends, family and even strangers about the direction my life has taken. Twenty years of education and two Master’s Degrees later, I find myself working at a local gym for $15/hour. I am happy and I love what I do. It’s not a career, it’s a job and it doesn’t define me. I’ve moved away from concrete goals and more toward the abstract. I do what excites me.  I invest myself in the things that I am passionate about. I don’t worry about where I will be in a year or even six months from now, but instead focus on the present and being happy now.

I am not a competitor. I never have been. Near the end of last CX season, my anxiety level was at an all time high. What started two years ago as something I was doing for fun had become a source of stress. The pre-race ritual, the warm up lap, the starting line...it had all become too much, to the point where I had considered giving up racing entirely. 

Then I read an article on breaking free from goals. The author mentions that goals are artificial and constraining. They make us focus on the future instead of the present. But most of all, with goals, you are never satisfied. Goals are a way of saying, “When I’ve accomplished this (or all these goals), I will be happy then. I’m not happy now, because I haven’t achieved my goals.” This is never said out loud, but it’s what goals really mean. The problem is, when we achieve the goals, we don’t achieve happiness. We set new goals, strive for something new.

Here’s to a season full of accomplishments without goals.

runner back!

I started running before my freshman year of college. Due to injuries, I stopped running outside after college. Since then it’s been all treadmill. At times, I considered trying to run outside again, but it wasn’t worth getting hurt.

While tallying my miles in Glacier last week, I realized that I would be close to the century mark. Jill had been sidelined after only two hikes, but was being SUPER supportive of my desire to hit 100. I did my best to move quickly on the days she was waiting. 

The hike to Avalanche Lake is short and easy. I downed a liter of water and hit the trail without a pack. What started as a fast walk turned into a jog with a few hard efforts. The rolling terrain was perfect. I finished in an hour and 5 minutes.

Back at the car, I mixed a protein shake and stretched...unable to wipe the smile off my face...I wanted to do it again!

My first hike on the Highline was on an overcast day. The morning of August 11th was sunny and beautiful. We stopped at Logan Pass on our way to Many Glacier. It was a little over 7 miles to the Haystack and back so I planned on being gone for two hours. I unpacked the gear from my Osprey pack, then filled it with a liter of water and couple of shot bloks. 

I passed two large groups and was on my way. For the most part I had a decent view of the people in front and would call out as I approached to pass. Some made funny comments to which I replied “Huckleberry Pie, Huckleberry Ice Cream, Peanut butter Pie, Beer...just paying for my food sins!” I made it to the Haystack in 49 minutes, but figured the return trip would take longer because I am unaccustomed to running that distance...wrong...46 minutes later I was back in the parking lot, hooked on trail running. 

Who wants to join me?

I would walk 100 miles...

Glacier National Park is on fire. Two weeks prior to my arrival, the Reynolds Creek Fire closed a good portion of the Going to the Sun Road. 

Thankfully, my plan was to stay in a lesser visited section of the park first (Two Medicine) and the Sun Road opened on the day I needed to access it.

The first two days were long, 15 mile hikes with amazing views. 

The third day was the longest, 19 miles in epic conditions (rain, hail, thunder, lightning and 50 MPH winds). My reward was a break in the weather and 360 degree views at Swiftcurrent Fire Lookout, the highest maintained trail in the park. 

From there, it was all familiar territory...Avalanche Lake, Hidden Lake, Piegan and Siyeh Passes, Ptarmigan Tunnel, Iceberg Lake, Grinnell Glacier and Grinnell Lake.

When all was said and done I had hiked a little over 105 miles.

Luck was on my side...three new fires began during the course of my stay, closing several of the trails I had hiked earlier in my visit and creating hazy conditions throughout the park. 

I am grateful to have experienced so much beauty and hope the fires are contained soon.

Trail Angels

Occasionally I do things that put myself at risk. Thankfully, it’s always worked out.

In 2012 near the end of a long hike in Glacier National Park I encountered a group of women headed back to the trailhead. It was only three miles, but they kept my mind off the newly formed blisters on my feet which made walking unbearable. 

I hadn’t given that encounter much thought until just recently...

Weather delayed the start of my 19 mile solo hike on August 6th. This put me on a section of the trail that is frequented by bears, much later than I wanted to be on it, especially alone. Just before reaching Swiftcurrent Lookout, a couple coming down the trail passed me and I asked where they were headed. Their response “Many Glacier” was EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. I quickly scrambled up to the lookout and back down to catch up with them for the remainder of my journey.

Similarly, last month while hiking the Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire, I encountered a man and his two sons on the summit of Jefferson. I had already been on the trail for several hours, mostly in silence. Their conversation as we descended was exactly what I needed to lift up my spirits.

There is no doubt in my mind that Trail Angels exist. Here’s to hoping you never need one, but that one is there if you do.

A Wild Ride

I hit the road at Noon. My destination was the AMC Highland Center in Bretton Woods, NH. I will never forget that location because I checked the 10 day forecast for the past two weeks.

Thanks to Hoagiefest at Wawa I was all set. If you don’t know what Wawa is, you’re missing out. I opted for a salad instead of chips, grabbed two containers of coconut water and was on my way. As a side note, sandwiches and salads are not the best choices if you need to eat while driving.

There is always traffic in Connecticut. What do people in Connecticut do? Why are there always so many cars on the road there at all hours? Once I hit Massachusetts it was smooth sailing.

