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View Full Version : WON THE BRONZE! first race age 54



mimitabby
10-01-2006, 06:50 PM
Well, guys,
it was amazing. The weather was supposed to be crappy, rain all day... We agreed there would be no racing if it rained, just a "Social Ride"
We started with 12 teams but a lot of people dropped out, so there were only 9 teams. Each team was comprised of a woman and two men. Most of the people that rode have already done tough rides like Ramrod, so a measly little ten mile uphill race was just no big deal for most of them.
Well, the morning broke with a light high cloud cover, 50 degrees... no wind.
It couldn't be better!
There had been a lot of emails flying back and forth with people posturing and insulting each other. One gal sounded so tough her two guys both backed out and she ended up with a new team. We all had goofy team names and dressed the part. my team wore western shirts and spurs.
my husband's team was team arsenal, so they wore little ducks on their heads.. (dont' ask me!)
So we all went down to the start of the race. Lucky for me, my husband and i did this same ride on our own tandem at our own speed a few weeks ago.
Phew! and it's a good thing, i had enough OTHER things to be worried about (the weather, the bike, the saddle, whether my animal-son was going to go too fast and hurt himself) at least I already knew the course and there were no nasty surprises for me.
I followed my husband's advice, I Closed my eyes on the long scary downhills, and pedalled my butt off for the whole 10 miles. The only time I didn't give it my all is when Peter (the captain) told me to relax.
My son Tom who is 25 kept up with us the whole time, except after the 12 % grade he decided to stop for a potty break. (Bad move, son, tandems are fast going downhill!!) well; he actually caught up with us eventually, he was really booking down that hill.
We passed two different teams, that were 3 and 5 minutes ahead of us.

The first place team consisted of two professional racers and a very strong randonneuring guy.
The second team to come in the woman had done an Ironman in Hawaii and one of the guys had done some serious biking too . Their third was a very young strong guy kind of like my son.
http://www.sersale.org/bike/IMG_5118.JPG
http://www.sersale.org/bike/IMG_5141.JPG

my husband's team, the best looking; came in 5th.

http://www.sersale.org/bike/IMG_5120.JPG

my husband is holding the rock he put in my son's pannier! (i found it before
we started)

KnottedYet
10-01-2006, 06:55 PM
Congratulations! Great job, and great pictures Mimi!

(I like the rock)

Bikingmomof3
10-01-2006, 06:59 PM
Awesome Mimi! Thank you for sharing the photos. The rock cracks me up. It sounds like something my husband would do. I am glad it was such a nice day.

HipGnosis6
10-01-2006, 07:03 PM
MIMITABBY FTW!!!!1111one!!!

No, seriously. Congratulations, that's totally awesome!

Triskeliongirl
10-01-2006, 07:03 PM
Sounds like great fun. Thanks for sharing!

Xrayted
10-01-2006, 07:05 PM
The pics are great. Thanks for sharing. Good job on the bronze. You TE ladies never cease to amaze me.

Now, the question is... would he have told anyone before the race started if you hadn't found the rock?

mimitabby
10-01-2006, 07:13 PM
no, he would NOT have told. He and Tom have been doing this to each other for years!



edit: husband says he would not have let it go; he would have told Tom.

CyclChyk
10-01-2006, 07:19 PM
Yeah Mimi! Congrats!! And I must say, the ducks on the helmet look cute. Kinda beenie-ish.

On on another happy note, at least your DH didn't put the rock in YOUR pannier!

salsabike
10-01-2006, 08:02 PM
Hey, what fun!!! Congrats. And please, inquiring minds want to know the connection between Team Arsenal (an English football team, as far as I know) and ducks!

colby
10-01-2006, 08:05 PM
GO MIMI! WOO!! :D

(Strange! It lowered the caps in my post!)

esther231
10-01-2006, 08:12 PM
OMG, that looks like you had a great time.

And congrats!!! That's wonderful.

Cassandra_Cain
10-01-2006, 08:20 PM
Mimi - congratulations! Excellent and well-deserved.

More races to come right? :)

light_sabe_r
10-01-2006, 09:08 PM
CONGRATULATIONS on your bronze!!! Well done!!!:D

Another inspiration to the aspiring cyclist

Lise
10-01-2006, 10:49 PM
Mimi! Congratulations! What great pix! Is that your son with the other duck-adorned helmet? Love the rock in pannier idea. :p Good job! :D :D :D

mimitabby
10-02-2006, 05:42 AM
no, Lise, my son who is on MY team is the one in the red cowboy shirt next to me.
I don't know if there will be more races; but i won't be quite so afraid next time!

BleeckerSt_Girl
10-02-2006, 05:43 AM
Great pictures! YAY!!!!! Good job!

DDH
10-02-2006, 07:11 AM
Good for you, Great job!!!! Congratualtions.

Great pictures, thanks for sharing.

Bad JuJu
10-02-2006, 08:49 AM
Woo-hoo, Mimi! Team TE Bianchi girls rock, even when they're not on their Bianchis! Thanks for sharing the pix.

mimitabby
10-02-2006, 08:59 AM
well, I sure TRAINED on that Bianchi!

RoadRaven
10-02-2006, 09:04 AM
Way to go Mimi

Yet another source of inspiration...

Did you each geta bronze medal?

Or was it a figurative bronze?

(If its a real one, wear it out a few times... you have earned a fabulous accessory).


BTW... poor son with the rock!!! But just goes to show your hubby knew who the real competition was... YOUR TEAM!!!! woohoo!!!

mimitabby
10-02-2006, 09:46 AM
we are getting some sort of prize. I don't know what it is. Apparently they weren't ready yet. hopefully it's not more rubber ducks. (and my husband is very sad because he LOST his duck on the big return downhill. (ducks fly)

caligurl
10-02-2006, 05:37 PM
you GO, GURL!

SadieKate
10-02-2006, 05:55 PM
Good for you for doing something completely new! Way to go!

annie
10-02-2006, 06:55 PM
Prize or no prize, you KNOW you did great!!!!! So happy for you!!

annie