Date: 2008-07-19
To: TIME TRIAL-Arrington,TN
Miles today: 0.0

July 19, 2008The day has arrived for the Tennessee Senior Olympics...today is the TIME TRIAL event...a 5k or 3.1mile ride against the clock...Just the rider & the bicycle against the old stop-watch!I arise & head toward Arrington, TN (just outside Franklin,TN) & arrive about 7:15am...(staging area: Arrington Christ Church)Plenty of cyclists already here...i check in & then start prepping my bicycle (2005 TREK Madone 5.2SL modified with Time Trial bars & ZIPP 404 wheels)I walk around...snap a few photos...greet fellow competitors...& meet new ones (the younger guys...)i see Kevin Sellers from last year...And Ricky Braxton from "TEAM BRAXTON" (now in the 55-59 age group) parks next to me....Gordon Hampton (Williamson County Parks & Rec Dept) gives out instructions as i leave to go warm up (get the legs in gear)...ride a couple miles toward the start liine & hit a side road....start time is 8:30am....i'm scheduled to start @ 8:38am...(in minute apart)i roll up to the start line...& i hear "Good Luck, Jay!" from several competitiors...& i'm off....pedal!...Pedal!...pedal!...i hit 25 mph....& keep it there....for the 1st quarter mile...then i hit the long uphill....only abt an 8% grade....but its 3/4 mile...& uphills have been my down-fall...so i hit it....but soon my speed falls to 16 mph....i keep up the pace...pedal...pedal...pedal...i'm still @ 15mph when i hit the top of the hill...& then i CRANK IT!!!i shift to the BIG RING....pedal! PEDAL!..PEDAL!!!i hit 40mph on the downhill...as i roll back by the staging area...(Arrington CHrist Church)...i'm pumping hard....pedal...pedal...pedal...i'm breathing extra hard....pedal...pedal..pedal...i round a corner....another downhill....again, i crank it!pedal...pedal...peda;!i'm in the BIG RING...pedaling....then...my legs turn to LEAD....its like they SEIZED up...i see the 1 mile to go sign...my legs have given out...i'm spent...i struggle to keep pedaling...i'm done for the day...& still have a half mile to go....i top the last small hill...i see the finish line....pedal...pedal...i'm back to 15 mph & my legs are killing me...but i struggle to pedal...keep pedaling & cross THAT LINE....wheeeeeeeeeeeew! done....my on board computer says 9:26...one of my WORST times ever....but, will have to wait to see what my "OFFICIAL" time was clocked at...the MEDAL ceremonly starts...& Gary Gossett is handed BRONZEthen, a HUGE SURPRISE...with a time of ?...the SILVER goes to JAY SWAFFORD...Hey, thats Me!...(i cant beleive it!)...i was thinking did everybody else have a LOUSY day as well???oh well, i'm grateful...although...i felt i didnt DESERVE a medal.& the Gold goes the Greg Clark (Hendersonville)...Great!...(i talked with Greg for awhile...great guy, super nice...& from the area)THomas Gee took the GOLD in his 55-59 age Group & Ricky Braxton got the SILVER in smae category.After all the medals were given out...it was announced that the 50-54 age group men needed to report to the sign in-desk.we all did....come to find out...they had mis-calculated the times...& gave the MEDALS to the wrong people...so, i had to give my SILVER MEDAL back!& was left with NO medal at all...bummer!...(but, its what i deserved for that LOUSY time i turned in)Oh, well...maybe i can redeem myself in the ROAD RACE tomorrow!