Epic Racing around the World

There’s a saying….Scared money don’t make none.

To some this brings up images of irresponsible gambles and risks. To others it says if you repeat what you’re doing, you’ll get more of the same. To risk or not…neither strategies in life are without their respective caveats. I’ve been victim to both situations and while coming up short is never without its particular sting and residual bad taste, I think the flavor of having not tried lingers longer…and the taste is far worse.

Thursday was the U23 XC national championship race in Mt Snow, Vermont. Two youngin’s from MonavieCannondale were contesting the event, and each rider came in with drastically different goals, and preparation. Before you size up either their goals or the path the two athletes took to get this race realize that both journeys were an example of going big, living, and wanting it all.

Mitchell Peterson, like most of us that went to the BC Bike Race, dug deep during the event.

He, with a freshly minted ID that states his legal age of 21, likely dug deeper than the rest of us…but the BC race was as much a race for its pure experience as it was a massive gamble in training….you’ll either emerge unable to get out of your own way…or pave your own way off the front once recovered from the intense week-long effort.

And forge his way into the lead he did. Eyes on the big prize, THE jersey. The Stars and Bars of a national champion aren’t very often available, and even less frequently obtainable. Mitchell put every chip he had on the table on Black #5…the dead man’s gamble. Lead the race from lap 1 and see if you can hold on to it. That’s a strategy I wish I was capable of implementing at a national championship event.

Lap 1. Lap 2. Lap 3….Neither the baking grades of Vermont’s ski slopes nor the rooted and dank and dark forest downhills would compromise his lead…but the scent of betrayal was in the air. It could be tasted…chewed…but not spat out.

Lap 4….Fatigue.

A desperate man’s gamble, where you bet it all, and while you have nothing to lose…you have everything to lose.

Mitchell was caught. His lead, evaporated. Where empty space formerly existed…now it was filled with another competitor.

A revolt of massive proportions was brewing. Lactic acid. Low blood sugar. The taste of iron, of blood, dirt, and of the labor of an failed effort became harder to ignore. And then there was empty space ahead of Mitchell as the jersey rode away and into someone else’s dream, another man’s gamble. That silver medal might look not-so-bright in that moment, Mitchell, its an effort and result you should be proud of. We all are.

Blake…touring Europe for 5 weeks.

Epic rides, drives, views, experiences, and amounts of nutella…I’m sure you remember his photos. Not the best way to prepare for a mountain bike race, but would you hedge your bets on a mountain bike race against a trip of a life time? So travel and vacation he did…he trained, he traveled, he lived the life any of us would dream of…if we were brave enough to dream of traveling Europe on our own…getting lost, bikes stolen, boundaries challenged and obliterated. Which is the better experience? Which is living?

Both.

But I’ll say that either you pay the piper now…or later, when it comes to racing. The piper wants his training and Blake wasn’t enjoying having his time clock punched today.

Obviously, these days, anti-doping efforts are something we’re all supporting. Clearly, riding slow is a good way to catch the eye of USADA. “Sir..I’ll need you to provide a sample, please.“

Both stories inspired me while they were happening. Blake’s travels and Mitchell’s effort and aggressive racing…both should remind us of choices we’ve enjoyed, regretted, or wished we’d gone after…and the beauty of it all is that its only bike racing and there’s a sweet swimming hole not to far down the road.

Huck it!