02/23/2022
Love your smile it was contagious
Bike Sebring solo non drafting RAAM qualifier race
24:00 hrs sunrise finish line
Yesterday as I sat on the beach looking out into the blue sea, not able to lift my arms for pain, my thoughts were only of this race. Of how already I was missing being in this race.
Even I have to question my sanity at that thought.
The sickening pain I went through - am going through, the blistered seeping skin of my shoulder, the sickness, the so tired I could barely keep my eyes open on the bike, the seeing things & the really not able to see things, 24 hours, sunrise to sunrise, 113,000 turns of my arms (give or take a few). Despite any of that & more, I loved it.
Sad but so happy to finish it, relieved, utterly broken, but beaming with achievement & big dreams made reality.
At sunrise the race countdown set off around 200 cyclists in dense warm fog, a constant layer of moisture covered us. As the fog cleared the winds grew, the rain came, the rain left, the sun shone, the winds continued to blow. Those winds made it tough, a fair few didn’t get past daylight, but the long starlit night hours away from the roads & back on the track were some of my most favourite.
I even somehow saved 3 of my fastest laps of the 24hrs until my final hour.
Racing Pace Bend Ultra in Texas I saw a shooting star. As morning grew closer here in Sebring, out of the silent black sky I saw what I can only describe as a ball of green glow, arcing downwards with a crackling tail of light before it faded away. I know I didn’t imagine that.
The event, the people, fellow racers, crews, & volunteers were the most wonderful. We were all out there to hit personal targets, goals, but we were all in it together, a shared mindset & the most positive energy that fired between the greatest of them all.
My own crew, he was awesome. He got me through the toughest times, he made me laugh out loud through our comms, he left me in my thoughts & ‘head down - get it done’ hours. When I feared my body was breaking down, feared I couldn’t / shouldn’t carry on, he found me ice, pain relief, helped manipulate my shoulder back. He made me eat, made me tea, checked I was drinking & told me off when I wasn’t. Knew all the right songs to play on comms through my headset, knew what I needed when I didn’t or couldn’t say.
There was no faff, no negativity, I often thought I had the easier part of the team - crewing for 24 hours straight, it’s no walk in the park. There was no one I’d rather had for this job. This success is our success, what a team.
Over the last weeks I feel incredibly lucky, I feel I’ve grown within a special family of new friends here in the ultra world. Somewhere I feel I belong.
24 hours:
279 miles
Personal record
Course record
*World record (*subject to ratification)
Post race emotions are a rollercoaster.
Heartfelt gratitude & thank yous for all messages of support, luck & tailwinds. We did it.
‘Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever’
NEVER give up
Bike Sebring 12/24/Century Ride/RAAM Qualifier
