Always check your equipment...Twice!

So one of my favorite parts of the season are the LWV circuit races. This year I missed the first one while I was in Durango the second was a new coarse that should have suited me pretty well. Before the start I jokingly said better check and make sure nothing is rubbing. Which to my surprise my front break was! I thought I fixed it right before we moved down the hill to start. Apparently I did not. My speedometer was no working I must have bumped it while changing out my back wheel. I didn't realize that I had a problem until it was far too late. We did the neutral roll out which seemed hard, duh! Up the first hill the ladies attacked I was with them but my god was it killing me! We turned the first corner into a head wind and I felt like I was standing still. The lead group road off without me and now just about every other rider was catching me and passing me I couldn't even jump on a wheel of women I usually only see at the start and no more. Shit I am out of shape I was thinking among other things like, damn you suck! I ride around the first lap slightly humiliated to even pass by the corner marshals finally I reach the decent before heading back up the hill, this is when I realize that my break is rubbing I can hear it and I don't accelerate on the decent. I turn the corner and see a teammate on the hill I stopped and asked him to check for me. He does and yes the break is rubbing very nicely he fixes it for me and now the hill aint so bad but my race is long since decided so I am going for a tempo workout all for the bargain price of $20 + gas and time. Oh well got to love it anyway.

Next day after a very fun but late night BBQ w/ a wee bit too much vino I went on a ride w/ my pals. Alki loop. Didn't know we were doing tempo w/ hills. I did great! Only dropped on the long climb and not by much. Just a slight vindication for the previous days performance. Maybe I don't suck all that bad.