150 words about 62 miles and 0 excuses
I probably knew I would get dropped from the beginning, but I didn’t actually admit it to myself until the first climb on Camp Winnataska Road. It’s a twisty country road that cuts across a ridge, and it puts a premium on holding momentum through short explosive climbs. I let a gap grow, rounded a curve and the group was gone. Two sheriff’s cars pulled out of a clutch of trailers in the woods and I tucked in behind them, briefly. The one thing Camp Winnie Road has a lot of is despair. The group was waiting at a turn. But shortly after we started again I waved the guys behind me past, watched Will’s pink jersey disappear, and wondered about excuses. Not age; I wasn’t the oldest. Not fatigue; I was fully rested. Just not enough work. Despite what Greg said, it does get easier. You just go slower.