A quick back story to lay this whole thing out...
I started racing dirt bikes in 2006, My husband who was just my boyfriend at the time rode and I just thought that was the coolest thing ever. We had bikes growing up on our land but to say it had been a while is an understatement! I'm a doer though and I couldn't just watch him have all the fun, I was also amazed at how familiar riding was to me. I started riding with him and going to races and in 2006 I attended my first ever Perry Mountain 24hr Challenge. I knew the next year no matter what I would race!
Fast forward a year, and the month before the 24hr I had an accident, My first race running the mens class I wrecked tearing my ACL, Meniscus, and damaged my knee resulting in surgery #1. In other words I attended the 24hr race but in a cast and on crutches instead of racing...
2008-2011 I raced it each year... 2012 we'll get to that soon...
I bet your waiting on me to say how much I loved it but... this type of race I have the definition of a love hate relationship with.
So here are the details of the race for those who may be wondering what in the world I'm talking about.
The race takes place in South Alabama the first weekend of June and that means heat! It is so hot during the day that dehydration and heat stroke can be the real deal.
People from all over come to attend this event and my husband has actually competed every year that the race has been held except the very first one ( He is kinda my hero with what he can withstand ). Perry Mountain is a little place in the middle of nowhere and if you didn't know exactly where you were going you may never find it. It is a beautiful place and has every type of terrain you could ever wish to ride on, it is a racers paradise but me and this place have something to settle. (We're almost to that part)
The race starts Saturday morning at 10:00a.m and ends Sunday morning at 10:00a.m hence the 24hr challenge. The goal is to complete as many laps as possible in 24hrs and the one with the most laps takes home the win.
There are a few different ways to race the event. A 6 man team consists of 6 men and 1 bike each turning laps one rider at a time on that 1 dirt bike, 6 bike teams are 6 guys each on their own bikes racing one at a time, duo class and family duo consists of 2 guys or gals and 2 bikes, and then there is Ironman and Ironwoman this is 1 man/woman 1 bike 24hrs.
That's where I come in, I have competed in the ironwoman class on 6 different occasions. We have planned out entire lives around this event at times because it has been that big of a part of our lives. We feel like the people at this race are our family and we have one core thing in common with them and that is by 10:00 Saturday morning you'll be loving life, sick to your stomach, excited and so ready to go then by 10:00 Sunday morning you'll be delirious wondering why you'd do something so ridiculous. Then in a few days or weeks you'll be talking about next year.
You can walk thru the pits and feel what everybody is feeling, you understand the suffering to some degree but you also know that you got to go back out and complete another lap.
The start of this race is unlike any other, pure adrenaline and fun because everyone knows you cant win it on the first lap and you've got a whole lotta racing to go so just get comfy!
From exhaustion, blisters, butt chaffing, delirium, cramps and many many emotions there are so many things you experience during this race and what makes it worse is you know what's coming. There's just something about it thought, something that brings you back for more.
In 2012 I was having my best race yet, it was 7:00 Sunday morning with 3hrs to go and I had broken my lap record and goal. Crusing down one of the back straightaways hitting a few littler kickers I heard a bike coming up behind me and the next thing I knew was hearing the sound of things cracking then black. I had no clue what happened and still things are fuzzy, partly because of the pain and from the sheer exhaustion of the race. Thank goodness we have something great at these races, that family I was talking about. I was quickly found and was helped to the edge of the course while the rider went to get help.
Trying to breath and asses the damage I realized my shoulder was dislocated, I reached for my camelbak lead and felt that my jesery was soaked and looking down I notied it was bright red where it once was white.... PANIC... thinking I was bleeding to death...
That was the delirium because I soon realized I had red Gatorade in my camelbak and it had busted during the wreck. Quickly I was found by some track workers to whom I can't thank enough for how kind they were and comforting. Everything is always worse when your tired and emotional but I had a few bumps, bruses and a shattered collar bone. I had sugery a few days later and have some pretty sweet hardware to show.
