......amazing.....

 

Lets me say that we could spend days talking about this...

 

I'm here writing these words of appreciation  with my left middle finger, thumb and right middle finger all because the others are asleep...painfully asleep...

I am writing this letter of appreciation because my knees are very sore, my tongue is ulcerated, my ankles hurt and my toes are numb, my ass is cut up pretty good and my eyes are swollen partially shut.....things couldnt be better! really!!

 

I really dont know where to start...so bare with me and my metaphors...

 

Have you ever fed a dog a morsel of raw meat,...You know how the dog will quickly go for the meat, barely chewing, doesnt even taste it my some would say....then he's ready for the next bite?

It seems as though we, humans, live life sometimes the same way, we just salivate, get our attention span fed, gulp down the details then we step to the next moment in time....

I 'd like to take this process and slow it down so that you get a better flavor....maybe like sipping wine...pushing the general idea up to the roof of your mouth, so that the flavors run across the tongue....taking note of the complicated earthiness, hints of cherry, tobacco and currant, leaving a peppery aftertaste and a stirring of the mind and heart...

 

Over the past few years my personal race resume of over 140 races had suddenly been uglied up and blemished with a failed world record attempt, 1 DNF's, one broken bike while in first and 1 unnexcusable exit of the same race I am about to detail now...

What happened...

• The Heart of the South 500 is actually 517 miles,starts in Bham, Al. and travels north east into Ga. and back to Bham for the finish
• I trained with barely enough time to be prepared
• I gathered up a top notch crew to assist in this challenge, they we're;

Linda Riemnann - driver, navigator, support
Scott Tankersly - driver, navigator, support
Larry Hairelson - Race strategist
Mary Rountree - Crew Chief

Tracy McKay -Rider

• We started the race in rainy raceconditions
• We raced for about 390 miles straight in the rain
• Emotions were high and I yelled at my crew
• The crew stayed composed and guided me through the tough times reassuring me that things were in control
• We led the race for the first 260 miles...until,
• We climbed 2600 feet in a 7.3 mile stretch
• I was wet and cold during the entire time
• I hyperventilated, and by the time I reached the top I was hypothermic with gray skin and purple hands 

 

• I shivered uncontrollably, wet and incoherent
• My crew stripped me of my wet clothes, wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a van for 40 minute nap
• Stress levels were very high
• My crew chief exercised good problem-solving and tough decision-making
• My crew got me back into dry warm clothes
• 2 other cyclists would pass us by during this moment
• I was fed "real food" other than  water bottles nutrition
• I was put back on the bike for the remaining 257 miles

hey, without risk there is no reward...right?

• I raced slowly downhill in on wet pavement and dense fog

• I continued in the rain with my crew following closely
• The crew told crude jokes and played various IPOD favorites to help pass the time
• I caught one rider and followed him for a long while...

• Both crew vehicles traveled slowly and carfully, amber lights blinking in the gray backdrop and rain covered pavement
• I rode up to the cyclist and talked with him as we approached a 3 mile climb... 
• My ego got the better of me

• I passed his crew and rode beside him talked forth a moment and fell back to my crew
• I motioned a thumbs up, took a swig and hammered the hill with all I had...
• My competitor simply disappeared behind me....

an un-exercised ego never gains any muscle...

• I rode very steady in the wet drab  spittle of rain
• my clotheswould stay wet
• my butt would chaffe, my feet and hands would get cold
• every set of clothes I put on would get soaked
• My crew used ziplock bags over my feet/ inside my shoe and duct tape to keep my feet dry and warm
• The "FLYING J" truckstop was a little slice of heaven, it provided warmth, civiization and coffee!!!!
• We travelled on into the night, mile after mile, and then my crew decided to break up the monotony and we did intervals!
• I got bloated and started to consume turkey sandwiches with pickles!!!
• I decided that pickles are just as good as coffee, sometimes
• As the night went on and into Peidmont, I acquired double vision...
• My crew and I rode deep into the backroads of Alabama
• I found myself with rollers that would lead me to Mt. Cheaha
• Then the epic climb!  We hit Cheaha at the 400 mile mark...
• I changed bikes and started up..my followed providing me with encouragement but NO BS...I felt as though I was being coached up by Johan Bruneel himself himself..
• Every pedal, stroke was accounted for
• We reached the top in dark of the early morning
• We changed clothes and headed to Birmingham
• I got real pissy and couldnt get my head straight
• I changed bikes and headed out of as hard as I could
• We stopped for coffee where we were told that multiple cyclists passed us...
• I got pissed and went after him, again 

• We travelled at crazy speeds for the distance
• We went across Lake  Martin
• Turned on left on Kelley Creek rd
• We got word that my next competitor was within 11 miles of us....
• The crew would me through a series of enormous effort and really low, lows
• I would climb Vandiver and Sterrett turn left on Rex lake
• My crew pulled up beside me and ignited a fire telling me that my competition was now within 3 miles away
• I pulled off some of my clothing and hammered away
• I would climb and take a turn, only to find friends yelling, crying and screaming as I performed my last monumental effort before the finish 

 

• I caught the 4 person corporate team, waited for the cliomb and hammered it again....
• Up hill, downhill and onto Blue lake rd...
• Noone behind me, noone in front, the race would be over in 1/4 mile
• We climbed 30,000 feet
• We finished the race in 39 hours and something minutes, on the toughest course in USA...and qualified for RAAM as a solo!

How did it feel?

Racing like this brings with it a range of emotion....The distance was not that hard, but when you couple the 30,000 feet of climbing , the intimidation of the climbs and the elements...oh yeah and sleep deprivation for both your crew and yourself, logic and emotion begin to wrestle...for instance, the moment of uncertainty when reaching the top of Ft/. Mountain...cold wet and hypothermic...what do you do when someone you care about is purple and wet, shivering and babbling yet needs to go on........another example was when we put a lot of pressure on ourselves in preparing and climbing Cheaha at mile 400 but when we reached the summit, it was a huge let down...okay, get dressed, warm clothes , time to head back to Bham....woopie.

A truck stop, the "FLYING J" provided the best feelings, giving us warm clothes and coffee...There were moments of anger, sadness, happiness and elation...I found myself confused and incoherent at times, feeling alone  and in need of brain food....seconds later I was processing all this and flustered then on to feeling like a champ...It is a complete smathering of unscheduled flavors..like being blindfolded and told - "eat this".

NOW WHAT -
this may take a few days...parts of me wanna just shut down and disappear, other parts of me wanna have a party to celebrate the crew, myself and our accomplishment
THIS was an exceptional crew, diverse in personality and ability, willing to do whatever it took to get my ass across the finish line...They exercise, exceptional problem-solving, guidance, decision-making and compatibility...

I'd like say that Im looking forward to racing very soon, but Ill give it a week or so before making any commitments.

For now -
To Larry Hairelson - thank you for your willingness to take yet another crazy race with me; Im glad we "caught up"...you are my Johan Bruneel

To Linda - thankyou for your willingness to jump right in at the last moment, your emotional support was certainly felt, your going on the next one....

To Scott -  Thanks for the "ZIMA and Virginia Slim"...dude you were awesome, thanks for the speakers and the willingness to take on this challenge blindly!

To Mary - where do I start here...thanks for Sleestack socks and really just EVERYTHING, both following me and riding with me in preparation...your problem-solving and quick thinking was exceptional...thanks for believing in me. I look forward to many more miles with you.

To the entire crew - This was a 517 mile race on the toughest race course in USA next to RAAM...WE started, WE delivered,

 

To all who read this -