As I said many things had been going on, in addition I also had a computer crash, so now with a new laptop and a day-off on the train schedule, I have a lot to update on the blogosphere!
Its been a while since the last race in Colombia, but I think it's worth bringing it back...
The race was in Guatapé June 18th, shortly after the Cartagena race.
I spent a week with my Colombian friends in El Retiro, a small town with excellent training conditions at 2.300m above sea level!
The Colombians are very hospitable as always and warmly welcomed me!
I had a nice time with Juan, Oscar Preciado, his family, and the epic couple Ricardo Cardeño and Carmenza Morales!
I suffered a lot training at altitude, especially swiming, once I went to a 10x300m and my lungs were turned inside out trying to finish in 4 minutes!
I started it super motivated, even though I felt the altitude, I finished the swimming leading the second group and I was feeling strong and couldn't wait for the upcoming climbs, where I knew I could jump ahead a lot of positions on the bike course.
I started leading the second peloton with 8 or 9 guys, it was my day! (Maybe)
At the end of the first climb three of us pulled away from the group. I was felling good!
Suddenly the pedals were getting heavier and I could not take another climb and stay with the other two guys. I did not understand how my legs were so heavy and so soon. A minute later going downhill at 60km/h I found out why, my rim touched the ground and I almost fell off, the tire was flat ... :-(
I could not continue racing, with the steep climbs and descents, it would be crazyness trying to continue the race with no air in the tires.
That's life! Sometimes seems that everything is coming together very well, but there is always some unpredictability.
Unfortunately, Felipe Santos, the other Brazilian athlete, also was unlucky and we met to watch the others... Usually this leaves us really angry, but on that day before competing he told me he was nervous, and I replied that we were anxious because we would run a risk, no risks or nervousness when we stay home! I think we both were more confident about doing our best which was the most important thing!
It was not our day, but we were resigned to do our best as long as we could...
Well, the competition ended, and I went to a barbecue with my Colombian friends. Everything was going very well ... Until Ricardo asked me the flight times and I replied, "I leave at 12:15 and arrive at 8:00."
And he asked "The whole day traveling?" and very calmly I said "No, this was the time zone!".
"Impossible!" he replied!
Then I realized that I was not traveling from China to Brazil (when traveling for 11 hours I back in time for 4 hours!) And decided to check the ticket ... was pointing 12:15am, what for me, should be 0:15...
C&#$t! I would arrive in Bogota 9 hours late for my flight!
By that time it was 6pm, I would have four hours to get from Medellin to Bogotá, to reach the flight at 0:15 ...
While some friends dismounted my bike and others called the airlines, I was throwing my stuff inside the luggage!
In 10 minutes I was heading to the airport, and making plans how to catch another flight. After running through the airport, I was lucky and got a flight at 20:40 with a reasonable price... unfortunately I would have to pay on the next flight an extra fee of 213USD because of 10 cubic centimeters, the size of a chocolate box, which was the extra volume of the bike bag. :-(
Anyway with lots of good and bad luck mixed and all together, right now I am looking forward to the next race, which will be the World Cup in Edmonton Canada!
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