Beauty and the Beast...and the Beast was slain...

Ok…here we go…a synapsis of Beauty and the Beast 67 mile ride…just south of the piney woods of Tyler Texas. The course…67 miles of hills…non stop…ascending …descending…over and over …and over…if you hate climbing…then this race would be torture…I love climbing though…so when the weather of 78 degrees with no wind was forecasted…I thought that it may be a pretty good day.

We get there…and Michael, Amber and I line up…and we are off….the start of these things is always a little hairy…people are excited…we are in tight…18 inches from each other….and the adrenaline usually has people cooking it…so after about a ½ mile…I look down and we are doing 27mph…with a 90 degree turn coming up…slowed…hold the line…I made it through…Amber made it through…and then we hear a crash…a quick glance…Michael was down…Amber and I look at each other…concerned…she asked if we go back…there was no way…without causing another pile up. I say we go on….and at the first stop we will wait to see. It was not to be…Michael escaped any serious injury…but the bike’s shifter for the rear gear set was broken. He was out.

The hills commence…and I just hold a good pace…keeping the heart rate down…and learned that climbing may be my forte…I passed a lot of people on hills…and with not a whole of lot of effort. At about mile 5 or so I must have passed Amber on a hill…and didn’t immediately realize it. About 10 miles later it was to be confirmed by our friend Don who served as a support vehicle. I pull into the aid station at mile 20…to take care of some “over hydration” and refill water bottles…Don told me that Amber was about a mile behind me…and as I leave…she was pulling in. She was doing great…looking strong…and then gave me her blessing to go hammer this course like a monster…and I was off…for the next 40 miles…hills…more hills….keeping a great pace…keeping the heart rate in check. Passing…and occasionally looking back and seeing cyclist trying to stay on my wheel. At mile 63…there is a hill called the Beast…I get there in good order….and notice that no one is riding up it….they were walking there bikes up that hill….then and there I knew that I would not be one of those people…even if I died in the saddle. For nearly a mile…the steepness…it took nearly 5 minutes to get up there…and at the top the heart felt like it was about to explode….as I neared the top…I heard a cyclist who had raced the Beast….shout out “TAKE THAT HILL MARINE.” Breathing was loud…the sweat dripped…and DONE….I tore the gates of hell of it’s hinges and killed the BEAST! Four miles to the finish…and I put it in the big ring and rode it in at 24mph…and averaged 18.1mph for the entire 67 miles. I was elated…felt like I rode well for the first long ride of the year…till then the longest was 2 ½ hours on the trainer. Ok…I have a base to work with now. As for Amber…she finished in a great time and averaged 17.2mph. Michael was a bit scraped up…but nothing serious…and so…we will PRESS ON!

Up to Speed....and when to start the Burn...

Ok…ok…neglected…very neglected and if it was an actual human child I am sure the CPS would have harshly knocked on the front door...I speak of my blog of course.

Team Elliott is rolling….with a full head of steam I might add….Kyle is now 3 months old….and growing. Hope has 2 soccer games under her belt for the season…plays both forward and goalie…and will tell you that when she is in goal…the BOX is hers…you come…you may get taking out. It sounds like I am joking…I am not….she looks for contact. Macy has yet to start softball…but it is afoot. Both girls are kicking it in Girl Scouts and Y Princess too…with 2 campouts in the next month or so… My proud moment for Macy was when she was one of 7 selected from 700 to have a piece of her artwork auctioned off for a school fund raiser...it went for $105.00...and no...it was purchased by someone that was not a family member...frankly I don't know who bought it. I WAS LIKE OVER THE TOP PROUD!


Luke has commenced baseball….and oh how I love the sound of that. I am helping coach….and will help out with Macy’s team when need be. Luke has crossed over into Boy Scouts…and has gone and spent the night on the USS Lexington in January. In February both he and I went with the troop to camp 2 nights in Palo Duro Canyon…it stayed in the 30’s for most of the time….and the entire Troop knocked out a 10 mile hike with minimal whining….and I got in a good 15 mile run by running ahead ½ mile and doubling back to end of the troop…and then do it all over again…Loved it.


Bren is busy too…and I can’t imagine why…there are only 4 kids to take care of…and she is the home room mom for the kids…and goes to Mom to Mom Bible Study….and until recently (February 26) helped me as Cubmaster and was the Cub Scout Pack Treasurer….we have given up both rolls. She has also started back to the gym 3 to 4 days a week…and getting back in shape. She really is an amazing woman. I can’t understand why there were never many parents that would use the excuse, “I don’t have time” when I asked them to volunteer…;-)

For me...I still read alot...I still practice magic and slight of hand...and I still work 50+ hours a week as a 100% commission salesman...and as for training...it is going…well it actually is going really strong. I have only missed 2 schedule workouts since my mom broke her hip December 19…and both of those were that week. I have been doing a lot of riding on the bike….a lot of core work…and some weights too. The first race of the season is Beauty & the Beast this coming weekend.. out in East Texas….67 miles of unrelenting hills…of suffering and anguish. My teammate, Amber asked how we plan on riding it. I respond, “We have a steady pace for the first 50 miles. Then we see how many matches are left in the book. If over ½ the book is left…then we start the burn…and hopefully as the last match extinguishes…we cross the finish line.”

Press On!