In October 2009, I raced 24 hours of Moab for the
first time. I did this race as a team of four. The race is approximately seventeen
miles through red rock, sand, deep sand, dirt and triple x downhills. Racing as
a team of four is done in relay style trading off as a rider comes in from
completing her lap.
Our team was part of several sub-teams in a very large
camp. We were fortunate enough to have a cook, a bike mechanic, a charging
station for our lights, and people assisting with keeping track of time, water
bottles, and nutrition.
Because of the great support we had in our camp, and
the fact I was doing the race as I relay, I did not have the expectation the
race would be overly demanding—difficult
yes, but nothing that would overly taxing. I knew I had time between laps to eat, sleep,
and prepare to go back out when my turn was up—at least 3 to 3 ½ hours; plenty
of time.
The seventeen-mile lap is composed of triple X
downhills, which can be dangerous. There is deep sand, which can be taxing, and
of course because it is 24 hours you are riding in the dark. Now riding in the
dark on a mountain trail can be fairly easy, but riding on red rock is
difficult—or can be. There is no well-worn path you can see with your lights,
so you have to be diligent in keeping your eyes open for the markings on the red,
and hope you are lucky enough to be in a group when you hit the mesa.
What I discovered as I did the race is, I was unable
to rest—sleep was difficult, and I got little if any sleep. At night it is
freezing cold, between the 20s and 30s. Although it is October, you are in the
desert, hence the cold evenings, and warm days. A lot of my time was spent in
the kitchen and dining area, because that is where the heat was. We had tents
and trailers to sleep in, but for some reason I could not sleep much. Despite
having food prepared and cooked for us I struggled to get food down, and by the
time I was preparing to go out on my final lap I was gagging and dry heaving
when I tried to eat. My body did not understand why I was riding 17 miles,
coming in, trying to eat, and then going back out again, and of course not
sleeping.
By the time I was supposed to go out and do my final
lap, our team was in second place. But
at this point I did not care. I was tired and fatigued. It was beginning to be
the early morning hours, and I was exhausted. I no longer felt like racing,
instead it became just a ride. A ride I needed to finish. I went out and began
to pedal on. All I wanted to do was finish this lap.
At the first of the lap it was dark and difficult to
see. At one point one of the pro riders from one of the sub-teams went by and
let me know one of the teams I was racing, was going to come up and pass me. In
a flat voice I said “I don’t care.” In my mind I was done, the race was over,
and I just needed to find a way to somehow get to the end.
As I rode along it began to get a little bit lighter.
The darkness was fading, and I was beginning to be able to see the trail and my
surroundings without the use of my lights. Then little by little the sun
started to peak through the rocks, and the trees. As I rode up onto the mesa. I
saw the sun starting to rise in the horizon, and I began to see it’s direct
light. It was so glorious, and beautiful.
And as I proceeded a little further the light began to
touch me, and I felt the warmth of the light. As I felt that warmth, I had
renewed energy. I started going a little bit more, and riding a little bit
faster, and feeling a little bit stronger. As the sun kept rising, I kept
getting stronger, and stronger, and going faster, and faster. I could feel the
warmth of its rays.
After the mesa I had two big downhills with jumps, and
rode through a very large sandpit. I rode as fast as I could through the downs,
and actually flew face first in the sand pit. However, this did not discourage
me, and I jumped up, and continued on to the trade off point (the finish line).
I rode renewed. I hollered happily to my teammates. I had energy once again. I
was ready to go. The sun had given me the energy I needed, and then some.
Just like my bike ride, at times, life can be
difficult, and we end up trudging along. However, when we turn to Christ, he
can change everything for us. Like the light on my bike ride, he is our light
in life. He can take away the pain, carry the burdens, and change who we are.
He can renew us. In Matthew 11:28-30 it says:
28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Just like my bike ride it is not always going to be
easy, and there will be falls, just as when I went face first into the sand
pit. But he will be there to help you along, and give you what you need to go
forward.
.
