Eight 10s of what I'm not...and that's ok.

Spring has sprung. The pollen count is in the zillions blanketing the world with a neon yellow haze. To celebrate, I pulled out the mountain bike, dusted it off and headed out for my first trail ride since...uh...

thinking...


still thinking...


ummm.....


oh, August. (wow. that's appalling.)

As I rode I realized that I have been mountain biking for 16 years....longer than the kid I kept leap frogging on the trail yesterday has probably been alive.

I contemplated those 16 years as I struggled to regain my balance and flow over the uneven terrain, and realized that I ride the way I do because there are a lot of things that I am not...

yup, not 

1. 10 years younger

2. 10 lbs lighter
3. 10.2% body fat
4. ranked in the top 10 amature female mountain bikers by NORBA
 (or whatever body is currently overseeing such things)

5. unencumbered by 10,000 other important responsibilities

6. able to do the 10 mile climb up a gravel mountain access road in under 58 minues
7. able to finish a century road ride with 10k ft climbing in under 6.5 hrs
8. interested in training 10+ hrs/wk so that any of the previous 7 points could be possible

And really, when all is said and done, I'm ok with it.