Yeah, I guess I had "fun"

Ok, it was a miserable race. . . . .it was like trying to ride your bike on ice. . . . .dodging fallen riders who'd yard sale'ed it ALL over the course. . . . .while you tried not to yard sale it yourself. Cheering for others who'd dropped off or fallen. . . . .who you knew you'd see again in a bit. Watching people stopped at the side of the trail pulling the gobs of mud out of their brakes all the time thanking the heavens above for disc brakes which give more clearance (I only had to stop once to clean my tires out and that's because I managed to catch a freaking LOG in my wheel).

It's slowing down to smile pretty for the cameras. . . . . . . .


It's trying to stay motivated NOT to dnf. . . . .then deciding what the hell, you feel like a piece of shit, people are falling ALL over the place, you can't even RIDE a bunch of the single track even if you CAN ride it because it's a line 15 deep of racers walking through inches and inches of mud, you MIGHT as WELL finish now.

It's aiming for the middle of the puddle hoping to GOD it's not 10 inches deep with a huge rut in the middle that has "ENDO" written all over it. . . . . . .it's walking up the Craters climb on the third lap going "I cannot BELIEVE I had to walk part of this freakin' climb EVERY LAP" and evaluating your "climbing" skills. . . . . .it's heading up the 15 mile climb (that's what it felt like) to the finish while the comp/elite guys are lined up knowing there's no way in hell you can get off and walk or they'll all pummel you and you'll never live it down (unless you only have one gear, then at least you have a REASON).

It's crossing the finish line hyperventilating and not even being able to talk to your girlfriends and congratulate them on their finish or else you'll fall over and need to be carried to the first aid tent.

It's knowing you're one of the "tough girls" who stuck it out and managed to finish without falling FLAT on your face at any one point.

Yeah, I guess it was fun.