Back In Control

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.