Jenny Jenny the SH and Jimmy and I first got to know each other on the Highland
got to know each other on the Highland
got to know each other on the Highland Trail 550 last year as a 550 mile
Trail 550 last year as a 550 mile
Trail 550 last year as a 550 mile mountain by trace around the Highlands
mountain by trace around the Highlands
mountain by trace around the Highlands of Scotland the rules are simple you can
of Scotland the rules are simple you can
of Scotland the rules are simple you can eat and sleep when you like but the
eat and sleep when you like but the
eat and sleep when you like but the clock never stops you have to follow
clock never stops you have to follow
clock never stops you have to follow this set route and you have to remain
this set route and you have to remain
this set route and you have to remain completely self-sufficient which for me
completely self-sufficient which for me
completely self-sufficient which for me means carrying everything I need to eat
means carrying everything I need to eat
means carrying everything I need to eat and sleep along the way but the story I
and sleep along the way but the story I
and sleep along the way but the story I want to share with you today is a story
want to share with you today is a story
want to share with you today is a story of how I race this race it’s the day
of how I race this race it’s the day
of how I race this race it’s the day after the Highland trail 550 and feel
after the Highland trail 550 and feel
after the Highland trail 550 and feel like of just walking from a dream a 4d
like of just walking from a dream a 4d
like of just walking from a dream a 4d adventure of moving through the most
adventure of moving through the most
adventure of moving through the most magical of dream worlds I’ve been
magical of dream worlds I’ve been
magical of dream worlds I’ve been changed by this unquestionably changed
changed by this unquestionably changed
changed by this unquestionably changed to move like this to manage myself like
to move like this to manage myself like
to move like this to manage myself like this has taught me more about myself in
this has taught me more about myself in
this has taught me more about myself in four days than an entire career of elite
four days than an entire career of elite
four days than an entire career of elite level racing ever dead and the thing is
level racing ever dead and the thing is
level racing ever dead and the thing is it was easy
it was easy
it was easy not the pushing of the pedals or the
not the pushing of the pedals or the
not the pushing of the pedals or the carrying of my fully loaded bike over
carrying of my fully loaded bike over
carrying of my fully loaded bike over call after call of course that was hard
call after call of course that was hard
call after call of course that was hard what was easy was the simplicity of the
what was easy was the simplicity of the
what was easy was the simplicity of the doing and being because when the Ray
doing and being because when the Ray
doing and being because when the Ray just becomes life and your only
just becomes life and your only
just becomes life and your only objective is to keep moving forwards
objective is to keep moving forwards
objective is to keep moving forwards through it and things become very simple
through it and things become very simple
through it and things become very simple and peaceful nothing hurts not really
and peaceful nothing hurts not really
and peaceful nothing hurts not really the painful points they come and go like
the painful points they come and go like
the painful points they come and go like the weather in the end like the weather
the weather in the end like the weather
the weather in the end like the weather are neither good or bad this was just a
are neither good or bad this was just a
are neither good or bad this was just a big bike ride I find as a result of
big bike ride I find as a result of
big bike ride I find as a result of writing 550 miles in 4 days 5 hours and
writing 550 miles in 4 days 5 hours and
writing 550 miles in 4 days 5 hours and 50 minutes I’m quite changed the 160
50 minutes I’m quite changed the 160
50 minutes I’m quite changed the 160 over sembilan syndrome on that on the 26
over sembilan syndrome on that on the 26
over sembilan syndrome on that on the 26 of me for a 9:00 a.m. start there’s no
of me for a 9:00 a.m. start there’s no
of me for a 9:00 a.m. start there’s no fanfare there’s no start then somebody
fanfare there’s no start then somebody
fanfare there’s no start then somebody just says go and we are off battling up
just says go and we are off battling up
just says go and we are off battling up the west island we 59 bearded blokes and
the west island we 59 bearded blokes and
the west island we 59 bearded blokes and me
me
me I raid for a hundred and thirty miles
I raid for a hundred and thirty miles
I raid for a hundred and thirty miles that first II until at one point in the
that first II until at one point in the
that first II until at one point in the late afternoon a look around and vaguely
late afternoon a look around and vaguely
late afternoon a look around and vaguely register that in a small group of guys
register that in a small group of guys
register that in a small group of guys I’m leading this wreath at 1:00 a.m. I
I’m leading this wreath at 1:00 a.m. I
I’m leading this wreath at 1:00 a.m. I bed down in a MIDI ditch and catch three
bed down in a MIDI ditch and catch three
bed down in a MIDI ditch and catch three hours of blissful cd2 is a blur
hours of blissful cd2 is a blur
hours of blissful cd2 is a blur a fast Landrover track and darkening
a fast Landrover track and darkening
a fast Landrover track and darkening skies until I reach the most northerly
