Vermont Overland: Get to the Start Line, and Get to the Finish Line.
A couple of reflections after the 2022 Vermont Overland.
Get to the start line.
The more races I have completed over the years, the more I have come to realize the importance of just getting to the start line. Sometimes training that is just “good enough” really is good enough, especially if you’re not competing at the highest level or going after a podium position. Prioritize arriving at the start line feeling healthy, excited, and confident in your ability to complete (or compete) and recover from the event. Even if your training wasn’t perfect and you couldn’t complete some of your workouts as intended, trust in the work you have done and your ability to rise to the occasion on race day. You have to at least give yourself a chance, and “allow yourself to surprise yourself” on race day. All the training and talent in the world doesn’t matter if you toe the line feeling over-trained, exhausted, or injured because you tried to over-optimize every aspect of your training and listened to the training plan rather than what your body was trying to tell you.
My training got derailed a month before the event due to injury, and I missed out on several key workouts and long rides in the buildup. Feeling better a week or two before the race, I thought about what last-minute workouts or rides I could do to increase my fitness even just a little bit and improve my race-day performance. In the end, I decided that any potential gain from such a gamble wasn’t worth the risk, and that I would just trust in my body and the consistent work I had put in over the past year. While I definitely didn’t have my best day on Saturday, I am happy that I at least gave myself a chance, and grateful for the opportunity to line up amongst so many other like-minded and inspiring individuals.
Get to the finish line.
It was heartbreaking to learn that a fellow cyclist died in a crash at the race. It was a tragic accident, and a terrible loss for his family, country, and the cycling community at large. It was a reminder of the risk we all take when we choose to participate in endurance sports and put ourselves in situations and environments that test our physical and mental limits. Regardless of your ability, level of preparation, or how cautious you think you’re being; accidents happen and things can go terribly wrong.
I realized after taking a hard spill early on that racing down the Class 4 trail sectors of the course was not something I felt comfortable with or had the technical ability for, and that trying to do so in order to shave off a few minutes would be reckless both for myself and others. I accepted that for me, at least this year, “just” finishing would be enough. I was a little disappointed at first, but looking back I’m glad I was able to make that decision in the moment despite what was going on around me.
The reality is our friends and family care much more about seeing us cross the finish line than risking it all for short-term gain or glory. This isn’t meant as a judgment of anyone else’s goals or racing strategy, or that you should never explore the limits of your potential in training and competition. Just be sure to keep it all in perspective, especially if how you pay the bills isn’t connected to how fast you run or ride your bike.
