I am back from Mid South 2024. Had a blast. Saw some great people. Listened to some good music. Ate some great food. Rode my bike a ways. I am thankful I accomplished what I set out to do. I also had some unexpected letting go of the past. It’s done and dusted and I am home feeling both inspired and thankful.
I am just a little bit bummed for a number of reasons. First and foremost there were so many people to see and attempt to spend time with. Honestly, it was impossible to see all the great folks I wanted to see and at the same time take care of myself so I was ready for the event. In some cases I missed folks altogether and in other cases I simply didn’t spend enough time with or simply saw them in passing, exchanged hugs/handshakes and carried on.
Moving to more upbeat feelings, I am really happy I achieved my goal! Given Mid South runs the same course for 2 years and this year’s event was on the same course as last year, I had the opportunity to race myself. My goal was simple; beat last year’s time.
Before I get into some of the details, I want to say two things. First, I am only racing myself. No where will you see me posting about placement or racing others. Second, I don’t think I was ever really supposed to be a cyclist. My genetics and body type lead me more to an American football linebacker or full back. Seriously. I just love cycling and for 30+ years I have dealt with the fact that my two legs weigh more than many of the top riders. That’s no joke. But I love it. I think I love it more than I ever have. I do it for me and me only.
As I prepared for this event this year, I can say that I worked harder on my fitness and my plan for the event. If I compare my winter activity from this year to the past, the difference was simply frequency and consistency. Jen and I also added a 50 minute Friday, aerobic treadmill class starting January 2024. It also helped our winter has been mild and I have actually gotten several good, long rides in outside. The end result was that I beat my time of last year! Yeah, success!
Truthfully, comparing the times it wasn’t too big of a difference. Some might chalk the actual difference up to conditions (which were optimal) or gear choice (My bike, tires and carbon wheels were lighter and faster rolling than last year). However, my health isn’t just measured by speed. I simply felt better the whole way and afterwards.
Here are some fun facts about the day. BTW – I ONLY rode the 50 course, which is roughly 59 miles and included gravel, pavement and single track.
- I was almost .5 MPH faster this year over the same course.
- I hit a top speed of 42 MPH this year and last year my top speed was only 37 MPH.
- My stopped time was almost exactly the same as last year, roughly 3.5 minutes. That’s two quick stops at the feed stops as well as a stop at the Salsa Chaise Lounge for a picture.
- My last 20 mile split was my fastest and that section included a stop at the Chaise as well as the single track section.
- I didn’t cramp this year! My food and hydration selection was spot on and I finished the event with about 1/4 water bottle of fluid. Perfectly perfect.
- My bike and gear selection was spot on. In fact, I think it was absolute perfection. I have to take some photos of the bike covered in the red Oklahoma dirt and then I’ll share a bit more about both bike and spec.
- I did have one mechanical issue, a water bottle cage rattled loose and drove me crazy. I didn’t want to take the time to dig out my tools so I just let it rattle. Yes, it drove me crazy but I had a goal and it wasn’t putting me or anyone at risk!
So I did it. I am thankful and pleased. As if that wasn’t enough, I also got something I never planned for nor intended. I let some of my past go.
One more story before finishing this blog entry. It’s about the Salsa Cycles Chase the Chaise. Given I managed the Salsa brand for many years, including leading the rebranding to Adventure by Bike and many of the products and ideas that are influencing our industry, I have not gotten a Chase the Chaise photo. A few years ago I left the organization. It was an incredibly hard decision filled with lots of emotions and feelings about both the past as well as concerns about the future of the brands and people that I truly love. Honestly I have been struggling to find ways to support the brands I once led as the organization I poured 25+ years and my heart into went through strategy changes, brand changes, layoffs, leadership changes, etc. That said, I was the one that left and with that I have no reason to make claims about how the business and brand(s) move forward. It is, or was, time to let that go.
Thankfully time heals a lot of things and I am once again in a place where I want to be. While I still may struggle with some of the leadership decisions and actions that led to me leaving, the reality is that what I miss remains the same; the people. Salsa, and other Q brands, still have some great people involved in the day to day operations. This year I took that photo on the Chaise. I both checked that box and put some old demons to rest. I asked a few of those people I miss to sit with me, Mike Riemer and Scott Haraldson. It felt like the past melted away and I am so thankful for these two. Pretty much everyday I miss working with them. They are great folks that taught me a lot about both life and photography. I appreciate them so much and am so happy to have this image with them. Thank you Mike and Scott.
So now it’s time to set some new goals and go after some new dreams. Thank you Mid South, Mid South crew and all those incredible people that made it so great.
ImagineGnat 