Thursday, August 31, 2006

Ever get that feeling?

So the race is on! The organizer Chris sent out the official email this morning. Imagine all the different aspects of this race. You have pro racers that show up ready to blaze across the finish line in under 8 hours. Are you friggin kidding me? So these guys show up for some serious competition. Then there are the non-pro racers. These guys that are there for guts and glory. Well not so much glory but the glory of knowing you can ride 100 miles through some very rough terrain faster than most. Now we get down to non-pro-non-racers such as myself. These are the people that are exclaimed by their friends as "whackos", "tid bit crazy", "way off the rocker." We are there to ride our bikes absolutely as far as we can while having a great day in the woods and hope at the end of the day we come out unscathed and with a big "Benjamin" under our belts.

So I had that feeling this morning for the first time. You probably know what I am talking about if you have ever competed in anything. It is that "I don't want to eat breakfast because my stomach feels all funny mommy" feeling. You know the one that gives you nervous energy and keeps you awake all night before the event. When that happens I always have to take a deep breath and remind myself that I still have a few days before I am allowed to feel this way. Sometimes not letting these feelings overwhelm your thoughts and keep you from your "real work" is very difficult.

Well a itsy bitsy bit of stress relief last night. I talked to "the wrench" Clayton last night at Harrell's Bicycle World and my bike is being masterfully wrenched together. That is great and Gary Fisher is great for working so quickly with us to get me a new frame! Yes I am still worried but I was given comfort and loving thoughts from "the wrench" and I did give him a suitcase of beer the last time I saw him. So surely Karma is flowing at me if not in my direction.

I send you of with a chant of sorts. It is like that slow rolling thunder of a sound that starts in a stadium when "Rudy" comes out on the field

Claayton, cllaaayyyton, Claaaaayyyytttoooon . . .

1 comment:

Asheville Soda Works said...

Didn't know anybody else from the vegas was gonna be making it up there. If this is your first SM100 it won't be your last. So don't be nervous. Is Mr. Toby Porter making it, or does he have an excuse already? Good luck and I'll see ya up there. I'll be in the Landrover Kit and the purple mini with SC tags. Nick