The Well

Race Day: 30km in

Hello, Darin, this is the Well calling. You've tried going to me once too many times this year and there ain't a lot left. Sure you felt great for 30km, around 1 hour 50 minutes, on pace for a 7:20 finish, but you should have known that it couldn't last. When was the last speed session you did? June? You're quads are feeling tight and everything hurts already. Are you going to drop? I know you want to. Try to hold on for another seven hours and see how much fun that will be.

Present Day:

It wasn't that fun, I can tell you that. The legs feel better today finally, and I'm over the fact that I finally had the crappiest race of my life. I knew it would come one day, you just never want to admit it. Almost 2 hours off my PB for 100km but I'm proud of the fact I stuck it out - seven hours almost of constantly wanting to stop. It was very, very hard to keep moving but I did have help from Dave the Aussie who was hurting as much as me. It made the time go by a little faster. The best news of the day and what made the pain subside for a time was that Rick Webb had the race of his life and set the new Canadian record for his age, 50, in 7:39!! As that is my PB for the 100, I have some work to do for Belgium next June.

The recovery has been tough as well - walking miles and miles through Rome for the past couple days in beautiful sunshine is terrible. I'll have a more detailed summary of the trip and pictures up Friday or Saturday.

Ciao.