I’m happy that I get to ride

So far this year hasn’t left me with much to write home about. Even my results at Tucker weren’t spectacular. I think I was last- or very near the end of the caboose for the ladies field(s)… This is pathetic I was telling myself as we rolled into the parking lot late. I’m not fit this year, just feel plain fat and didn’t even have drink mix for my bottles. So Tucker got the best of me. I’m some fourteen pounds heavier this year and trailing an hour behind the leaders… I’m not much faster in the woods. But I’m surprisingly okay with this.

Everyone tells me I’m fine- but fine is just average. Yes I want to lose weight and race faster and yes I feel guilty that I’m not a rockstar on our team. But even after looking at the photos from Tucker that Fred took- I still look happy. And I’ve felt like that after every race. Mountwood- I was perfectly content suffering like a dog in the heat and being completely dependent on my camelback for stores of h2o in a measly 24 mile cross country race. Green County was an even bigger wake up call, but after each I felt better. At Wisp I had a new gear ratio on my mountain bike so even though I wasn’t faster I felt like I had better momentum and finally after Tucker I feel like things are starting to fall back together.

Tour of Tucker- I can honestly say that until the final climb I definitely hadn’t given the race my best effort. I was off daydreaming from the start. From the moment I moved into the city I hated it, so racing this year is escape for me from the reprieve of concrete and buses. Every patch of gravel, sight of a small waterfall, running horses, and even miles of farms left me in a odd trance. I felt like I was home again and happy just to be out in the country riding. I actually felt a little homesick- So instead of powering up climbs, I took my good old time, oo’d and awe’d over the scenery then finally cooked myself on the final climb. I finished the race in 2:48. So maybe I got a better workout than the girl who finished in 2:00. I got to ride longer!

Racing- sometimes we forget isn’t always about being first. I’ve been first. Now I’ve been last and both can be equally satisfying. The problem is I’m never satisfied- so I’m going to keep working to get some of my fitness back and try to finish all of the scrawny mountain bike races I DNF’d last year. Up next- Stoopid 50, Lumberjack 100 and Hilly Billy Roubaix. It doesn’t matter to me at this point whether or not I win any of these races or even place on the podium. I’m happy that I get to ride this year and happy that I’m part of the less than one percent of Americans who actively participate in an endurance sport.

cheers
CB
P.S. Thank you so much to the guy in the pickup who shared a bottle of water on that last climb! And thanks to all of the sponsors and everyone who helped put together such a great ride (er- race!) =)

Post by Chrissy B.