Self exploration is an ongoing quest for me. Im always re-evaluating myself and where I am at in life, and cycling helps me do that on many different levels. It’s a place where I can experiment with myself physically, mentally, and emotionally that is separate from my family and work lives. After this weekends race at Danville I am questioning if I am racing the right format as a focus.

Heat affects me in a big way- I literally feel like a weight is hung around my neck when the temps get over about 85 degrees, and I have a difficult time generating power for more than a few minutes. At the Tour De Tykes this past weekend I was hit with a double shot of 95+ temps and 3500+ feet of climbing. The short version of it is I melted down in the heat and cracked on the climbs. At about mile 7 or 8, my body began to shut down. Sweat was no longer dripping from my body despite drinking over 70oz of Accelerade in the first hour and I began to get chills. Goose bumps raised on my arms and I was seeing stars. Instead of sweat pouring from my body it felt like all of my power was draining into the ground. Then my front tire blew out like a shotgun. I heard the cosmos speaking to me telling me to race another day, so I listened. At the only bail-out point in the race I walked under the tape where my brother-in-law Nathaniel took my timing chip (he was working the race as a medic) and put me in for a DNF. It is my first DNF ever. Im not upset about it. Maybe a little disappointed but all in all I know that there will be other races. What I don’t know at this point is what format they will be.

I really enjoy cross both because the cooler temps work for me, its spectator friendly for the family, and the crowd couldn’t be better. The Enduro at Granogue was one of my favorite races ever so I think I really like that format as well. Im trying a triathlon this year just to see if its interesting. But at the end of the day XC races are won on the climbs so I don’t know if it’s the best event for me since I have never been a climber. So I will try other things, race other events and if one sticks it will become my focus. And maybe, just maybe I will look as ‘bikey’ as Bikey Travis.