8th is 1st?

Since when is finishing in 8th place considered a victory? Well, it's a victory when you accomplish your season long goal of placing inside the top ten. It's a victory when you quit feeling sorry yourself. It's a victory when your hard work finally yields a reward.

Post-race Contemplation

The Bamacross series finale in Cullman this past Sunday is where I battled my personal demons and experienced arguably my favorite day associated with a bicycle. Although, the day started to look like it could be my worst. The weather was cold. The course was wet. I wasn't feeling so hot. Basically, I had relegated myself to the back of the pack well before the call-ups. Soon enough the race official sent us on our 45-minute journey through the woods of Sportsman Lake Park. My start was decent, but I wasn't prepared for the blast of cold air on my lungs. Uh oh, here come those demons. As the first and second laps came and went, I was right where I thought I should be, in the back.

On the third lap, right after the Belgiumesque creek crossing/mud bog, my bike washed out on a loose, off-camber turn. Dramatically I crashed to the ground. Yup, those demons actually had the gall to pull me off my bike! I got up, checked things over, and realized I had been both dropped and passed by four racers. I was pissed off and tired. I was pissed for feeling sorry for myself, and I was tired of letting those demons get the best of me.

So, after five races, and just over two laps of the finale, I decided I should actually race my bike. I buried myself on the subsequent 4 laps. I suffered like I've never suffered before. Ironically, it felt good to suffer. I sprinted up the climb. I galloped through the barriers. I remember coming across the line with two laps to go thinking, "That's all that's left!". I was having a ball.

Passed a rider to move into 8th.

Eventually I picked off three out of the four guys who passed the demonized Chris just over four laps ago. I even managed to climb one more spot to finish 8th. My goal had been realized. I even managed to learn a thing or two along the way. I learned to minimize expectations. I learned to have fun. Better yet, I learned how 8th is 1st.

Cheers,
Chris