I spent last Saturday hanging out at a mountain biking race. I’m not a newbie to bike races, this was my 4th race and Ken’s 6th. Just to be clear – I’m support crew at these races. I don’t bike in the mountains or even off the sidewalk.
Having been around bike races before I was prepared for several things
- Dirt, lots of it.
- Walking from our camp site to the start line 1400 times.
- Great quantities of colourful swearing around my kids.
- Men in various states of undress and tight fitting clothing.
- Watching riders with awe as they power through yet another lap.
I was not prepared for Ken’s team of Old Cranks (that’s really their team name) to come in 2nd in their category and staying for the medal ceremony. Medals are new for us. Yay Old Cranks!
As I sat Saturday afternoon watching riders covered head to toe in sweat and dirt pedal by like they were being chased by fire I said to my husband “I’m going to say this but if you ever repeat it to me I will scream at you. If I was looking to do something that really scared me, this race would be it.”
To his credit he hasn’t repeated it but I could see the new bike stars in his eyes and I expect a mountain bike recommendation soon with some kind of clip in pedal system. Clip in pedals are more terrifying to me than mountain biking.
I am not making any commitments or promises I am only saying that if I wanted to scare the shit out of myself a mountain bike race would be a good start. Perhaps I’ll start by learning to ride my bike on the road like a grown up.
I like you, you’re risk averse. As I am. I tried clipless pedals once. I don’t want to discourage you because not everyone is as ill coordinated as I am so I won’t tell you what happened. I totally think you should train for this race, though. There are always ways to mitigate risk.
Also, HOORAY for Old Cranks!
Apparently there’s girls only mountain bike lessons nearby. I said I would accept them as a birthday offering providing the lessons came with an iPad.
Ken doesn’t use clip in pedals anymore actually, so I might be safe on that front.
Biking on the road is scary.
Agreed.
I wrote a post on trying clipless pedals once. It was probably terrible since I first started blogging, but the results were not pretty. Still, though I got the hang of it so I am sure you can too!
And with iPad? Do it!
I am sure I’ll get the lessons and not the iPad. Sheesh.
Oh I hate clip in pedals. Never used them myself, but there is nothing scarier. Bike riding is scary business. Probably why my kis can’t ride yet.
If it was up to me my kids wouldn’t be riding either. Once upon a time I had the old style toe clips, no thank you.
They say… if your dreams don’t scare you they aren’t big enough. I can’t imagine riding that course on a bike. It was awesome (and difficult) to run, especially after all the bikes chewed it up. I had so much fun. Kristin’s Iced Coffee Bar was a wonderful addition to the event!!
I’ve heard that too, and mostly I ignore it.
But I am open minded to lessons.
The first time you ride with clipless pedals, you will fall over. Maybe the first couple of times. Be prepared, and pad your ego. It’s necessary.
I’ve never ridden a mountain bike in the mountains . . . I’m the guy who almost needed stitches because I suck at riding a stationary bicycle. But, a road bike? Well, I truly enjoy that.
I remember, once, after a 5k, taking a second to think “there’s no way that I actually won anything,” when the results were posted — but, the guy I ran with, who finished after me, wanted to look through the results, just out of curiosity. It turns out that I won my age group (funny, though, is that if I were 5 years older, I would have finished 6th in my age group . . . just, there as a glut of runners, for this race, in their 30′s).
I’ve tried toe clips before that was enough. Ken has flat pedals now actually.
And good work winning!