The 'Blue Train' Rolls through the Pyrenees

Sunday, we were proud to be representing Modry Evergreen Racing.   Racing in France is like playing baseball in the major leagues here in the USA.  Cycling is the second largest sport in the country and these guys take it very seriously.

Christina and I teamed with our good friends, Chris and Helen Balfour of Pyractif, for the Barrouse Bales in French Pyrenees.   This is a 74 mile race with 8100 feet of climbing and 2 major mountain climbs.   It encompasses the Peyersourde(Cat 1 - the hardest rating for a climb) and the Port de Bales(HC - so hard it is beyond rating).  The race drew 419 finishers(a record).  The weather was super.

Our goal was clear:   1st and 2nd Overall Women's

We met the goal!  Of course, this meant that we were 1st in Women's 20-39(Helen) and 1st in Women's 50+(Christina)!

Almost better than the podium results were the times:

Helen - 4:33 and change (last year's time was 4:56)
Christina - 4:37 and change (last year's time was 4:56)

Unbelievable.   These were the two fastest women in southern France today!

Christina and I were both thrilled with her race.   She used every tool in her bag.  The 33 miles out to the first climb were hard and darn hilly and we maintained 32.4km/hour……..then she PR'd on the Peyresourde and was 1 minute off her PR on the Port de B.   Helen is the very best female climber

in MY world and also raced a 'complete' race.  I was very proud of C's finish, only 4 minutes behind her.

As for me, I did everything I could, for those 33 miles, to get my team out to the climb as fast and fresh as possible.   We took 12 minutes out of last years effort.  It was not without it's pain for me.   I did a respectable climb up the Peyersourde as my team rode away from me(as planned…it was Chris who would marshall from there, and he did).  Ever optimistic, that I could catch them, I was going 65km/hour on the descent when my back tire blew out.  I rode to a stop in 300-400m in the weeds.   I climbed off shaking.   Two flat repairs later, a begged for tube(hard to beg when don't speak the language), a 2km walk uphill and a 45km ride on a tire with 40 psi in it, I limped in.   My first question was, "Did I make the time cut?"

All in a day of racing.

You know me.  I always look for the lessons learned or relearned, that I can apply to my life in general:

Dream Big - We set very clear bold goals……..goals that seemed almost unattainable!

Prepare - We did 4 weeks of heavy prep and C came into this in 'all time' peak fitness and peak form.  There is no substitute for being prepared no matter what your challenge.

Trust - Trust that people around you can sometimes see more in you than you can see in yourself.  Trust your preparation.   Trust your team mates.   Trust your coaches.   Trust yourself.

We are gonna kick back and do some cruisin' now………we earned it!  Well, we might do the Superbagneres Race (19km straight up a big mountain) next Saturday…….a birthday challenge for me(a real mountain climber…ha ha!).  Stay tuned.

See ya out there.