my first thought when i sat down to write this was: “wow. this will take forever. better make it short.”
my right hand is broken, so each letter takes a while to type with my left index finger.
but i caught myself. why hurry?
the first piece of advice they give racers a the pre-race meeting of BC Bike Race is to be patient. stage racing is a story of patience, they say. patience with yourself, with others, with the course, with your body…
maybe they were on to something.
there is a favourite story in my family. in 2014, my dad did bc bike race and had quite a few crashes during the week. but he had spent a year preparing and getting excited for the event. all his passwords had become a variance of bcbr2014. every time we crossed each others paths in the house, he’d look at me with a big grin and would yell BCBIKERACE while making a rock on sign with his hand. my dad is a dreamer and has more enthusiasm than anyone i know. bcbr did not go to plan for dad that year. he finished the race with a broken wrist and a blood infection from his wounds. yet, as we extended our trip by a few days so he could get his blood drained and injuries fixed, my dad lay in his bed —battered but not defeated. he looked at david and i, made a rock on sign with his one functioning hand, and yelled with a happiness from deep within: BCBIKERACE!!!!
my dad is a trooper. this story describes him like none other. nothing can break him.
11 years later, i’m starting to understand dad. as i’m sitting at the hospital, i think i can understand how dad managed to keep his enthusiasm.
a boxer’s fracture. that’s what i have. i punched a tree with the tip of my handlebar on stage 5 and broke the knuckle. i knew almost instantly that it was broken but i painfully made my way to the end of the stage. bcbr is too good to give up on.
as i look back on my week, i realize they were right at the pre-race meeting. bcbr is about patience. and that may be the lesson i came here to learn.
i lacked patience on stage 1. after chasing fitness all spring, i finally felt ready to race. eager to see of i’d fare in the prologue, i over did it on a roller, lost control, and smashed myself into a tree. a fucking slam. lucky, i came out unscathed.
in stages 2, 3, and 4 i caught a stomach bug that had me feeling nauseous and weak. initially irritated by the fact i couldn’t race full gas, patience turned out to be the only way forward. once i agreed to be patient with myself, i discovered that bcbr is about much more than racing for every second. the trails, it turns out, might be even more fun when you don’t enter them fully cross-eyed. i also got to appreciate that the connections you make— the people you meet on the trail, the staff, the people with who you get to share the high of shredding a singletrack together — are a big part of what make bcbr special. and you make even more connections when you are out on the trail for longer.
stage 5 also started with patience. i was last of our wave to leave the start line as i still felt nauseous, but promised myself to keep an open mind. i quickly realized i was feeling good enough and happily pressed on the gas and made my way through the field. i was loving the feeling of my legs hurting. what a treat! i managed to push hard for almost 2h. then, as we hit a tight and bumpy section of trail, i felt slow. i exaggerated my movements and the intensity of my pedal strokes in the hope of creating momentum. instead of accepting the slower speed, i tried to force it. in my impatience, i hit a tree with my right hand.
we went to the hospital a few hours later. i got my bone straighten up, a cast installed, and i accepted that i wouldn’t get to take part in stages 6 & 7. it’s ironic that what i’m the most proud of this week is the patience i displayed while i got sick and yet it’s because i wasn’t patient enough that i took myself out of the race.
of course i’m sad not to be able to finish. i’m sad i won’t be able to celebrate everyone’s achievements with them on Sunday after the 7th stage. i’ll miss my mountain bike in the coming weeks. it would be easy to say i should have been more patient. it’s probably more productive to remind myself to remain patient as i slowly progress through this injury.
yet, despite the injuries, i still feel grateful to gave been part of such a special event. despite feeling bummed to not be able to finish, what remains and what’s more powerful is the thrill of having ridden all these trails with rad people. i got to chase singletrack through the forest, share laughs and suffering, and feel alive in a way only bikes can bring. maybe that’s what dad felt all these years ago?
all i know is in that moment, with my cast on in the Cumberland hospital, i had only one urge: i looked at david with a big grin, made a rock n roll sign with my one functioning hand, and yelled with a happiness from deep within: BCBIKERACE!!!!
because this race truly is something special.
so much sweet singletrack
thanks bcbike race for the photos
BCBIKERACEEEEEE!!!!!
Best bike for BCBR?
this year, i rode the transition Spur at BCBR. This bike is so playful that i knew it would be awesome bot for the bc trails and long climbs. a positive side effect that i had not expected was the bond i’d create with other Spur riders.
it seems like people who choose to ride a Transition bike feel a sense of belonging to the brand — and i do too. i had the pleasure of meeting and bonding with a few of them over our bikes. Katie from the UK. my old cyclocross pal Courtenay. this guy from BC with who i chatted for 15minutes at the bike wash station. Drew, the sales representative at TR. Billy the accountant. Jeff, from Bellingham. and many more.
all of us at the race had a different story, a different goal, and a different build for our Spur…but we all had a great time.
A very nice read that reminds us that even when things don't go according to plan, we can still be proud of our journey.
We especially enjoy your reviews & commentary. Keep on; ONWARD!