09/06/2021
Repost from
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The Kansas prairie and the rolling Flint Hills are an ocean away now.
I just landed in Europe for my next hitch as team physio for a UCI mtn bike team.
I haven’t had much quiet time to reflect. You’d think that 206 miles would give a gal plenty. As the hours and miles ticked by, I found myself centered on the present moment. I got lost in my breath, the rhythm of my cadence and trying to pick the best line as I churned through the heat and wind. For me, cycling is a form of meditation.
The day didn’t start as planned. I had a mechanical about 5 minutes in- which meant I had to turn around and ride upstream against the sea of cyclists headed out. Thankfully, I found help in the pits. It didn’t take long to get sorted and restart the ride. However, I was all alone in last place. I was afraid I’d be in for a 200 mile individual time trial 🤣
I spent most of the day riding alone- picking my way through the line of riders and making up time. I rode with a handful of folks who shared the wind, their wheels, and their great attitudes; , his riding partner Matt, Peter from Slovakia (not THE but close😉), Raul, and Chris. Good luck to Chris as he starts .
I rode every climb and through every creek. I never walked and I’m proud of that. I didn’t go fast, I just never stopped.
That said, I’m not sure I could have walked. The heat was really hard on my left leg. I developed heat rash due to my prosthesis and it was painful. Thankfully, I can walk today.
I am still the only solo paracyclist to finish the 200+ mile course.
Two male tandem teams finished this year. The pilots of the tandems are sighted and able-bodied, the stokers are visually impaired.
I hope more athletes with physical impairments come to Emporia next year. I also hope that more people see me and think, “I can do what she does and I can do it better.”
It’s the challenges we choose and the set backs we can’t predict that allow us to discover our strength, endurance and resilience.
Thanks and the awesome community for this opportunity to come together.
