In the last few weeks, summer is coming to a close, the rain hasn't stopped and the student are coming back. In my job, it ebbs and flows from so crazy, I can't breathe and might pull all of my hair out to..... now, I need to focus long term so I don't fall back into crazy mode. In the mean time, I have been trying to play in outdoors when I can and jump into some races.
I have found myself in this cycle where I don't race often, so when I do race, I get so nervous I can hardly bring myself to the start line. I am using some of this fall to jump into more race to decrease nervousness, knowing every single one won't be the best. I even brought myself to register for an off-road triathlon embarking on a death defying (in my eyes) mountain bike course!
A few weekends ago, I geared up for the Steamboat Olympic Triathlon which ended with tears on the side of road.
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2014/08/19/triathletes-sabotaged-with-thumbtacks-near-steamboat/
This was an unfortunate mishap in our sport and our town. But in the end, when you spend your night spray painting tacks black to throw onto asphalt to ruin a local triathlon, who is more unfortunate? Not me.
We finished the day, on a new (to us) hike from up the Upper Falls.
A few days later, I was swimming with Heather at Masters and she mentioned she was putting on the first Xterra all-women's off-road triathlon. My immediate answer, "heck no, I can't mountain bike." Then I thought about it and what an opportunity? I had been contemplating the pressure I put on myself and here, there is no pressure, no expectations (for the most part). I signed up late and spent the week or so leading up scared about what the mountain bike would entail.
I woke up race day with pouring rain, not surprised, since Steamboat has turned into Portland. I started to hope it was cancelled. But the swim went off... and I tried to pull away to give me the most room on the mountain bike.
I transitioned onto the bike. I managed the road to the mountain pretty well. Ha. Then I climbed and climbed... I still saw no one behind me. I finally started descending, thinking to myself, 'Man, I am good." Then they came, the breaths and the 'Can I Pass?' It was at the end of the trail where mud took hold of my wheel, threw me to my ground and made me work until transition. I ripped of my MB shoes and went on the run, picking off the girls in front of me off.
I passed two on the way up and the last girl on the way down mouthing mantras to myself. I was happy, it was fun, rainy and sloppy and always feels good to finish. I am glad it was an all women race since downhill mountain biking and having cyclists trying to get by me made me frantic and discombobulated. I am motivated to get back out my mountain bike and start learning the skills.
Great people and great racing!
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