skies until I reach the most northerly
skies until I reach the most northerly point in the route glengoolie I look up
point in the route glengoolie I look up
point in the route glengoolie I look up over infamous viola in a bar and I think
over infamous viola in a bar and I think
over infamous viola in a bar and I think I’ve got to carry my bike up but I just
I’ve got to carry my bike up but I just
I’ve got to carry my bike up but I just don’t know if I can I’m tired and cold
don’t know if I can I’m tired and cold
don’t know if I can I’m tired and cold and wet and scared I think back to the
and wet and scared I think back to the
and wet and scared I think back to the advice those mountain bike coaches in my
advice those mountain bike coaches in my
advice those mountain bike coaches in my professional racing days would have
professional racing days would have
professional racing days would have given me they would have said leave
given me they would have said leave
given me they would have said leave something scares you you attack it claim
something scares you you attack it claim
something scares you you attack it claim it conquer it I don’t want to I just
it conquer it I don’t want to I just
it conquer it I don’t want to I just want a cuddle from my mum and so instead
want a cuddle from my mum and so instead
want a cuddle from my mum and so instead I conjure her up in my mind’s eye and
I conjure her up in my mind’s eye and
I conjure her up in my mind’s eye and all the other amazing people I’ve got in
all the other amazing people I’ve got in
all the other amazing people I’ve got in my life that would care for me and
my life that would care for me and
my life that would care for me and encouraged me to the top of the Bialik
encouraged me to the top of the Bialik
encouraged me to the top of the Bialik and together we ensure way up that claim
and together we ensure way up that claim
and together we ensure way up that claim when I get to the top I’m rewarded just
when I get to the top I’m rewarded just
when I get to the top I’m rewarded just a few metres away for a young deer they
a few metres away for a young deer they
a few metres away for a young deer they sniff the air and they whack all their
sniff the air and they whack all their
sniff the air and they whack all their ears and then they actually walk towards
ears and then they actually walk towards
ears and then they actually walk towards me now I don’t know about you but that
me now I don’t know about you but that
me now I don’t know about you but that has never happened to me before
d3
d3 it’s 9:00 a.m. and I’ve already been
it’s 9:00 a.m. and I’ve already been
it’s 9:00 a.m. and I’ve already been writing for five hours my senses are so
writing for five hours my senses are so
writing for five hours my senses are so sharpened by isolation that the birds
sharpened by isolation that the birds
sharpened by isolation that the birds are deaf like the gore smells
are deaf like the gore smells
are deaf like the gore smells overwhelming I have to resupply with
overwhelming I have to resupply with
overwhelming I have to resupply with food so I dropped down into ullapool and
food so I dropped down into ullapool and
food so I dropped down into ullapool and visit tacticals
visit tacticals
visit tacticals if your senses are already heightened do
if your senses are already heightened do
if your senses are already heightened do not go to testicles I grab whatever I
not go to testicles I grab whatever I
not go to testicles I grab whatever I need to survive on the bike and leave
need to survive on the bike and leave
need to survive on the bike and leave with pockets full of custard and
with pockets full of custard and
with pockets full of custard and sardines and I am back into the
sardines and I am back into the
sardines and I am back into the mountains back into my safe place I ride
mountains back into my safe place I ride
mountains back into my safe place I ride for another ten hours that day until
for another ten hours that day until
for another ten hours that day until fatigue overwhelms me I fall asleep on
fatigue overwhelms me I fall asleep on
fatigue overwhelms me I fall asleep on the bike and it end up in the Heather
the bike and it end up in the Heather
the bike and it end up in the Heather now I know what you’re thinking you’re
now I know what you’re thinking you’re
now I know what you’re thinking you’re thinking why did she not just go home
thinking why did she not just go home
thinking why did she not just go home and make herself a nice cup of tea but
and make herself a nice cup of tea but
and make herself a nice cup of tea but the thing is if I did that that cup of
the thing is if I did that that cup of
the thing is if I did that that cup of tea would only be a nice cup of tea and
tea would only be a nice cup of tea and
tea would only be a nice cup of tea and I know if I can get to the end of this
I know if I can get to the end of this
I know if I can get to the end of this shade that cup of tea will taste sublime
shade that cup of tea will taste sublime
shade that cup of tea will taste sublime the next day I literally bump into the
the next day I literally bump into the
the next day I literally bump into the two race leader’s I turn a corner in the
two race leader’s I turn a corner in the
two race leader’s I turn a corner in the trail and there they are they are
trail and there they are they are
trail and there they are they are swearing and cursing and muscling their
swearing and cursing and muscling their
swearing and cursing and muscling their bikes over tussocky grass now I am
bikes over tussocky grass now I am
bikes over tussocky grass now I am honored to be up there in the mix with
