I normally don’t write much on here, but sometimes photos can’t say everything. I wouldn’t have imagined that winning a race would produce such a strong feeling of gratitude: what we do is made possible by those who have come before and burned the torch into the darkness to show what’s possible and to light the way.
This is something completely new: I’ve never won anything like this race or really any other contests of skill, intelligence or fitness. Neither would I have ever believed that I could have won, especially after my finish in the recreational division last year. Since then, it has been an introspective year of learning what happens when I don’t give in and quit, learning how to banish the self-delusion and learning how to believe that I can do more.
Very satisfying to see that a year of training to get faster makes a difference, even for me, and amazing to follow in the footsteps (or skin track) of those who are faster.
The hard things we do define us: They stretch our brains and our limits, and they give us the courage and confidence to do the even harder things.
http://danshotfirst.com/2013/02/get-it-in-gear/