Earlier in the week I took my CX bike to Batsto to ride the trails. My mountain bike has been sitting in the basement collecting dust. I purchased it over a year ago and have only been on it a handful of times because the local parks are too challenging for me. I am afraid of getting hurt or falling off the side of a cliff. Batsto is flat. The trail twists and turns in certain sections, but it's not overly technical. If I could ride it on my CX bike then I will be fine on a mountain bike.
I had no idea what to expect while riding the 18 mile trail. When I first started pedaling, I was a bit tentative, accelerating and braking inconsistently, but then I found more of a flow...until I body checked a small tree...caught a root with my back tire...missed another tree head on...went off the trail and into the brush...caught my hamstring on the down tube when slamming on the brakes to avoid flipping over a huge log that came out of nowhere. This went on for nearly two hours. What I finally realized was that I needed to look ahead of me...look ahead to where I want to go...it made the most sense, after all, in every race I won this season, not once did I look over my shoulder.
The lesson that I learned that day is so valuable because of the way it transfers into every day life. The past is behind me and I have no intentions on going back there...stay focused on where I want to go and I will stay on track.
