A Grimace Behind a Smile

Today's cross race was a little different to last week's double header. Mostly due to the biting wind and freezing rain. Oh, and maybe the sand.

I started out warm enough, aided by an energetic pre-race skipping rope routine, but I found it so cold I couldn't maintain my temperature and finished with hands like swollen mallets, finding it difficult to shift gears. That might also have been due to the sand though...?

Anyhow, bits of it were great fun, bits of it were super tough and all the way round we were encouraged by some unreasonably enthusiastic marshals - How they maintained their sunny demeanor despite the baltic conditions, I do not know. One commented on the fact that I was still smiling. Several times in fact.

I know I was never smiling at the spot he was standing. I was actually grimacing and muttering curse words under my breath after fouling up a dismount, kicking my pedal, having my legs buckle under my weight and failing, once again, to haul my sand caked bike onto my shoulder. Instead I battered the step with my front wheel swore at my gracelessness.

Once home, it took half an hour in the shower to get the warmth back into my bones.
Please, oh please make next week less inclement, and maybe I'll have more reason for genuine smiles!