honored to be up there in the mix with
honored to be up there in the mix with these guys they’re a bit confused that
these guys they’re a bit confused that
these guys they’re a bit confused that women is there to matching their peace
women is there to matching their peace
women is there to matching their peace but I deserve to be there covering the
but I deserve to be there covering the
but I deserve to be there covering the ground faster than I am but my stops are
ground faster than I am but my stops are
ground faster than I am but my stops are more efficient they are running the
more efficient they are running the
more efficient they are running the gauntlet between food outlets
gauntlet between food outlets
gauntlet between food outlets whereas with my high percentage body fat
whereas with my high percentage body fat
whereas with my high percentage body fat and female metabolism I can afford to
and female metabolism I can afford to
and female metabolism I can afford to cruise a bit more steadily we’re all
cruise a bit more steadily we’re all
cruise a bit more steadily we’re all stressed out here but we’re handling
stressed out here but we’re handling
stressed out here but we’re handling that stress differently it looks very
that stress differently it looks very
that stress differently it looks very much to me as though the boys are
much to me as though the boys are
much to me as though the boys are battling conquering striving to get
battling conquering striving to get
battling conquering striving to get through this terrain whereas I’m
through this terrain whereas I’m
through this terrain whereas I’m actually drawing strength from the
actually drawing strength from the
actually drawing strength from the environment that I’m moving through and
environment that I’m moving through and
environment that I’m moving through and from the people I’m gathering around me
from the people I’m gathering around me
from the people I’m gathering around me in my head you could see I’m racing this
in my head you could see I’m racing this
in my head you could see I’m racing this in a female way but that’s maybe not
in a female way but that’s maybe not
in a female way but that’s maybe not quite accurate because what happens next
quite accurate because what happens next
quite accurate because what happens next prizes us all with to lead riders we up
prizes us all with to lead riders we up
prizes us all with to lead riders we up ahead knock and lumps out of each other
ahead knock and lumps out of each other
ahead knock and lumps out of each other to get to the finish line first I am
to get to the finish line first I am
to get to the finish line first I am joined ten miles from the end by two
joined ten miles from the end by two
joined ten miles from the end by two other guys and wordlessly we agree we’re
other guys and wordlessly we agree we’re
other guys and wordlessly we agree we’re going to write this reason together
going to write this reason together
going to write this reason together and that’s how it ends the three of us
and that’s how it ends the three of us
and that’s how it ends the three of us discussing politics religion the arts
discussing politics religion the arts
discussing politics religion the arts feminism holding gates open for each
feminism holding gates open for each
feminism holding gates open for each other and they’re lining up through your
other and they’re lining up through your
other and they’re lining up through your breasts to roll over that finish line
breasts to roll over that finish line
breasts to roll over that finish line together after four days five hours and
together after four days five hours and
together after four days five hours and 50 minutes and joint third place just a
50 minutes and joint third place just a
50 minutes and joint third place just a few hours two hours in fact behind lead
few hours two hours in fact behind lead
few hours two hours in fact behind lead writers who incidentally are in a
writers who incidentally are in a
writers who incidentally are in a crumpled heap in the carpark and it
crumpled heap in the carpark and it
crumpled heap in the carpark and it occurs to me that so often we allow
occurs to me that so often we allow
occurs to me that so often we allow these characteristics to overshadow to
these characteristics to overshadow to
these characteristics to overshadow to be overshadowed by strength and
be overshadowed by strength and
be overshadowed by strength and aggression cooperation collaboration
aggression cooperation collaboration
aggression cooperation collaboration mutual care remaining connected to each
mutual care remaining connected to each
mutual care remaining connected to each other in the environment we’re teaching
other in the environment we’re teaching
other in the environment we’re teaching our children that in order to succeed
our children that in order to succeed
our children that in order to succeed they have to be infallible and show
they have to be infallible and show
they have to be infallible and show unyielding strength and yet maybe
unyielding strength and yet maybe
unyielding strength and yet maybe there’s a different way to win the race
there’s a different way to win the race
there’s a different way to win the race you’ll need to excuse Julie and I know
you’ll need to excuse Julie and I know
you’ll need to excuse Julie and I know we have to get on a flight to Canada
we have to get on a flight to Canada
we have to get on a flight to Canada this weekend where we are racing 3,000
this weekend where we are racing 3,000
this weekend where we are racing 3,000 miles to the Mexican border wish us luck
”
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