Going up Little Frech towards the Continental Divide, Breckenridge, CO 2009At the 24 Hours of Allamuchy, the last part of the course winds through part of the campground on a little footpath that is lined with rocks. It comes out at a little hilltop and I crank hard down the gravel road, hit a couple of water bars, before hitting the hard left onto the main road. Another 50 yard dash, jump off at the Dismount Here sign and then it’s a mad push around some scrub bush on a little rocky path to the timing station. BEEP. Another one down.
I always love this stretch of the course. I tend to be a “leave nothing on the table” finisher as opposed to a “strong rider”, so I like to go as hard as I can coming into that last section.
And I would be lying if I said that I didn’t use the prospect of passing the guy in front of me as an additional motivating factor to go just a bit harder during that final leg.
But despite that, I really don’t consider myself a racer. Don’t really have much motivation to beat people. It’s not me against them, it’s me against me. I’ve stopped and picked up empty gel wrappers during a race. I’ve stopped to give someone a tube. I’ve stopped to offer mechanical help. I’ve stopped to enjoy the view. And yes, I have pushed myself so as to stay in front of or to pass someone.
And while it’s sort of a fun venue, it turns out that this XC racing (short races of about 15 miles or so) is just not that big a motivator for me. I like the races where the mere possibility of finishing is more than enough.
So even though I didn’t officially finish at Breck (crash on Monday, bonk on Tuesday), I did do well enough (and finished far enough at the back of the field on the other days) to motivate me to want to do better. So I’m going back, primarily to officially finish what I started, but I’m also going back with a desire to try to do something a little better. Even though I didn’t finish, I now know that I can. So I guess as long as I am going back, the goal isn’t to “just finish” but rather to see if I can do more than just finish.
And so these XC races that I am now doing, are only a part of that. These races aren’t an end, but merely a means. It’s sometimes hard to remember that when you’re lined up to race and your stomach is churning, when you’d rather be just riding, but that’s ok. Cuz when I am finishing a stage at Breck, and cranking towards the finish, maybe I’ll get there a little faster than last year. And maybe I’ll even get back to HQ in time to do some hanging out with the guys who finished two hours earlier in the middle of the pack! Maybe. Boy, it sure is beautiful there.
I always love this stretch of the course. I tend to be a “leave nothing on the table” finisher as opposed to a “strong rider”, so I like to go as hard as I can coming into that last section.
And I would be lying if I said that I didn’t use the prospect of passing the guy in front of me as an additional motivating factor to go just a bit harder during that final leg.
But despite that, I really don’t consider myself a racer. Don’t really have much motivation to beat people. It’s not me against them, it’s me against me. I’ve stopped and picked up empty gel wrappers during a race. I’ve stopped to give someone a tube. I’ve stopped to offer mechanical help. I’ve stopped to enjoy the view. And yes, I have pushed myself so as to stay in front of or to pass someone.
And while it’s sort of a fun venue, it turns out that this XC racing (short races of about 15 miles or so) is just not that big a motivator for me. I like the races where the mere possibility of finishing is more than enough.
So even though I didn’t officially finish at Breck (crash on Monday, bonk on Tuesday), I did do well enough (and finished far enough at the back of the field on the other days) to motivate me to want to do better. So I’m going back, primarily to officially finish what I started, but I’m also going back with a desire to try to do something a little better. Even though I didn’t finish, I now know that I can. So I guess as long as I am going back, the goal isn’t to “just finish” but rather to see if I can do more than just finish.
And so these XC races that I am now doing, are only a part of that. These races aren’t an end, but merely a means. It’s sometimes hard to remember that when you’re lined up to race and your stomach is churning, when you’d rather be just riding, but that’s ok. Cuz when I am finishing a stage at Breck, and cranking towards the finish, maybe I’ll get there a little faster than last year. And maybe I’ll even get back to HQ in time to do some hanging out with the guys who finished two hours earlier in the middle of the pack! Maybe. Boy, it sure is beautiful there.
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