My third Crusher in the Tushar is in
the books and it was a good one! I find it funny how something I
never would have considered doing 5 years ago now feels like an integral
part of my life. I love this race!
I signed up for the first Crusher on a
whim – I hated climbing but the uniqueness of the race caught my
attention so when my friend told me to sign up, I did. Fear was my
motivation for training that Spring. I wasn't a climber. I wasn't a
distance rider. And as I watched the racer list grow it became pretty
apparent this race was way out of my league. I trained harder than I ever had before, but to no avail. That first race was the
most difficult thing I've ever done, but it taught me some things. I
didn't realize it right at the time, but that experience in all its
drawn out painful last place glory laid the ground work for a new
approach to life. (Taking Back Control)
I signed up for the second Crusher on
purpose. I wanted to continue this new approach of embracing pain and
fatigue and maybe push it a little further. The opportunity to
combine my Crusher ride with a fundraiser for Southern Sudan Humanitarian presented itself and I rode a ridiculously inappropriate bike for so
much climbing. In some ways it was more difficult than
the first year, in other ways it was easier i.e. I never actually
WANTED to die the second year.
My main goal for the Crusher this year
was break my streak of dead last finishes. My secondary goal, but not
a huge priority, was to make it across the finish line in less than 8
hours. I started eating better and lost 20lbs. I worked on building
endurance. I sold all but one bike and all my extra parts and gear
in order to build up one nice lightweight bike. I was not going to be
last again. My plan was to warm up slowly and then camp out in my
sustainable effort zone. My hope being that my
increased endurance and light bike would give me the overall position
and time I was ultimately hoping for. It worked! Better than I thought. The
popular saying is it never gets easier you just get faster – I was
going faster AND it was easier. I felt good. I was passing people on
the climbs. I was comfortably leading a small group into the headwind
on Hwy 89. I didn't have to walk any sections of the brutal climbs in
the last 20 miles. I still have a big energy drop when I get over
9,000 ft elevation and I still need to sort out some GI issues, but
all in all the race went really well. The only part I truly struggled
with was the last one mile climb to the finish. That climb sucks.
I'm not sure where I finished, the
official results aren't posted yet. I know I wasn't last and I know I
crossed the finish line in under 8 hours so I'm ecstatic! Something
else happened as I continued to pass people along the
last 20 miles, arguably the most difficult part of the race. I
realized I was passing people along the most difficult part of the
race! This may not be too big a deal to most people, but this is not
something that happens to me. I struggle and get through difficult
race sections, but I don't pass people. Especially on climbs. Granted
we were all still back of the pack variety, don't get me wrong I'm
not saying I'm suddenly in contention to win anything here. But I was
legitimately competing with them and in some cases beating them
handily.
Sub par health has been a damning fear
of mine.
Yesterday that fear vanished.