So that's it right, your done... Well not exactly. Don't you remember me saying there is just something about it that brings you back.
I competed the following year but it was tough, I just couldn't get the crash out of my head. I just couldn't enjoy the race like I wanted to and the fun had kind of faded.
In 2014 I was racing our regular series with no intention of competing in the 24hr again and I'm glad I wasn't because 5 races in I discovered my flu bug I thought I couldn't shake was a baby bug instead and in 2015 we brought home our beautiful Skye Ember.
I decided my body and my mind needed a break from racing so I took a little time off, Skye was a little over a year and I decided I wanted to give it another go. I raced a local race and on the last lap took a dive hurting the already bolted together collarbone.
That's it... I'm done..... but wait here we go again
3 years later and I'm getting ready to ride the 24hr Challenge for the 7th time, notice I said ride not race!
You can't hide from the things you are afraid of, If you can't conquer the fear then just do it afraid. I know most people won't understand why in the world I even consider riding again and may even criticize me for it and that's ok this is not your journey its mine to live out.
There is just something about this race, it's unlike any other. Riding with your buddies who you may never see on the course during a season race. Pushing yourself and seeing others push themselves to limits they can only imagine, truly seeing not only what your body can withstand but your mind as well. Being in the environment, encouraging others and having them encourage you as well.
Since racing I have had back surgery and a 5th knee surgery showing me that there are risks with everything you do in life and you can get hurt doing absolutely anything, even just walking down three steps or should I say missing the first step of the 3...
You can't wait on the perfect moment to do something, you can't wait to have it all together. Now, Now is the time to do the things that set your soul on fire. The things that excite you and make you love the life you've been blessed with.
Win or lose I will wake up tomorrow and try again for we do not know what each day holds and God may have us right where He desires for us to be. This year I will bring less skills to the plate but a better mindset and perspective. If my injuries have taught me anything it is that you should never wait and ready or not you must try no matter if its 1 lap or 100, at the end of the day you showed up.
There is just something about this race that keeps me coming back and we will see what 2019 holds.
I started racing dirt bikes in 2006, My husband who was just my boyfriend at the time rode and I just thought that was the coolest thing ever. We had bikes growing up on our land but to say it had been a while is an understatement! I'm a doer though and I couldn't just watch him have all the fun, I was also amazed at how familiar riding was to me. I started riding with him and going to races and in 2006 I attended my first ever Perry Mountain 24hr Challenge. I knew the next year no matter what I would race!
Fast forward a year, and the month before the 24hr I had an accident, My first race running the mens class I wrecked tearing my ACL, Meniscus, and damaged my knee resulting in surgery #1. In other words I attended the 24hr race but in a cast and on crutches instead of racing...
2008-2011 I raced it each year... 2012 we'll get to that soon...
I bet your waiting on me to say how much I loved it but... this type of race I have the definition of a love hate relationship with.
So here are the details of the race for those who may be wondering what in the world I'm talking about.
The race takes place in South Alabama the first weekend of June and that means heat! It is so hot during the day that dehydration and heat stroke can be the real deal.
People from all over come to attend this event and my husband has actually competed every year that the race has been held except the very first one ( He is kinda my hero with what he can withstand ). Perry Mountain is a little place in the middle of nowhere and if you didn't know exactly where you were going you may never find it. It is a beautiful place and has every type of terrain you could ever wish to ride on, it is a racers paradise but me and this place have something to settle. (We're almost to that part)
The race starts Saturday morning at 10:00a.m and ends Sunday morning at 10:00a.m hence the 24hr challenge. The goal is to complete as many laps as possible in 24hrs and the one with the most laps takes home the win.
There are a few different ways to race the event. A 6 man team consists of 6 men and 1 bike each turning laps one rider at a time on that 1 dirt bike, 6 bike teams are 6 guys each on their own bikes racing one at a time, duo class and family duo consists of 2 guys or gals and 2 bikes, and then there is Ironman and Ironwoman this is 1 man/woman 1 bike 24hrs.
