This is the story about the time I went to Emporia, Kansas to ride 206 miles on gravel roads in a race called Unbound, the premier gravel race that attracts pros and amateurs and even nobody’s (like myself) from all over the world.
How did I do it? Reframing negative circumstances into positive advantages. (the perks of being an optimist)
Bike Setup: Canyon Grizl CF SLX 8 with front suspension
Pedals: Crankbrother Flats
WTB Venture Tires 700x50mm Tires (didn't flat!)
Kit: Eliel El Capitan EFT 2023 Jersey; Del Dios Bibs
Water: USWE Hydration Pack
POC Helmet
Fanny Pack: Cotopaxi
STORY & FRAME OF MIND
The amount of times I heard people say that I’m mentally strong for completing this race is insane - it seems like everyone saw this as an exceptionally challenging year with the weather and mud. But this was my first Unbound, and my first time to ride gravel for more than 90 miles, so my expectations were way off compared to all the Unbound veterans out there.
Unfair Advantage #1: The Mud
From Mile 11 - 14 we were walking because the mud was too thick to ride through.
The Upside:
- I wore flat shoes: I know 0 about running but people around me said I had running shoes on. Dope.
- Another Upside: when I got back on my bicycle at mile 14, I’ve never been happier to push those pedals, and later in the race around mile 175 we had another mile of walking, but I was ready for it mentally.
- Final upside: I got to make a ton of jokes.
The Downside: I never trained to deal with the mud. Didn’t practice any walking.
Unfair Advantage #2: it stormed so hard for 30 minutes when I was 100 miles in.
Upside
- The rain cooled me down quickly, cleaned all the mud and cow poop off me and the bike, and it was my first time to ride through a storm. Also, the headwind was no longer miserable.
- After the storm ended and I knew it wasn’t going to happen again, I was about 110 miles in, it was 3:30pm, and something incredible happened that I’ve never experience before:
- I was reborn on the bicycle. The only way I can explain it is that new life ran through me as if I were invincible. I even told the people I was riding with that my fear now was that I’d finish and people would see it as no big deal: “Obviously you finished, it was the easiest race ever”.
- My fear up until this point was that I’d hit a mile marker and thing “oh crap, I can only do 30 more miles at the most and then I’d be in a bad head space just aiming for like 150, or 175.
- After mile 110, I had no doubt I’d finish. No doubt at all.
One thing I hear my favorite cyclist talk about all the time is to think about future you: I didn’t like the idea of thinking about future me saying “I tried really hard, and 100 or 150 miles is still a ton, but i just went too hard” no. It had to be the whole thing in my mind.
But I can say that just 3 years ago I could barely ride 3 miles on a bicycle - which brings me to say this about Unbound: if a nobody like me can complete this race, anybody can do it. There is 0 things special about my genetics, 0 things that give me the upper hand physically. I trained intentionally for 5 months to prepare for this race, made dietary decisions in preparation for this race, and what I discovered is that racing Unbound was the most fun I’ve ever had on a bicycle.
#unbound #gravelbikes #gravelracing @TheVCAdventures @Veloworthy #mud #mudbikes #cycling #gravelbikes #gravelracing #adventure #motivation #health #unbound #bikeracing #tourdefrance2023
@CanyonBicycles @elielcycling8831 @GearForGood @irctireusa-bike1825
