A2A is the event that I have been wanting to do for quite some time. I was really dissappointed to hear that it was cancelled last year, and I was really glad that it was back for it's 25th anniversary. I've never before travelled this far for a race before this year, and Duluth and A2A are experiences that I will never forget. Both had their unique challenges and are incredibly satisfying events to complete for different reasons.
A2A is certainly a very unique race, and I can see why people keep coming back for more, time and time again.
I really don't think anything could have prepared me for how challenging the course truly is from Athens to Atlanta. The hills felt like they were pretty much non stop. It definitely stands out in my mind as one of the most grueling events I've ever undertaken.
However, at the end of the day, there is a great deal of satisfaction after the race having conquored your demons, both emotional and physical.
Even before leaving Toronto, I had a bit of a panic just before I got on the TTC at Bloor and Spadina to go to the airport. I didn't have my wallet! I needed to make a decision... I had my passport, but could I go to Atlanta without any cash or cards? Going back to Yonge and Eg would pretty much nix the possiblity of taking transit to the airport, I'd have to somehow get cash for a cab whether I found my wallet or not! I took a chance that it was back at Yonge and Eglinton and used one of my two tokens to get back to the new apartment, where I tore the place apart. I tried to formulate a plan involving going over to the bank and seeing if they could issue me some cash with my passport as ID, I also found my chequebook. As a last ditch effort, I decided to check the car... and it turned out it was on the floor of the Caddy! Then I booked it to grab a cab and got the the airport, through the line-ups and met up with Richard A at the gate to the plane.
We got the Athens pretty late, I was sharing a room with Joel, and he had not arrived yet. So I decided to check out the nightlife. What a wild town! Bars and people all up and down the three streets adjacent to the University of Georgia. Next time I will have to bring Jen to share the fun.
We went to the expo the next day. From Toronto, we had myself, Richard, Joel, Herb, Peter, Aaron, Carla, and her husband Bruce on support. Some of us had a great meal at a place called DePalma's. I had Ravioli, but the Tuna Steak was divine. Just the way I liked it, seared on the outside, sushi on the inside.
I slept pretty well, the Holiday Inn had comfy beds and pillows and Joel was an excellent roommate. We got up the next day and headed for the start line. It had rained just prior, which left the pavement wet for the first couple of hours of the skate, but after Duluth and two Montreal Defi events, I was thankful for not having to skate in the rain once again.
Joel and I gathered with the group of skaters just before 7:30, spotting Bob Harwell who had done the race quite a few times before. It was probably a good idea to follow him to try and pace things out. Mike from Ottawa Inline came over to say hello! Great! Quite a few skaters of similar caliber to skate with.
What a wild race. I've never ever experience anything like this before in my racing career. It's sheer insanity incarnate. It was like NOTHING that I expected. From the start of the race with Eddy Matzger in the ridiculous A2A 25th Anniversary box, to nearly tripping over that box when he ditched it, the surreal tone continued on through the rolling Georgia landscape.
Right off the bat at the outskirts of Athens, the main packs missed a turn! I wasn't sure which way to go, and I had no idea where Joel was. I was still with Mike from Ottawa however and we decided to head back, seeing a number of people turning behind us, but as we tried to merge with the skaters turning the right way from the opposite direction Mike got taken out in a crash with the oncoming pack. I had a near miss just behind Richard.
As I tried my best to cruise through slower skaters, the herd thinned out a bit and I once again found myself with Mike as we tried to find a group to skate with. We passed a number of slower packs, but it soom became evident that even they had an advantage on the downhills once they formed fast moving Pelotons. I climbed on board one, and after a nervous moment skidding slightly on the wet pavement, found out just how well they work in this terrain as we kept hurtling partway up the next hill.
I soon found myself in great pack, once again united with Joel, as well as Bob Harwell and Mike. We soon got in the swing of things and the pack moved quickly and efficiently, particularly as a very efficent downhill Peloton group. We even caught up with a pack comprised of Bont skaters and Eddy Matzger! Things went fairly smoothly, even with the "accordion" effect in this slightly unweidly large group, up until about the 50km mark according to my Garmin.
There was a 15 skater pileup on one of the major hills between checkpoint 2 and 3, which resulted in me losing the pack because I braked on the hill to avoid the large collision and leaped over some fallen skaters. Joel was ahead in the pack and managed to escape unscathed. As I began the effort to catch up, the inside of my legs, just above the knees began seizing up. I always attribute this to taking a gel and not chasing with enough fluid. I quickly drank from my camelback, Mike from Ottawa Inline gave me some encouraging words as the gap began to open between me and the pack on the next hill. I chased them, but the distance grew as my cramping legs failed me. After that disaster struck.
