There is a fine line between excitement and nervousness; pain and pleasure; dedication and obsession.
24 degrees. Windproof tights, 2 jackets, warm gloves.
45 second intervals – all out efforts.
Why are the last 3 seconds always the hardest?
Quads burning, lungs experiencing equal pain.
Each inhale is a reminder of the ambient air temperature.
It is December; it is cold, and I am doing the intervals that will make me stronger, tougher, faster.
I roll back to my invisible starting line; ready to repeat 45 seconds of pedal-turning bliss.
USGP, Cyclocross Nationals
What are you thinking?
These races are different. I will not be racing to win. I will be racing to survive.
I will be racing for the experience of lining up with the likes of Katie Compton, Amy Dombroski, Alison Dunlap, and Georgia Gould.
I will stand on the line, honored that I can pretend to chase these ladies around for three-quarters of an hour.
I will race as hard and as fast as my legs will allow; I will remember the time and effort and support Damian, Don, Ben and Team Sunnyside have given me.
I will race because I love it.
I will race because it makes me smile.
I will race because somewhere deep down, I can’t seem to draw the line between love and hate, dedication and obsession, pleasure and pain.
Last night I got some advice from Ben; the person who knows me better than any other being on earth:
Race like you are crazy.