Tuesday, May 22, 2012

This year's 21st Annual Ashland, Or Spring Thaw DH saw two Shine Riders hit the top of the podium as well as earning spots for fastest women on the mountain of the day. Robyn Embry clocked a blazing time of 4:50:39 placing her 1st place Pro Women and Kirstie Douglass came in at 5:11:17 ranking her 1st place Expert Women Open. http://obra.org/events/20388/results. Robyn took fastest lady on the mountain of the day while Kirstie swiped 3rd fastest earning both ladies some cash to take home along with their medals. The weather this year at the race was spectacular, sunny and warm, a relief from last year's surprise snow and rain. The race is called a DH but the course, Cat Walk, is more like a really long flow track (others called it a pump track on steroids) with one 12ft gap, bumps, lots of tight bermy switch backs and loads of narrow, ribbony-fast single track that becomes even faster when you add as many pedal strokes in between as you can. The key to mastering this course is tuck low, stay super nimble, and stay off the brakes! The corners come up quicker than lightning and were probably the biggest determination on how a racer ranked at the end of the day. The dirt was compact and allowed for speedy traction on much of the course, but the decomposed granite in the corners was dry and loose upping the challenge and the thrill factor. The 100 yard slight incline sprint to the finish left racers sucking wind and proving what they had left to shave off just a few more seconds if they could. Besides a fast course, the vibe at the race is really mellow and fun. This could be because the course is more flowy than technical reducing some of the pressure or the fact that the event is secluded, tucked up mid-Ashland mountain. It's a trek to get your vehicle up to the start and the feel is definitely "out in the middle of nowhere." No lifts, no parking lots, just lots of trail, trees and a hint of rocks. Ashland Mountain Adventures provides shuttles on race day and an awesome lunch was spread out for the racers reducing the primitive as well as an electronic chip timing system fueled by a generator. The event coordinators, Eschlon Events, were trying out a new timing system along side a former system and there was some grumbling in the crowd regarding times, but that goes with the territory and at the end of the day you just have to be happy with how you feel you did personally. The Ashland Mountain Challenge two day enduro style race will be coming up June 23rd and 24th http://ashmtnadv.com/?page_id=105 and Cat Walk will be included in a stage of that race. Looking forward to more!


Robyn Embry stoked to be on top.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Places to Go and Trails to Ride

The list of mtb trips to go on keeps growing and it's all about finding the money, time and energy. I figure if I write them down I will be more apt to do them:
1. So Cal - Fontana, Viper trail, Santa Barbra
2. Whistler
3. Oregon Super D Series, Whoops trail, Black Rock
4. Duthie Park Washington State
5. The Whole Enchilada, Moab, RedBull Rampage

I am sure there is more, this is off the top of my head. I think it's a good start . . .

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Being In the Moment

Sometimes I just want to look down. Mountain biking is all about looking ahead, anticipating our next move before we get to it. What we are doing right now has already happened, in a blink of an eye, and it does not matter as much as what lies ahead, which then passes in a blink of an eye and we're again looking ahead. It's a strange space to be in, not here right now, but always one second ahead. It sort of goes in-line with and against the peace we try to seek in our everyday non-riding lives. Live in the moment.

I am horrible with meditation, I say I am going to practice it, but I don't even know where to begin and I don't put any effort into beginning it. I do, however, try to practice being in the moment. Not letting my thoughts wander to anxiety about the future or regret about the past. Just right now. The perfect moment. I'm exactly where I am supposed to be doing what I am supposed to be doing. This, obviously, is not the practice of looking ahead.

I find both mountain biking and being in the moment a great practice for the brain, and the soul for that matter. But how to do both without them conflicting is sometimes conflicting. On my best rides I am energized and feeling aggressive - strong and intent. The focus it takes to be an aggressive rider is somewhat meditative, nothing else exists in that moment except for you and the trail and your bike and your breath, and I'll say it again - what lies just ahead. And what lies just ahead is constantly and rapidly changing. It's a perfect combination of being strong but relaxed. Relaxed enough to flow like water through the trail. Strong enough that your brain and body work harmoniously to muscle over and around obstacles that you only see as clear paths. It's trickery in a way. That is not a rock. Look beyond. That is a ribbon of path around that rock or that rock is now a launch pad into the next section of trail. Thank you rock for being such a great launch pad. It's not an obstacle it's only what is beyond.

Lately, in life, I've been practicing being in the moment and being satisfied with that moment. The other day I went out for a ride and all I wanted to do was look straight down. I did not want to look ahead or to think lightning fast. I did not feel the energy to have my body react spontaneously. I said to my friend I was riding with - these are the days I just need to hike. The problem, however, was I was not certain I was feeling that way until I got on my bike and tried to ride. And I say 'tried to ride' literally. I could not for the life of me get motivated enough to master some of the tricky sections of trail I had mastered a million times. I was paralyzed really, by fear mostly. Because I noticed if I'm not feeling particularly energetic or motivated suddenly that steep, rocky, narrow section seems very undesirable. This is not fun, this is not what I want to do right now and even though I may possess the skill the brain is very much in control. That's the thing with mountain biking, it is a mind-over-matter sport more than anything. If I put my mind to it, I CAN do it. It's convincing the mind to let go of reasonable or unreasonable fears. It is reasonable to be afraid to jump a gap. However, we desire to challenge ourselves and the thrill and satisfaction of achieving a new goal usually, hopefully, overrides the fear. And that's outside of the physical feeling of mastering a new trick or section of trail. A mountain biker knows when something feels right and when it doesn't and we all ride in pursuit of that 'right' feeling. Not to mention the endorphins and adrenal that we've all become addicted to when we are doing our sport and we are doing it well. The mind-body connection is unavoidable. And that brings me back to my original statement. Sometimes I just want to look down. It could be a variable brain chemistry thing, it could be something else going on that I am unable to put out of my head. But it is an uneasy feeling for someone who is normally driven to wanting to achieve and master. After two or three rides like this I start to wonder, will I get it back? Will I always feel this unmotivated, will I always just want to look down instead of looking ahead?

I am sure the answer is no. Just as sure as I am in this moment right now. For now, I will accept and resign myself to look at what is right in front of me. Life is a balance - work, family, relationships, me. Sometimes I need to jump off that tight-rope and just sit. Nothing happens when I sit. Maybe nothing is supposed to happen right now. And then after some time sitting I will be ready to look ahead. Look fast and strong and look ahead.