Well, the wild weekends of (lift accessed) downhill riding and racing are done for the year (there will definitely be more "downhill" trails ridden through the winter!).It was an awesome and amazing year. My first year of downhill riding was a completely fun adventure and I am so glad I worked through all the nerves and apprehensions and just pushed myself to go down the mountain over and over. It was hard at times. There were days when I just threw my bike into the woods and cried. There were runs when I just couldn't keep my wheels rubber side down. I realized that racing is fun when you are in your race run, but the practice is seriously intimidating. It is hard being a beginner in this sport when you have some seriously fast dudes coming up behind you and you are just trying to stay up.
I have met soooo many cool women riders over the past year though, and they are all really cool people off the bike too. It has been so great connecting with all these new found friends and having ladies to ride with and cry with and give you a boost when your hormones go awry. That has been one very noticeable complication of being a girl in such a burly sport. When those hormones make you feel unsure of yourself or afraid of the steepness or the rocks it is extremely hard to overcome them and find that boost of testosterone that would make it so much easier to risk life and limb for the pure joy of speed and technical accomplishment. Having other women to talk to has been a lifesaver. We all have those days and it is good to have someone boost you up and show you it is not that hard when all you want to do is quit.
I have come so far in the past year, I can't even believe it myself. Sometimes I walk a bit of trail that I have ridden easily and think, "Lord, that is freaking STEEP! I can't believe it doesn't look that steep when I am on my bike!" Which makes me think I am getting over the fear of steepness. (Now to get over my fear of speed and lay off the brakes!) I have dropped off rocks and logs that I would've walked around before and had fun doing it. I think I have impressed (aka scared) my boyfriend numerous times with some of the stuff I have ridden that he expected I would walk. He has been so instrumental in my progression as a rider and especially as a DH girl. Without him and his friends I would not have the awesome bikes I have or all the experiences I have had.
It has really been the most awesome year of riding bikes. I am super stoked to do lots of riding through the beautiful fall weather and progress even further. I am riding my first Enduro downhill race in November in SC which should be interesting and fun. (Yay for Cranksgiving!) Need to build up some endurance quick! Gotta ride against my super fast girl friends--yikes!
Working on plans and training for next year--its going to be awesome to be 39 and shredding it! Planning to do the race series at Snowshoe, lots of riding at Beech Mountain, the always fun Massanutten Race in April, Women's Weekend at Ray's Indoor Bike Park in February, and maybe if the gods are good, Dixie Trix in Colorado in August! Would love to try for a GES race or an Eastern States Cup race too if that sort of travel is in the cards. A week or two in New England would be grand, and I could visit my folks. Because of them I always had a bike and lots of freedom to ride it, which got me where I am today. Thanks Mom and Dad.
No comments:
Post a Comment