Killing myself on a bike #TRR2017
Early summer I tried to enroll for two road bike races on my unicycle, but I was denied by the organizers. It were Cyklo Gdynia at the north coast of Poland and Tatra Road Race on the south end - in Zakopane. It were first two events that ever objected to my participation, so I was bit surprised, but that's the organizers decision. Especially Zakopane was strange for me, as I participated in both road and offroad races in the area, so I assume organizers might have heard about that one-wheeled guy.
Nevertheless, I decided to give Tatra Road Race a go on two wheels. I aimed at Fun distance of 55km/1500m climbing on my unicycle, so I decided to go full distance of 122km/3200m climbing on two wheels. The day was warm, but still just after first climb we got some showers, which were nice, apart from the fact that you could not go that fast on narrow, curvy roads. I was keeping my own pace, rather slow, but aimed at survival of the whole race. The race included two loops in the middle of the route, so my first target was to get onto the second loop within the time limit. At the first entrance on the loop I had just 10 spare minutes, so I knew I need to keep the speed. But the road was all the time uphill or downhill, so not much place to rest. It was also quite hot and I drank water like crazy. The loop introduced me to one of the nastiest climbs on the route - Pitoniowka. Not very long, quite steep, definitely not high on the race profile, but it was painful to ride. Later, I felt some cramps starting at the end of the first loop, so I stopped, took some magnesium shot and continued. Last climb to the food stop was really steep and painful, but I managed to keep on my bike and took a brief rest and some food on the top. Then it was easier road to the entrance of the second loop and I managed it just 2 minutes before the limit.
I stopped for a moment just at the beginning of the loop and this way I got into the last group that passed the limit. We've seen the closing car quite often on the second loop. Luckily I passed one guy mid loop, so I was not bothered by the car that often. Once again I managed to climb both Pitoniowka and the climb to the food stop. This time I enjoyed the stop bit longer and then I continued happily towards the finish. I just didn't remember that we passed such steep downhill after Zoki. Now I was to climb it back and it was extremely painful. When I changed the position on my bike it was just a selection of muscles where cramps attacked. There was no safe position on this hill. But somehow, zigzagging, I made it to the top. On the way I was passed by one of my red-lantern-group friends, and I was second-last at the moment. But then it was just downhill and a last climb that I knew already - long but not that steep. But when I got down, I was so tired that the cramps started for real. I could not ride uphill, even if it was quite easy one, so I needed to stop twice to take a short break and drink all isotonic drinks I had. At such stop I was passed by the last rider and a safety car, so I was all alone at the very end. But I decided to continue riding as I wanted to cover everything on wheels, once I got that far. It was slow and painful, but once I got to the top, passed waiting safety car, I was almost at home. It was all descent from here, but the short climb to the finish, which was bearable once you know that you are there. I finished the race in 6 hours 1 minute and I thought I was last as the safety car came with me, but it turned out later in the results, that there was one guy a few minutes behind me. There would be of course more people behind us, but something like 20 were not allowed to take the second loop. Finally I did it! It was wasting experience, but I'm happy I tried and succeeded.
Two first photos by Katarzyna Bańka, last one is obiously a selfie.