The Best and Worst Times at Steilacoom
Well hey there legs, good morning to you too…
— Tim Johnson (@timjohnsoncx) November 19, 2012
What Tim said. After 8 weeks off, it was back to racing at Seattle CX on Sunday at Steilacoom. For me, the course was the best and worst of times. One barrier section was good for not stressing the ankle, but all the climbing tested the lost fitness. After the start, the pack sped away and I raced my own pace. A few laps later, on a fast descent, hairpin turn Tyler Farrar said, “on your left, bro.” I gave him and the racers on his wheel plenty of room, then rode to the finish a lap, or two down.
The legs ache this morning.
On the runup Tyler said, “damn this is hard”
A grippy wedge to carve the muddy ruts
For the sticky mud and gravel sections, I set the D-Plus up with the Reynolds and Limus up front, Grifo in the rear at 28 PSI. That deep and stiff of a wheel with those tires is like a grippy wedge that carves through ruts.
After several intensely painful sessions with my PT Mike Rogers, for race day, he modified my right S-Works shoe to accommodate a still puffy ankle, cutting back the tongue. Instead of tape, I wore a maternity-strength compression sock. The ankle made itself known, but nothing I couldn’t race through. Next week, I’ll pin a number on my back again and work on getting some form back, but I’m not calling it a comeback.
Grandpa socks and modified shoes with orthotics, getting old sucks
Pro Tip: if the tongue slides to the left or right on your S-Works shoe, cut the tip of it back like this. This mod was to accommodate a swollen, puffy ankle, but also discovered it prevents tongue creep, a problem with S-Works shoes and the BOA system.