A Three Mile Ride

A Three Mile Ride

A Three Mile Ride

By Dana Meier

I accepted the invitation to volunteer without hesitation. I was to be the “lead-out” cyclist for the Helen Gold 5K run held in OP, KS on 9/10/2011. A run the Kansas City Track Club (KCTC) was helping put on. My job was to stay in front of the 5K race leaders, and make sure the runners stay on route by following me. A “piece of cake” gig. When I was asked to accept this “lead-out” responsibility, the first thought to flash through my mind was a scene from the movie, “Animal House”. This is where the marching band has been lead off the parade route and into a dead-end alley by a rouge marching band leader. Geez, sometimes my low level of maturity amazes even me.

Day of the run, I’m there 90 minutes early. A professional “DJ” is directing people, making announcements and playing music, giving the event a party/celebration type atmosphere. Vendors are talking to runners, registration is beginning. Forms are being turned in, shoes are being tied and body parts are being warmed up. Racing numbers to be affixed, team t-shirts to be handed out and personal preparation routines to be followed. I find the starting line and ride the 3 mile route a couple of times as a warm up and to familiarize myself with any potential course issues. Red cones clearly mark the route, leaving little doubt that only a complete idiot could lose their way on this course. And thus I discover the reason I was asked to be lead-out on this ride. Little chance of me screwing up the event.

With 5 minutes to the start of the 5K run, All 700+ runners are posed behind the starting line. Less than 50 feet in front of the starting line, in the middle of the street, that is me.Just me standing over my slightly dirty Cannondale bicycle. The feeling of all those runners, ready to chase after me is one I will not soon forget.

A photographer is 10 feet in front of me snapping photos. I begin to move out of his way, when he tells me to stay put. He wants me in the photos. When he is done, he walks towards me and makes conversation, asking if I’m ready for the run. I tell him every bit of bicycle training I have done over the past four years has been geared toward this 5K event. I smile and he laughs. He then proceeds to tell me a story of a previous 5K he had photographed and how the “very large rider” doing lead-out duties was actually caught by at least half of the runners in the field that day. Announcements come to a halt as a young woman steps to the microphone to sing our national anthem, a capella. I dismount and with a hand over my heart the familiar words begin flow by and my mind wiggles free…but what if the runners are really fast today and they DO catch me? What if I try to accelerate too fast at the start of the race and my chain comes off? What if my chain breaks? What if I catch an edge and I go tumbling down on to the ground, my shoes locked into my pedals as seven million runners step on me and my now crumpled bike. What if my jeans get caught in my front chain ring? I smile as my mini-panic attack passes. I start talking to myself, “Dude, the runners are NOT going to catch you. Their top speed will be around 10 miles per hour. Your chain is not going to break and you aren’t even wearing jeans, get a grip!”

“…and the home of the brave.” I remount my bicycle and begin pedaling as the start of the race is signaled. I keep a short distance in front of the lead runners. I slow and quicken my speed to match their pace. I am nearing the first aid/water station and I see a volunteer holding out cups of water. I think to myself, I am kind of thirsty. But…, I decide against reaching for a cup of water. Why tempt fate at this point? We begin to overtake from behind, the slower runners from the previously started 10K run. I call out, “5K runners approaching”. Am I supposed to do that? Am I allowed to talk? At the 1.5 mile mark in the race, I began encountering multiple “big herds” of slower runners from the 10K. I decidedto ride outside of the red cone lane to get around the herds. I look back and see the 5K runners following me, also running outside of the cone lane. We are now in the lane where automobiles are traveling. I continued to move in and out of the cone lane all the way to the finish, with the runners doing the same. I’ll probably get yelled at for riding outside the cone lane. I’ve been yelled at before. Focus, you’ve got to focus on the ride…

With a ½ mile to go, there is one clear 5K leader. I slow down and call back to see if he is ok. He says he is OK. I tell him to follow my wheel and I’ll get him to the finish line. Up ahead, there are a lot of runners, spectators, race officials and other people all in our way. I locate “our turn”clear the way with hand signals and some shouting. Another turn and the finish line waits for us, straight ahead. I peel off to the side as the 5K runner sprints past me and on to the finish line. And so I complete an early morning three mile ride. I’ve ridden across cities, states and countries. I’ve biked up and down mountains. But today, I rode the best three mile ride of my life.