When you
know a race or event is going to come to a premature end the mental process of
evaluation starts and self questionning begins as to why you are finding
yourself in a position no longer able or wanting to continue.
I knew I
wasn’t going to be racing the Highland Trail 400 I just wanted to overcome my
mental block on riding for multiple days self supported ... I have tried before
at Grenzstein Trophy and though the legs are good the mind is always weak.
This isn’t
my attempt to blog my efforts at the Highland trail as there really isn’t much
to talk about there ... in fact its taken me so long to sit down and write this
its kind of irrelvant other than the event forced me to have a think about my
year again ... in short the event route I did ride was amazing and I would like
to ride more of it.
So why do I
think my efforts came to an end in Scotland even at at touring pace ... I can lay
the blame at the door of being tired from Trans Iowa but in reality I felt
pretty good ... I think I just didn’t want to finish enough.
At the
start of the year or even more importantly before that I knew I would be
supported by Salsa Cycles in the US .. a real honour for them to take the
gamble to support a rider outside the US and a rider who if we are honest doesn’t
see a lot of podium top steps .. what I offer is huge variety in my means of
suffering.
So with a
new sponsor to impress I went at my events calender like a hungry man at an all
you can eat buffet .. with no reservation I piled on as many big events and
rides as I could ... I trained hard and in all weathers .. when Trans Iowa came
around I felt great .. I swallowed that big helping of Iowa gravel and came
home feeling good ... but my appetite had been reduced so when I showed up in
Scotland for the Highland Trail I was near full already.
After a few
days of riding progress wasn’t fast ... trails were good and riding companions
entertaining but I had ridden enough and with a new event in Portugal to ride
in August I decided to just come home and reset ... no schedules or agendas ...
just riding for fun .. its an absolute must and the only way anyone I believe
can sustain an appetite for these events.
After a
month or so of time away from focussing on events I am refereshed and freshly
enthused by those I know tackling some huge riding challenges of their own.
Looking
forward to Portugal in August and satisfying my renewed appetite for racing.
