Last Sunday (3/20/22) I completed a gravel race in western PA, called the Hillman Hustle. Heading into the weekend the weather was looking awesome, with a high of 55 for the days and rain from the day before wrapping up over night. However, as the race got closer it was clear that the weather was not going to cooperate. By Saturday evening it was clear that we were in for a suck fest. The rain had shifted and looked likely to continue through the entire duration of the race, not to mention that the high dropped to 52 at 5pm (the race was at 11am). This meant temps in the upper 30s, winds around 10 MPH and rain.
The Course
2022 was the first edition of this race, and therefore the course was an unknown to us heading in. The format was a "crit" style race where racers complete laps of the same course. In this race, we were completing 4 laps of the course (8 miles per lap) and the only course description we had coming in to the race were that there were "two climbs" on the course with some fast descents. Half way through the first lap it was clear that my definition of "two climbs" was very different then the race organizer's. Totaling out at 3,478 feet of elevation gain over the 32.35 mile course, this race turned out to be a climber's dream. By the way, I'm not what one would call a climber....
This juxtaposition presents a challenge for cyclists to be proficient in both
Strengths
As with any activity, cyclists have areas that are strengths and others that are challenges or opportunities. Some cyclists are very strong climbers (they are typically thin and lean and efficient on climbs), others are sprinters which are known for being able to generate significant power for a short period of time (these folks typically are more "bulky" and strong), some riders are very technically sound (they often ride off-road and have built up tremendous bike handling skills and stamina), while others are more balanced or "General Classification" (GC) riders. Riders will fall somewhere within these areas on strengths, and depending on the type of event will each face different struggles. My particular strength is more of a sprinter. In a sprint during a race (or group ride) I will often generate 200+ watts of power more versus some of my peers in that sprint. However, it is a short burst and not a sustained effort. I've made some tremendous progress with my climbing skills, but it is still an area that I can grow and improve. Sprinting requires tremendous power over the period of seconds, but climbing requires moderate sustained power over a long period of time. This juxtaposition presents a challenge for cyclists to be proficient in both (though they definitely exist).
The temptation to throw in the towel and cut off laps came around EVERY trip past that start/finish line.
The Challenge
With the cards out on the table, it was clear that this race was going to be a suck fest. However, one of the biggest challenges was actually the format of this race. Being a crit style course, we had to ride past the start/finish line FOUR TIMES. By the way, the start finish was at the top of one of the steepest and gnarliest climbs on the course. This meant that while in a very dark place and questioning what lunatic would be out there doing this race you had to go past the start/finish. The temptation to throw in the towel and cut off laps came around EVERY trip past that start/finish line. It was absolutely brutal to ride by and count down how many more times you had to come by before the finish.
It's easy to see the challenges and struggles ahead, but it is imperative to acknowledge and reward the accomplishments completed. This is where success manifests itself.
Persevering
After four gruelling laps, and 2 hours and 38 minutes later, I finished the race. I had mud and gravel in places I didn't know existed (and that was just on me, let alone the bike). Each lap I completed I reminded myself that there was "only" a certain amount of time, laps, miles, climbs remaining. Each lap I sold myself on the best sounding statistic I could find. I broke it into small digestible chunks. For instance, "you only need to do THIS CLIMB two more times" instead of "well, 16 more miles of this left." I took the time to frame my thoughts into a palatable challenge that I could handle. I battled through and took on each challenge and took a moment to internally celebrate the victory and mark it off as accomplished in my mind. It's easy to see the challenges and struggles ahead, but it is imperative to acknowledge and reward the accomplishments completed. This is where success manifests itself. The race was definitely a suck fest, but I'd go and tackle it again in a heartbeat. Each challenge just represents an opportunity to step up and grow. #DoTheHardWork