Depending on who you ask, they might say nothing is more important. For me, this past weekend, helping a fellow racer out was the answer. The Ranger Run has become a yearly tradition for me, and I have done the duathalon the last two years. This year I had my sights set on competing again and I was hoping to beat my time from last year.

This is a relatively short event, less than 27 miles total, with more than 21 miles biking on fire roads. The biking is sandwiched by 2 runs, a 3.1 mile and 2 mile segment. I finished the first run and got out onto the bike section in second place, pedaling hard to try and catch the rider ahead of me. Very soon I heard someone coming up behind me, and slowly pull by. As he went by I noticed his rear tire was low and he proceeded to mention it. I asked if he had a tube or pump, he had neither. I started reaching under my saddle to unzip my little bag and pull out the spare I had. He declined the tube, and said he'll take a chance and see if it gets worse. After a couple minutes more, it had gotten low enough he took me up on the offer of the pump. Without thinking I pulled over beside him and told him to grab it out of my pack, I wished him luck, said I'd see him at the finish one way or another, and continued on.

Less than 15 minutes later I was somewhat suprised when I heard another bike coming up behind me, it was the guy with the flat! I was impressed, he had pumped it up, got back on, and made up all that time. I struggled to try and keep up with him, but I just didn't have the strength.

I finished the riding leg in second place, and held on during the last run to come in second overall. Looking back, had I not volunteered my pump I might have gotten first. Maybe someone else would have loaned him a pump. Who knows. All I know, is that if I knew then, what I know now, I still would have stopped and volunteered anything I had.

Even if it ment not winning.

-Peter