That's where I come in, I have competed in the ironwoman class on 6 different occasions. We have planned out entire lives around this event at times because it has been that big of a part of our lives. We feel like the people at this race are our family and we have one core thing in common with them and that is by 10:00 Saturday morning you'll be loving life, sick to your stomach, excited and so ready to go then by 10:00 Sunday morning you'll be delirious wondering why you'd do something so ridiculous. Then in a few days or weeks you'll be talking about next year.
You can walk thru the pits and feel what everybody is feeling, you understand the suffering to some degree but you also know that you got to go back out and complete another lap.
The start of this race is unlike any other, pure adrenaline and fun because everyone knows you cant win it on the first lap and you've got a whole lotta racing to go so just get comfy!
From exhaustion, blisters, butt chaffing, delirium, cramps and many many emotions there are so many things you experience during this race and what makes it worse is you know what's coming. There's just something about it thought, something that brings you back for more.
In 2012 I was having my best race yet, it was 7:00 Sunday morning with 3hrs to go and I had broken my lap record and goal. Crusing down one of the back straightaways hitting a few littler kickers I heard a bike coming up behind me and the next thing I knew was hearing the sound of things cracking then black. I had no clue what happened and still things are fuzzy, partly because of the pain and from the sheer exhaustion of the race. Thank goodness we have something great at these races, that family I was talking about. I was quickly found and was helped to the edge of the course while the rider went to get help.
Trying to breath and asses the damage I realized my shoulder was dislocated, I reached for my camelbak lead and felt that my jesery was soaked and looking down I notied it was bright red where it once was white.... PANIC... thinking I was bleeding to death...
That was the delirium because I soon realized I had red Gatorade in my camelbak and it had busted during the wreck. Quickly I was found by some track workers to whom I can't thank enough for how kind they were and comforting. Everything is always worse when your tired and emotional but I had a few bumps, bruses and a shattered collar bone. I had sugery a few days later and have some pretty sweet hardware to show.
So that's it right, your done... Well not exactly. Don't you remember me saying there is just something about it that brings you back.
I competed the following year but it was tough, I just couldn't get the crash out of my head. I just couldn't enjoy the race like I wanted to and the fun had kind of faded.
In 2014 I was racing our regular series with no intention of competing in the 24hr again and I'm glad I wasn't because 5 races in I discovered my flu bug I thought I couldn't shake was a baby bug instead and in 2015 we brought home our beautiful Skye Ember.
I decided my body and my mind needed a break from racing so I took a little time off, Skye was a little over a year and I decided I wanted to give it another go. I raced a local race and on the last lap took a dive hurting the already bolted together collarbone.
That's it... I'm done..... but wait here we go again
3 years later and I'm getting ready to ride the 24hr Challenge for the 7th time, notice I said ride not race!
You can't hide from the things you are afraid of, If you can't conquer the fear then just do it afraid. I know most people won't understand why in the world I even consider riding again and may even criticize me for it and that's ok this is not your journey its mine to live out.
There is just something about this race, it's unlike any other. Riding with your buddies who you may never see on the course during a season race. Pushing yourself and seeing others push themselves to limits they can only imagine, truly seeing not only what your body can withstand but your mind as well. Being in the environment, encouraging others and having them encourage you as well.
Since racing I have had back surgery and a 5th knee surgery showing me that there are risks with everything you do in life and you can get hurt doing absolutely anything, even just walking down three steps or should I say missing the first step of the 3...
You can't wait on the perfect moment to do something, you can't wait to have it all together. Now, Now is the time to do the things that set your soul on fire. The things that excite you and make you love the life you've been blessed with.
Win or lose I will wake up tomorrow and try again for we do not know what each day holds and God may have us right where He desires for us to be. This year I will bring less skills to the plate but a better mindset and perspective. If my injuries have taught me anything it is that you should never wait and ready or not you must try no matter if its 1 lap or 100, at the end of the day you showed up.
There is just something about this race that keeps me coming back and we will see what 2019 holds.
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