It was just before 8pm when I arrived. The man who checked me in gave me an ID card for the dining hall and a key to my room. The room had two sets of double bunk beds. The shared bathroom was in the hallway. I feared that my late arrival would land me on the top bunk, but when I opened the door, there was only one bag in the room. I placed my stuff on the bottom bunk and went to explore. I returned to an empty room and got ready for bed. Someone walked in as I was about to turn off my reading lamp. Her name was Kristen. We chatted and I asked if we were the only two people in the room. She said that another woman had come in briefly, dropped her purse and left.

I said good night, put in my ear plugs and pulled the covers over my head. It was still dark when a noise startled me. I opened my eyes and there was a woman sitting at the edge of my bed, staring at me. She was rambling and none of it made sense. Her hands touched my head and she commented on how pretty my hair was. I turned on the light. She scampered across the room and began hopping up and down on Kristen’s bed. 

The next thing I knew, the sun was up, Kristen was sound asleep and the top two bunks were empty. I grabbed my bag and headed to the bathroom. That was one crazy dream, at least I think it was.

2015 Presidential Traverse

I could write a mini-series of posts based on this experience...what not to pack for dinner when you have to eat while driving, my crazy dreams, less distance doesn’t necessarily mean less time, trail angels, a lesson in mental toughness and the feeling of accomplishment now that the journey is complete.

It's amazing the number of people who don’t know the location of Mount Washington, nor that it is the highest peak in the Northeast. 

My traverse covered roughly twenty miles over the course of two days and included seven summits over 4,000 feet. 

Currently, I am very sore, catching up on sleep and extremely thankful that I am no longer stepping on miles upon miles of rocks. 

I’ll check back in soon, but until then, here is the only picture I have of myself...still smiling (on Mount Madison) so you know it was early on.

two minutes

Just after Memorial Day I began to get excited for school to end. My morning commute (especially along Kings Highway) during the school year is an absolute nightmare! Lines of cars, traffic lights, crossing guards...it feels painfully slow.

The last day of school was June 19th. Since then I’ve had a handful of commutes and you know what? I have saved a whopping two minutes each morning.

Rethinking patience.

Gotcha!

Happy Gotcha Day Hazel! It certainly has been an interesting year with this little nugget...

facebook and peanut butter...

I'm quitting both of them for the month of July.

I'll be eating more than enough peanut butter during the first two weeks of August, hiking over 100 miles in Glacier National Park.

In the meantime, you can find me outside being awesome.

cheaper than therapy

I majored in Psychology. Back then, a four year degree could get you a decent paying job. My goal upon graduation was to work with teens in some sort of counseling capacity. I wanted to make a difference.

A little bit of luck and some good grades landed me an assistantship. I went to graduate school for Criminal Justice. 

My first two jobs (youth mentor and behavioral specialist) after graduation were direct service. Then, I landed a research position at the University of Pennsylvania and have been in the world of academia ever since.

Grants and their funding aren’t like they were ten years ago. My full-time job went to part-time and I returned to school to become a personal trainer.

I’ve been working at the same gym for two and a half years. Clients come and go, many stay, but they all tell me their stories...about their spouses and mother in laws, their friends and their children...about themselves, their hopes and fears and dreams.

In a way I guess I ended up where I intended on being after graduation all of those years ago...and for $20 a session it’s cheaper than therapy.

the longest day

A couple weeks ago, one of my teammates sent out an email about a ride he was organizing for the longest day of the year. The plan was to leave early in the morning from the shop, ride to Ocean City and back.

I asked around to see who was going, thinking that if it was a big group I’d have no problem hanging out on the back for 102 miles. Few people were able to commit to the date. 

As of June 18th the total stood at three...that’s when I was in...even though the longest I've ridden was 75 miles (three years ago for a charity ride) and the occasional 50, but nothing this long.

Three guys and a girl, 102 miles...

There was a fear in the back of my mind that the pace would be too much for me to handle. Then I thought about all the times I've invited other women to ride, only to be met with responses like “I haven’t been riding much so we can’t go too hard” or “I don’t want to hold you back, I might be slow.” Guys never say that kinda shit, they just go out there and hammer.

And so it began at 6:30am on June 19th...by mile 10 we had already stopped for our second flat. It wasn’t too late to turn around, but I didn’t. We reached 34th Street beach in Ocean City at 9:30am, made a quick stop at Wawa and headed into the headwind home.

Somewhere around mile 70 we stopped for water. One of my teammates got a cramp in his quad as he went to get off his bike. We slowed the pace, let him ride on the back, but he couldn’t continue. Another teammate waited until someone came to pick him up.

And then there were two...

The Willamstown bike path was the light at the end of the tunnel. I wanted to downshift and spin, but my legs couldn't move that fast so I left it in a bigger gear. I was crossing my fingers, hoping that the “low battery” indicator on my Garmin would hold out for just a few more miles...Broadway in Pitman, just a couple more minutes...the unit powered off. I rolled up to my car, grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the shop.

On the ride down, we all took pulls. There were times when I got to the back and thought about sitting out a round, but I didn’t. Sitting at the WaWa in Ocean City, I thought about just riding on the back for the return trip, but I didn’t. And I surprised myself...I hung in there with the guys, averaging 19.5mph for that 102 miles.