Three Days!

My bike awaits me in Emporia.  My flight leaves tomorrow at 0600.  My bags are (almost) packed.  My body is strong.  My mind is stubborn and ready for the challenge.

I got this.

I am prepared for high water, rain, and mud.

Fording the creek at the bottom of Wolf Ridge.
Photo courtesy of Robin Clifford

The Salsa factory racers recently answered some questions about their journey to the Flint Hills of Kansas.  Since I live by their mantra of "Adventure by Bike", I thought I might follow suit.  Check out their answers here.

Why am I riding Dirty Kanza 200?

I had raced a few real* gravel races the previous year on a rigid mountain bike and had a blast.  It took me back to my days as a kid in rural southern Virginia riding every gravel road I could find.  So I bought a gravel specific bike (Salsa Warbird!!!) in October in anticipation of doing more gravel events (but WAY shorter than 200 miles!).  

After racing my first full season of cyclocross this past fall, I was approached about this race by a local cyclocross legend and friend, and my initial response was, "are you out of your mind?!"  But the more I thought about it, the more I could see myself getting into the challenge of 200 miles of gravel.  But then I would doubt myself.  I talked to several people about it and the majority of people said it was absolutely within my ability, but I would need to work at it.  Before this, my longest ride was 104 miles.  I think the kicker was when my significant other told me I should sign up for the 100 mile, as he was worried about me doing the 200 mile race unsupported.  Never tell me that I can not do something.  That was that, I was in for the whole shebang.  

*I had raced Monster Cross for several years prior, but always on a mountain bike, since the course had quite a bit of mountain bike-like forest roads.

What am I most looking forward to at Dirty Kanza this year?

The feeling of accomplishment when all of my training and preparation pays off.  That and I hear the atmosphere in Emporia is just incredible and that the entire town comes out to support the race and the racers.  That has to be amazing. 

Rocks are my happy place, so I should be
right at home in the flint hills, right?
Photo courtesy of Robin Clifford

If there is one thing I worry about at DK, what is it? How do I combat it?

I worry about not finishing.  I have something to prove, mostly to myself.  

To combat this, I have trained my ass off since January.  Luckily, most of my training rides have been in some pretty miserable weather with some pretty hefty elevation, so I feel like I am prepared for pretty much anything.  I have an incredible support system of ladies going out with me who are also racing.  So between the lot of us, I think we can survive anything.

I also think about the massive amount of support that I have had from cycling friends and Team Bikenetic.  These people all believe in me, so the least I can do to repay them is believe in myself, too.

Share some words of encouragement to those other riders that will be taking on the event.

This is going to be a long day on the bike.  It might rain.  It might be windy.  It might be hot. It is going to be hard.  You are going to be tired.  It is going to hurt.  But no matter what, have a fun day on the bike.  Stop and take pictures.  Do not forget to smile and laugh.

And when you think you can not go any farther, go farther.  

I got this!
Photo courtesy of Robin Clifford

If not now, when?  If not you, who?