Everyone is talking about Mud Sweat and Beers happening this weekend. Chad and I drove up for the race last year in 2011. It was a fun and fast course . . . that is until a guy bobbled his front wheel and fell on top of me with 1 mile to go! The crash tore the stem off my tire, instantly flattening it. I was frustrated because I had been playing cat and mouse for first/second place with Marnie (I was doing most of the chasing). I ended up walk/jogging the last mile for fifth place. I can't look back and be disappointed though, I had a great race that day.
Although we have good memories, we decided to do the other race this weekend: Fort Custer Stampede, race #2 in the MMBA's Championship Point Series.
Last summer we spent a weekend camping at the Fort. The kids had a lot of fun mountain biking and exploring the trails at the camp ground. The Stampede gives us a good reason to pull out the trailer and kick-off the camping season at one of our favorite (and close-to-home) mountain biking destinations.
Sage riding over her first log pile, I get misty-eyed just thinking about it.
It will be fun to race sections of trail and have these happy memories of the kids riding here bubble up into the forefront of my mind for inspiration.
And it looks like I'll have a chance to chase after Marnie again according to the Start List. She blew past me at Barry-Roubaix, so I'll be happy if I'm anywhere near the last mile when she finishes. The women's Elite/Expert field is going to be strong and fast this year. I'm looking forward to the chance to chase after some of the fastest women in West Michigan. I just hope my hand is healed enough so I can hang on for what is sure to be a wild ride!
With the race just a few days away, I'm getting my typical pre-race blues. I always feel undertrained and underprepared. This time is no exception, especially after all my rides fell through the last two weeks (my hand is too weak to brake and shift).
Whenever I'm in need of a lift, I like to pull out a little book of verses for athletes. I'm signing this post off with a few words encouragement:
"He gives power to the faint; and to those who have no might, He increases their strength. Even the youths can become faint and weary, and the young men can utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles. They will run and not be wear; they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:29-31
No comments:
Post a Comment