Pisgah Stage Race 2015: Stage 3

Stage 3 kicked my butt.  That's it.  I felt really good when I got up, getting ready and loaded.  As soon as I hit the road, I started feeling weird,  nauseous.  I get nervous sometimes, but it usually goes away.

We lined up, the gun went off and I fell behind Joe.  Josh, 1st place ss disappeared.  I never even saw him.  I followed Joe, Dejay and Scott passed us and we fell in line,  then Evan shot by weaving in and out of people like a cat running from a dog.  Dejay, Scott, Joe and I road together for a little while until I started to fade.  I backed off and that was all she wrote.

I'm not sure if I didn't get enough fuel after yesterday's stage or what,  but I didn't have anything, and anytime I tried to accelerate, I got nauseous.  I've always had a frail stomach, and sometimes it just doesn't pan out.

I went into survival mode, knowing that everyone was likely suffering today.  I did a lot of hike a biking,  up Black.  Down Maxwell to Clawhammer, it felt good to coast.  Down Buckhorn I started feeling a little better.  I was able to eat some gels and blocks, and keep drinking.  That was good.  I hoped I would be able to maintain.

The climb up 477 was long and arduous.  I kept withing myself and enjoyed the forest.  Something smelled weird.  A strong odor of urine.  Weird.  I made it to Club Gap and decided that in order to try to recover for Stage 4,  I should hike the whole thing.  I did, except for the little downhill.

Up and over the top and down Avery Creek.

Through the rest stop, Coke and a quarter of Pb n j.  Thanks Todd and Karlos.  Then the grind back up Clawhammer and Maxwell,  hike up and over black, then slip n slide down to the finish.

Looks like I'm back in 6th place on the day and overall.  Joe gained 30 minutes on me and I'm proud of him.  He has worked hard to get where he is.  I'm almost ready to party pace with him,  but the competitive side of me wants to duke it out til the end!