I’ve been marinating on how to best tell the story of the battle in the Big Belts that went down over the weekend—better known as the York 38 Special—and then I wrote an update to one of the most valued people on my PT team and it hit me.
I’ve had a deep love affair with the bike since I was kid. By the time I turned nineteen, the bike became my go to outlet. But it’s always been a deeply personal thing. And then I found the 38 Special. It truly is a special ride and my ‘A’ race for ‘21. A suffer fest and gut test circumnavigating the canyons, mountains and plateaus of the Big Belts. The people are golden. The ride theme “I survived.” Some are there to ride, some to race, some to endure and some to simply get through.
With the staggered start, some riders team up with a mate, but most riders racing the clock go solo for 3+ hours (with a 5+ hour average ride time). It’s a grind and a beautiful thing. I love the diversity of riders, kits, bikes, goals, and missions.
I rode by a lot of people on Saturday and made sure to call out each rider by their number, giving them some words of uplift and encouragement, just as the bounty of volunteers gave me. Talk about good vibes.
My goals were simple: put in a big effort; ride fast; ride hard; and if the legs felt lively, pop one off. Despite navigating the migraine maze at 3 AM the morning of the race, I was able to dig deep, drop time, and enjoy every minute of suffering and sublimity on my 3+ hours in the Belts. I don’t worry about the standings as that’s totally out of my control, especially in this staggered start format; but I do race the clock, hoping to drop time from the last 38 Special in ‘19. I’m happy to say we checked all the boxes—icing on the cake was a top 5 finish.
One thing about all of the overuse injuries and maladies I’ve been dealt over the years, is that I don’t take one of these experiences for granted. It’s head up, eyes forward, feet moving; capable body, strong mind and brave heart (shout out KC). The gratitude I feel for my body allowing me to ride longer & harder, the gratitude for my team, for the support and belief they have in me fuels this #spondywarrior ‘s adventures.
With nothin’ but love, mwl