It's not about the winning, it's about getting out and doing
Last week it snowed here in Anchorage, and most of the state. My house got about 22 inches! There is snow on the ground as I write this, but it is melting, finally. Today, May 4th was the second big sporting event of the season, the first, the Annual Heart Run, had to be cancelled because of the snow. The Heart Run was suppose to be last Saturday but it was snowing so hard you couldn't see 10 yards in front of you.
The Bike for Women is a great event. It was started a few years ago as a training event for the annual Gold Nugget Triathlon, another all women's event that has become a real big deal up here. This year the weather has played havoc with these early events but the Bike for Women went off without any new snow on the ground, and it hasn't started raining, yet.
Time trials, which this event is, are something I haven't had much experience in. This event is important becaused it is aimed at women of all ages, all sizes and experience levels; the goal is to get women out of their cozy homes, off the couch and on a bike. That is what makes this event, along with the Gold Nugget Triathlon and the Run for Women special. These are not events just for the elite sportswomen, they are for all of us.
So there I was at the start line, number 29, and the women in front and behind me ARE the elite bikers and sportswomen in Alaska. Shannon Donally, Sharon Loan, Kikkan Randal were just a few of the big name from here.
Sitting on my bike, waiting for 11:09.20 to count down was a little intimidating. That was my GO time. Now, you must realize that I am almost 65 years old, I am not a sprinter, I love long distance riding, but there I was with the best of the best here in Alaska waiting to ride the 9 mile course.
The course is an out-and-back, 4.5 miles downhill, turn around and go 4.5 miles UPHILL to the finish line! As I was sitting at the start line I was telling myself, this is the first time on the road bike this season and only the 5th time on any bike this year. I am recovering from a hip injury and a lot of other excuses about why I won't win this trial. Then my inner voice of reason prevailed and I listened to it. This was not about winning the event, this was about DOING the event, having fun and being pleased that I was there and not at home doing whatever!
Well, 38:31.03 minutes later I crossed the finish line; my best time to date was 40:11 in 2006, today's time was good enough for 4rd place in my age group, 65-69 (USAT rules say that if I am going to be 65 this year then that is the age group I am competing in this year). I have to admit that I feel great, my legs aren't tired and my lungs are still working!
How many of you have hesitated to do something that you aren't very good at or that you have never done before? I would like to know!
The Bike for Women is a great event. It was started a few years ago as a training event for the annual Gold Nugget Triathlon, another all women's event that has become a real big deal up here. This year the weather has played havoc with these early events but the Bike for Women went off without any new snow on the ground, and it hasn't started raining, yet.
Time trials, which this event is, are something I haven't had much experience in. This event is important becaused it is aimed at women of all ages, all sizes and experience levels; the goal is to get women out of their cozy homes, off the couch and on a bike. That is what makes this event, along with the Gold Nugget Triathlon and the Run for Women special. These are not events just for the elite sportswomen, they are for all of us.
So there I was at the start line, number 29, and the women in front and behind me ARE the elite bikers and sportswomen in Alaska. Shannon Donally, Sharon Loan, Kikkan Randal were just a few of the big name from here.
Sitting on my bike, waiting for 11:09.20 to count down was a little intimidating. That was my GO time. Now, you must realize that I am almost 65 years old, I am not a sprinter, I love long distance riding, but there I was with the best of the best here in Alaska waiting to ride the 9 mile course.
The course is an out-and-back, 4.5 miles downhill, turn around and go 4.5 miles UPHILL to the finish line! As I was sitting at the start line I was telling myself, this is the first time on the road bike this season and only the 5th time on any bike this year. I am recovering from a hip injury and a lot of other excuses about why I won't win this trial. Then my inner voice of reason prevailed and I listened to it. This was not about winning the event, this was about DOING the event, having fun and being pleased that I was there and not at home doing whatever!
Well, 38:31.03 minutes later I crossed the finish line; my best time to date was 40:11 in 2006, today's time was good enough for 4rd place in my age group, 65-69 (USAT rules say that if I am going to be 65 this year then that is the age group I am competing in this year). I have to admit that I feel great, my legs aren't tired and my lungs are still working!
How many of you have hesitated to do something that you aren't very good at or that you have never done before? I would like to know!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kaiser W on
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I don't race, not because I'm not good at it (I would stink, actually) but because biking - and skiing - both give me a freedom that seems taken away from me with formal competition and being told where to go and how hard to go. At least, that's a great reason for me to give because I stink. :-)
It's great that you did this Linda - as my friends say, DFL>DNF>DNS. Something they wave at me every time I say I don't race. Finishing fourth is awesome - congrats on the PR.
That being said, the track keeps calling to me, and the few times I've tried out a track bike, I've really enjoyed it. Since we live 6 miles or so from one of the 12 velodromes in the nation, I should give it a shot.
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Permalink Reply by cyclingboo on -
Hey, Kaiser,
I am with you and the real racing thing. I have found that I take a long time to get warmed up and that usually makes it hard for me to get in a good racing time. But, truth be known, I don't like to race, I don't know if it because I (1) don't like to loose (2) I just don't like to put out the effort to prepare or (3) racing takes the fun out of doing what I am doing, be that riding or running. It is probaly because I never had the opportunity to participate in competitive sports as a kid. My dad wad military and we moved all over the world for all of my youth. In 1959 I had my first PE class and we had to compete against each other for grades. Well, I wasn't very good at any of the sports because I had never played any of the sports. That may be the foundation of my feelings as a senior adult.
I participate in just a few events that are all women's events: The Ski for Women, a fund raiser for abused women; The Bike for Women, an all women's event to raise money for cancer awareness, The Gold Nugget Triathlon is a non-profit corp. that provides a fitness event for all women and whose proceeds go to several charitable organizations and the Run for Women, which raises money for Breast Cancer Awareness. I occassionally run the Mayor's Marathon, or one of the shorter distances, because this is a Team in Training Event for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Foundation. I have participated in The Fireweed 400 which supports cycling and is tho only RAAM qualifier in Alaska. The ride for Life is a fund raiser for Colon Cancer awareness and testing and the MS Ride is a fund raiser for MS; the Annual Heat Run supports heart care, screening and healthy lifestyles . Can you see a pattern? I participate in the sports that support the causes that are near and dear to me. As a retired Critical Care Nurse all of the causes get me into the 'race' but I will never be young enough again to be an elite racer, which is something I think I would have liked in my youth!
I envy the velodrome near you, we are slaves to the weather, and most of my friends don't ride in the winter, the bikepaths and sidewalks are not kept very clean. I ride as long as I can but by January the tails are pretty bad.
Thanks for responding! Have great rides and ride safe!
Linda
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