I missed a turn and couldn't see the pack anywhere in front of me. I just assumed that they had lost me after another hill with the speed they get as a rolling peloton. A guy dressed in the USA Captain America skinsuit caught up to me, and it was soon evident that we were lost. Captain America and Spiderman, rolling around the back roads of Georgia without a clue. I pulled out a map and we asked for directions. It soon became clear that Captain America was pretty useless at both problem solving us back on course and not wanting to pull at all. I navigated us back on course, and later figured out that we had added 4.5 km and who knows how much time we lost.
Back on course, I spotted a group of skaters and joined in, but they were not working very well in a pack and the pack soon dissippated. It was obvious that Captain America was not going to be useful for anything except whining, but he kept skating nearby or drafting me, eventually falling with cramped legs just before checkpoint 4. Another small group caught up to us, including a gentleman I shared the bus ride to the start line in Duluth with. None of us had any water left to give to the fallen Captain America who kept moaning in pain. We decided that the best thing we could do was to reach the next checkpoint 3 miles away and send back aid.
I also managed to recognize another skater from Canada. It turns out his name was Peter Light and he was from Toronto as well! I wondered why we had not met prior. His leg was injured and I was hoping that we could skate together, but it seemed our "rythm" was pretty off. I had more power on the uphills, but his descents were much more faster. I skated with him briefly once I was back on the course around checkpoint 3, and he caught up at checkpoint 4. We hopscotched each other until it appeared he couldn't go on due to injury, just prior to the notorious Silverhill part of the course. I really appreciated the company and it was tough to leave him behind.
After that it was a long lonely stretch where I didn't really see anyone except the occassional lone skater in pain. No one to skate with to the finishline. I had to really play some mind games with myself as I made my way through the final two checkpoints and into the city. I felt like I had slowed to a snail's pace. I set smaller chunks of objectives up the hills, such as trees, mailboxes, roadsigns that were just a few feet in front of me. I also started realizing how hot it was getting, and a slight headache might have been the start of overheating, particularly since I also kept running out of water in these last stretches. I thought about Jen constantly and tried to fill myself up with the warm fuzzies of her love. It hadn't occured to me up until now how tough these events are without her. I promised myself that I could have the rewards of seeing her in just a few short hours once I got through this course.
The pavement into Atlanta was rough, I think Peter D described it as "the new gatorback", since the old portion had been paved. Once we hit the city, i got my second wind back. I was moving pretty quickly, but the traffic was terrible as I dodged cars and tried to get through intersections. The final insult was the blind turn at full speed where I relied on the police officer holding traffic, only to nearly crash into the biggest pothole I had ever seen. It was more than a foot deep and much more than a foot wide. I half rolled in before I recovered and lept over it, causing my neck to whiplash. My neck was killing me as I neared the final stretch into the park, then another near disaster! Right behind the police officer at the intersection into the park, a car had turned to block the entire width of the street! I yelled as loud as I could to get the car out of the way since I was coming in at a really fast clip and when I'm that tired, braking was a near impossibility on the downhill. I managed to get through with a narrow gap and yelled FUCK at the top of my lungs at the near miss before apologizing profusely at my frustration and outburst as I headed into the park and towards the cheering crowds.
I can't even remember if I crossed the finish line properly. I spotted Bruce just before and I had never been so happy to see a familiar face clapping me in. I doubled over panting at the finish as the photographer came in close and snapped a photo, with snot hanging out of my nose.
What a great feeling! The final burst of speed, the adrenaline of the near misses with potholes and cars. I found a nice patch of grass near Bruce beside the food and along the finish chute to get my skates off. Joel came over to congratulate me on the finish. It was really good to see another friendly face. After that things got much better as I took off my gear, got washed as best I could in the restroom sink and changed. I watched and cheered as other skaters came in, including Richard and Carla skating together, as well as Peter Light!
I was so happy be have gone through the literal peaks and valleys of A2A. You learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of both mentally and physically.
As I told someone struggling on course as I passed him. You can do this. You are Strong.
LESSONS FOR THE NEXT TIME I DO A2A:
Stay with a pack at all costs. It's a really lonely skating by yourself, and the chances are greater that you will get lost. A pack is also greatly beneficial going down the hills, for stability and added speed and security.
Keep a sharp eye out for the road markings. Particularly the turns. It cost me a great deal of time figuring out how to get back on course in this race when I got lost.
Carry more water than you think you need. Drink more than you think you need, particular when it is that hot and sunny. Take extra bottles from the rest station even if you don't think you need it.
Eat more. Even if you don't feel like it. Chase the gels and Cliff Blocks with plenty of water.
Advil BEFORE or earlier on in the race. Look into other products that help with cramping and muscle seizure.
Train for the Hills! They are really steep. Do much more hill climbing in prep for A2A. Train for the descents. Get used to steep descents in a pack, that will make quite a bit of difference if you utilize the speed and momentum to get up the next hill. The Peleton is a very powerful thing when used correctly.
Pack much much lighter. I was nervous abour rain or cold or all kinds of contingencies and was lugging three heavy bags across the park to and the city to catch the subway to the airport.
OVERALL A VERY GREAT EXPERIENCE, I CAN'T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!!!
