Biking the Circuit of the Americas
I went to Bike Night at the F1 track in Austin yesterday evening after work. Ben Lee from work told me about it in the morning and the idea sounded so cool that we bought tickets and made plans to go that very day! I didn't even know that was a thing -- what a cool idea.
We were buzzing with excitement and once we arrived after a 30 min drive, we saw lots of pretty serious-looking bikers gearing up and stretching in the parking lot. It was my first time at the F1 track and it reminded me of the race level from Hitman.
The hill on Turn 1 was a crazy climb; the whole time I climbed it, I was thinking of Onoda from Yowamushi Pedal. The anticipation of that hill was almost like waiting for a rollercoaster -- when was it coming? Would we be able to climb it? The first ascent was arduous. I was in way too high of a gear and by the time I made it to the top, I was totally gassed. I had to hop off the bike and stand for a while, my breath gone and my head spinning. People were talking but their voices sounded muffled and far away. After enough rest, half a pack of Cliff BLOCs (thanks Michelle!) and a bottle of water, I was ready to continue. I thought I'd have to bypass that hill on the next lap.
After a lap of downhill bombs and straightaways, it was time to face the hill again. This time I was ready. I shifted way down and took it slow and tried to keep my cadence up. Just like swimming, it wasn't about getting to the end but being able to sustain for an extended period. Boom! Made it to the top, feeling good! I continued around the turn and coasted down the proceeding hill, hitting speeds of 30+ MPH. I had bested the hill, and like any challenge that I initially struggled with but improved at, I loved the climb now.
The rest of the ride was much more moderate, Ben and I stopping to take pictures and rest when we needed to. As the sun started to set, the track transformed into a serene winding path. Images from Ford v. Ferrari came to mind.
Once I got home I had the craziest time on the toilet... I think that means I need to drink more water...
20.85 Miles, 2 Hrs, ~6 Laps. Awesome!
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