The ideal group helped me through 87-mile in 2015. It lit my desire for skate speed. I outlined 2016 goals:
- Acquire 125mm setup.
- Hotter n Hell 100 faster than 12 mph using skates. “How rough can the pavement be?”
- A2A sub-5-hour finish. “All I need is tailwind.”
_barriers
Base-building went great before July then things fell apart. I cramped weekly during bike rides. The backup Simmons boots fell apart from previous crashes. Trishop no longer offered a bike group for me to skate with. Windhaven hill became less safe due to construction.
Transition to 125mm was thorny. The deck height induced blisters. My boots performed worse after re-skin. I ordered 125-110 hi-lo frames from France to reduce deck height 1 month before HHH—I was running out of time. The new frames were disappointingly tall. I questioned my ability to stay in motion for 8.3 hours on rough pavement. I accepted that I would lose skin at HHH and likely get in SAG wagon.
Father’s condition turned critical the week before the 100-mile skate. HHH became least of my concerns. I spent 4 weeks in Taiwan with family. I felt fitness leaving the body. I didn’t care.
I returned to Texas and tweaked skates after each session. Having to wear Bandaid and Eezefit with custom boots was depressing.
The hi-lo frame’s middle wheel rattled—I swapped in the thickest 110mm in my collection the night before A2A trip. As I filed down carbon to make new front wheels fit, I debated whether I’d be better off switching back to the old wheel size unused for 10 months.
I recruited first timers Nicolas and Kurt. They helped me not to focus on my negativity.
_ goal
Hang with Eddy ‘til blow up. Let chase pack go by. Skate with next group, usually with Luke in it. Have a beer at check point 5.
Jessica assured me she wasn’t in form. I changed my plan: hang on to Jessica pass Silver Hill. Have a beer if I was alone by check point 5.
_7am
Eddy held a giant sign instead of his usual costume.
We skated out of Athens before sunrise. Multiple pint-sized skaters made certain positions undesirable. Skaters were difficult to identify in the dark except Jessica and Herb standing out like green beacons. Eddy didn’t need the draft and seemed unconcerned. Kurt was unproven climbing hills but was fluid in the lead pack. Oswald seemed determined to have a good race.
The opening 5k was taxing. My confidence dwindled. I hadn’t gone this hard in a year. I debated whether to join Luke before redlining. I hoped Nicolas found people to skate with.
Kurt disappeared. Oswald sprinted toward the front. Jessica let the lead pack go. I joined her. Rachel, Candy, and Cheyanne were with us. Marcy was absent this year. Francisco brought a MPC teammate from Belgium. She sped away with the big boys.
It was nice to see Candy return to Georgian hills. Cheyanne’s slipstream size was unchanged since last year. Tavis the North Dakotan offered strong pull and happy energy. We picked up Brian Tilley after the lead pack spitted him out. Farid wisely joined the chase pack before blowing up.
_Dacula (2 hours 23 min; avg 16.0 mph, 2 mph off Debbie Rice's record)
We lost Cheyanne before Dacula. Tavis’ only 38-mile competitor in our group didn’t pull once. I decided to maximize Tavis’ winning chance. Candy wasn’t overly enthusiastic about my lead out. Tavis and Candy won the 38-mile race.
_off year
We caught Lenny around mile 50. He couldn’t hang on. I was sad.
_casual stroll
Everyone took his turns at the front with no sense of urgency. I looked back at right turns hoping 49-milers would join us. We stopped for Rachel to check her skates then stopped again for bio break.
Michael appeared more relaxed than rest of us. I didn’t feel weak—just slow.
_headwind.
The weather was beautiful, but the wind wasn't helpful. For the first time I failed to reach 40 mph at Silver Hill.
We caught Sonic and Brian Geisel climbing out of Silver Hill at check point 5. I was afraid Sonic would be too tired to hang on; he wasn’t. I wished Brian brought a nice camera; he didn’t.
_day dreaming
This was my 10th straight years skating A2A. Every time I noticed an unfamiliar billboard I wondered if it’s new. Motorists demonstrated admiration, annoyance, amusement, and disgusts. I followed my friends in city traffic absorbing vibrations from the pavement.
Instead of focusing on the road, I replayed events from last 2 months: father’s passing, Donn’s passing, CN’s DUI, RA’s manslaughter. Fortunes turned on a dime. I gifted LED from Donn to Vlk household’s Barbie house. Now Barbie reminded me of him.
_close call
My left foot went into a pothole. The right foot made a hard right to counter before I realized what happened. Brian seemed surprised I stayed up. What would smaller wheels do? I’d never know. I increased following distance on holy Atlanta streets.
We entered residential streets. Farid asked if anyone knew the route. No taker. Lenny or Sam would’ve taken over. No one pushed the pace. Marcy was jumpy by this time last year when Kent waited to pounce.
_cheapskate
Converting to new wheel size implied I had to pay retail for wheels. I found myself avoiding braking even more than before.
_crashes
I took aggressive lines at turns to minimize braking. I paid the price by not factoring debris into consideration at mile 84. I was glad I didn't take others down. The pack slowed for me to catch up. I felt like an idiot. Francisco later pointed out mismatching wheel thickness reduced traction at turns.
I was extra careful before the right turn into Krog Street Tunnel when Farid crashed. Rachel missed the turn to avoid collision. Jessica waited for Rachel with 1.6 miles to go. Jessica helped restoring my hope in human race during this presidential election.
The pack was down to 4 out of the tunnel. I had post-crash adrenaline but no desire in beating Michael who could’ve dropped me couple miles back. I didn’t like my chance competing agility against Sonic. Brian and I agreed to tie and watched Michael duking it out with Sonic.
Rachel crashed trying to beat Jessica at the line.
_results
Eddy and Francisco were on top for the 2nd year. Peter 4th. Kent repeated his 5th place. Everyone’s time was slower than 2015 except for Kent.
Sabrina Gaudesaboos from Belgium won women’s title.
Harwell again dominated 70-700 age group.
Oswald managed to finish unbonked with Kent and Hernan. I’d never seen him so happy after a race.
Lenny finished 3 minutes before Sam. Sam skated his usual A2A2A.
To my relief Nicolas and Kurt both made it to Dacula. Thank you, Luke—I can always count on you.
_aftermath
I brought insufficient Tegaderms for my road rash. Pole dancer Kurt shared stories while patching me up.
I missed Texas Flyers and inline-friendly bike groups. I contemplated quitting the sport. I was tired of equipment disappointments, hassles from cops, and annoyance I caused Simmons.
I felt like a wuss thinking of Win’s fearlessness and grace.
[Win Hughes won 2nd for Australia at 2016 FIRS World Championship; photo by Dinah Hughes in Nanjing]
He made me think of father. I didn’t recall being this self-absorbed at previous A2A’s. Maybe narcissism could be my new sport.
Kurt continuously followed his friends’ progress at 2 Ironman over the weekend. A2A was a short race in comparison.
I thought of my back pain buddy Donn at Pure Taqueria. The appetizer came last. Dessert never showed. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t hungry after Hilton snack and the 87-mile humble pie. I normally avoided crowd and noise, but life ain’t always about comfort. I was amongst friends. The road rashes hurt with each hug and handshake. I felt loved and blessed.
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