I have a little list in my mind. It is constantly changing, but contains numerous challenges I want to check off as I near the age of 40 (or higher). I love a good challenge, I love the feeling of accomplishment and I love being able to say "done", check it off the list.
Back in January, Jamie and I committed to participating in item #3, the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike race in August. With it being a long way off, I knew I had oodles of time to prepare and equally as much time to back out! I ultimately choose the former and drove to Leadville, CO last week for the big day!
Downtown Leadville with the historic Delware Hotel in the background
Beautiful Day (in the end!)
ahhhhh Leadville! Funny little, quaint old mining town. I don't know what it is like year round, but on this weekend, it is teeming with bikers or all sorts all looking for a belt buckle by the end of the weekend. We begin the weekend with a "racers meeting" which is a big pep rally. "you are stronger than you think you are, you can do more than you think you can"...."I will commit, I will NOT quit" (yes we were chanting this as we packed into the gym from 1920 with no AC). My favorite take home from the pep rally was this quote: "This race will hurt for 12 hours......if you quit, it will hurt a lot longer". So let it be done.....I commit, I will not quit!
So, the rest of the Friday is filled with a short ride and lots of race advice from the more experienced riders that seemed to make me more nervous, although, I appreciated it all. Special thanks to BK, Sam and Dug for essentially giving me a play by play of what to expect and where and how bad it was going to hurt!:) Check out their links for great recaps from a fast rider's perspective and a heartwarming story about Leadville from Dug. Since returning home, I have loved reading their accounts.
Saturday was race day and what a day it was. It started cold and rainy and...did I mention, COLD! No one but the racers got to see the most beautiful rainbow as we rounded the corner to the first patch of dirt. It was spectacular!!! I knew at point, I would have some fun today. Emphasis on the word 'some'.
Without giving a boring play by play, there were a few key points of the day that kept me going.I shall make a list:
1) seeing my awesome girlfriends at the Twin Lakes feed zone
2)seeing Jamie descend Columbine while I was doing the hike a bike o plenty!
3)the sun finally coming out
4) the hundreds of spectators that , even though they don't know me, seemed completely stoked to see a woman out there and cheered for "913" !
5) Gina talking me off the ledge at the last rest stop.
6) Jamie waiting for me at the finish line.
7) Knowing I was riding in honor of Susan, Elden's wife, who recently passed away.
FIGHT LIKE SUSAN!!!
Ten hours is a long time to be riding essentially alone with your ipod and your internal chatter. "i commit, i will not quit"......In the end ...here a a few things I know for sure. (Time for another list):
-That was really hard! ( to quote JJ)
- I am slightly crazy
-I love my friends for supporting me in this
-I love Jamie ..no explanation needed here
-gu+power bar+ gu + power bar+gu +power bar+gu= one upset stomach
Not for a minute did I doubt Jamie's ability to finish this thing, but I was very afraid of being stuck on item #3 for another year!:) All in all, it was a great time. Thanks to the boys for always letting me tag along. Jamie and I both got a really cool belt buckle out of the deal (wink, wink) and a great story to tell.
Enjoy the pictures!
da boys after their finish
the girls in the pit....thanks friends!
most of the mud washed off of me in the second rainstorm, but here is evidence that it was just shy of miserable!
Who's having a great time?
most beautiful sight of the day.....the finish line!
