Standing there Sunday morning, waiting for the start of the fifth annual Pedal to the Meadow, listening to race instructions, but it wasn’t easy to pay attention. Dark, angry clouds rapidly rolling in will do that to you. And every
Standing there Sunday morning, waiting for the start of the fifth annual Pedal to the Meadow, listening to race instructions, but it wasn’t easy to pay attention. Dark, angry clouds rapidly rolling in will do that to you. And every one of us couldn’t help but notice the storm bearing down, coming fast.
“Let’s get going, before that arrives,” someone in the colorful group of 85 bicyclists said with a laugh.
Too late.
A minute later, we were off, heading from the old cane haul road in Kekaha bound for the Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow in Kokee State Park. Almost to that minute, the rain starting falling. This was not going to be a casual, relaxing trip to enjoy the scenery of Waimea Canyon. In this 15-mile race, we were looking at an elevation gain of 3,835 feet. Basically, the first eight to 10 miles or so were a steep, steady climb before you got a reprieve and the road leveled out a bit before more hills arrived. Mix in a dumping, soaking, relentless rain, and you had the making of a wet, weary morning. Surely, I thought, this was going to be absolutely miserable, a literally pain in the rain. Lord, what possessed me to want to be part of Pedal to the Meadow? In the past 13 months, since I’ve been on Kauai, I biked all of about 15 miles. While I love to challenge myself with some crazy long runs, bicycling has never been on my list of favorite things to do. In my Ironman training days, I dreaded, even despised, long bike rides. Before I turned to triathlons, I scoffed at bicyclists. I found them overly stuffy, serious and pretentious.
So, what was I doing among this group, pedaling my way up a mountain, in a gusher, on a borrowed bike, wearing shades, running shoes on my feet and regular pedals on the bike instead of cycling shoes and clips? Just to say I did it, really, and to be part of something unique that few others have done, or for that matter, that few others even care to try. It just looked like fun.
Over the 1 hour and 44 minutes it took me to reach the finish, and in the next hour at the post-race party, I did indeed have a little fun, and I learned a few things:
• During the trek upward, I exchanged pleasantries with many and carried on conversations with a few. Almost all offered words of encouragement. It wasn’t so much a competition as it was an event of cooperation and camaraderie and a shared drive to reach the top.
• Once you’re drenched, it doesn’t matter how much more it rains. It didn’t stop until well after I finished. Actually it felt pretty good. The thunder and lightning were a bit unnerving, though.
• Volunteers are crazy, too. Couldn’t believe there were people out in this rain, cheering on strangers. And yet, there they were along the course, grinning, waving, ringing bells. And at the finish, they were there again, helping riders get safely out of traffic and to their families and serving up much-needed hot soup. Thanks.
• Credit to my wife, too, who drove ahead with our dog, tried to take pictures along the course, in the storm, ran after the winner to be sure we had his picture, and met me at the finish with a hug. She was soaked and cold while running around with our dog in tow. She’s a saint, I tell you.
• Afterward, once at Kokee State Park, I had a chance to talk to many cyclists. All were in good spirits and talkative, not the serious, stuffy folks I expected. I chatted with locals like Leo McCarthy, Tommy Noyes, Joe Kali, Jim Beatty and Roger Kennedy. Good people.
• The winners, Mark Galedo in the men’s field and Monique van der Aa in the women’s, were gracious and modest in victory. Galedo set another course record in 58:04. Imagine what he could have done in sunshine?
• A question I asked everyone: “What kept you going on those hills in this rain?” The answers ranged from faith to focus to the obvious: They had no choice if they wanted to finish. “What are you gonna do?” said one rider. “Turn around?”
• The race is sponsored by the Oahu-based Tradewind Cycling Team, which has a number of Kauai members, including Pedal to the Meadow race director Binney Williamson. Kudos to putting on a spectacular event. I’m already planning to return next year and ride faster, stronger, better.
One other thing I learned riding up those hills: There must be a downhill around the next turn. There must be.
And eventually, there was.
See you next year.
