14 Minutes

I made the decision a few months back not to register, schedule, announce, sing from the top of a mountain any races that I 'planned' on this season.  Last season was a total bust as far as racing goes,  as Deter pointed out in one of his recent posts, but not so greatest, post.  Illness, injury and bad timing kept me off the start line for all but two races last season.  If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't of had any luck at all last year. 

Taking on a laissez-faire attitude towards racing I decided to register for races/events as they popped up on the radar.  I also decided not to 'race' . . . cause really, do I look like the racer-boy type?!? Pffft.  

196 lbs of chubby, hairy, pudgy big-bone'ness doesn't get you across the line anywhere near the top of the pack.  I was going to go to events to RIDE, see new trails, meet new people, see old friends, push myself a little, and generally have fun times (cause if you're not having fun, what's the point?).  

Alas, the race bug caught me when the Lumberjack 100 blipped on the radar.  I decided the night before registration opened that I was going to do it this year.  I had the opportunity to do this last year and ended up passing on it . . . which in the long run I probably couldn't have done anyway due to illness/injury.

So, there I was in front of the computer not more than six hours after registration opened and then discovered that the race was sold out in 14 minutes.   14 freak'in minutes.  Booooooo.

If anyone has any contacts, friends, leads, or influence of a mtn bike worldly nature and could possibly pull some strings to get me into this race I would gladly do whatever it takes to get an entry.  Whatever it takes.  Whatever it takes. WHATEVER IT TAKES.