With the start of the 2005 IBR a couple of days from now, I went back through a few things about my 2003 participation.
After much introspection, I tied 2 things together that put my finish into better perspective for me. All through the rally I was kicking myself for not stitching together better legs (or even more aggressively routed days). At each mandatory checkpoint I'd hear other riders talking about the bonus locations they'd been to while reflecting on what I perceived as my relatively-sparce list of locations; kicking myself mentally for not doing better. Believe me the mind game I played on myself was a huge one that started at the 1st mandatory checkpoint and didn't end. And I don't mean didn't end until the finish line. I mean it didn't end until I got a copy of these documents just yesterday.
Don't think I'm a lone ranger on issues like this either. I have talked to a lot of finishers over the past 2 years and this internalized denegration is not uncommon (even for folks who finish much better than I did). Perhaps it's the A-Type personality trait that drives a rider to make the commitments needed to ride The Big One that also work against us to drive us to "do better next time"? I'm not the professional head shrinker, so I can't say.
What I can say is that the arrival of these documents helped me put a few demons to rest and put an 81st place finish in better perspective given the circumstances.
A tip of the helmet to every rider who made the commitments needed to be at the starting line. A hearty "HUZZAH!" to every Finisher; past and future!
After much introspection, I tied 2 things together that put my finish into better perspective for me. All through the rally I was kicking myself for not stitching together better legs (or even more aggressively routed days). At each mandatory checkpoint I'd hear other riders talking about the bonus locations they'd been to while reflecting on what I perceived as my relatively-sparce list of locations; kicking myself mentally for not doing better. Believe me the mind game I played on myself was a huge one that started at the 1st mandatory checkpoint and didn't end. And I don't mean didn't end until the finish line. I mean it didn't end until I got a copy of these documents just yesterday.
Don't think I'm a lone ranger on issues like this either. I have talked to a lot of finishers over the past 2 years and this internalized denegration is not uncommon (even for folks who finish much better than I did). Perhaps it's the A-Type personality trait that drives a rider to make the commitments needed to ride The Big One that also work against us to drive us to "do better next time"? I'm not the professional head shrinker, so I can't say.
What I can say is that the arrival of these documents helped me put a few demons to rest and put an 81st place finish in better perspective given the circumstances.
A tip of the helmet to every rider who made the commitments needed to be at the starting line. A hearty "HUZZAH!" to every Finisher; past and future!
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