Thirty five miles in to my first Lumberjack and I yacked. Wasn't expecting this development, but after the first loop my body just couldn't get settled. Might have been the elevation or the humidity, but as soon as I cleared that debris I felt like gold. The remaining miles back to the pit went by rather quickly. I even felt spunky enough to catch and pass a few of the ladies that had passed me on the first lap. It almost seemed like my inner Zuul had come out to finish the race...
Then I entered the third and final loop...four miles in and I started feeling like shriveling up into a whimpering pile of Zuul. Poor me...poor little Zuul out on the trail on a beautiful sunny day in northern Michigan...hating her choice of sport.
Keep the bike moving dumb ass...don't give in to your demons...enter the pain cave (maybe sit down in that cave and build a little fire), turn the cranks...
I'm not going to deny that I may have been whimpering when I hit seventy-five miles, that at eighty I saw a beaver that was really a log on the trail, at ninety when I usually feel like I've hit the home stretch I wanted to spit up again. With four miles left to go another rider came up behind me and we commiserated about our pain and agony. That little bit of company helped me pull us in to the finish.
As soon as I was finished and as the fabulous D2 team helped me put my belongings away, I immediately started feeling the glow that follows finishing something that was unbelievably hard (that's what she said) and once again I was reassured about why I love my sport!
I want to thank Danielle Musto for allowing me to pit under her tent, to Josh for looking my bike over and to Eric, Chris, Rachel and Ben for helping me with the various aspects of this race! And of course, thanks to all of you who sent good vibes my way!
Good work Dana. Love your description and dedication!
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