Opportunity cost. I hated economics in college, but this idea was something that stuck. The wonderful and sometimes frustrating thing about life (at least in our culture) is that we often have a choice.
If you’ve read any of my writing, it wouldn’t be hard to guess that I’m a lover of singletrack. I feel most alive when I set tire to trail. Everything else swirling around in my head settles and I am fully focused on the moment. That’s one of the many reasons I prefer mountain biking to road biking. Riding a trail requires concentration and it’s harder to be distracted by thoughts. It also doesn’t feel like as much work for some reason. My true love is high alpine singletrack. I feel it deep in my soul when I’m riding it, like it’s an extended part of me. You can get places that aren’t easily accessible, and can cover a great amount of distance. You can be “out there.”
That said, I’ve had to make some trade-offs this year. I’ve raced a bunch of 100 mile mountain bike races around the country (and want to add a lot more). I seek out events that are mostly singletrack. This year, I got into the Leadville 100. It’s a bucket list event. For some, it’s a matter of whether they can finish. For me, it’s a matter of how fast I can do it. Can I go sub 8 hours? Here’s hoping. I love altitude and I’ll love the views, but the preparation is different. Leadville 100 does not have singletrack. It’s all dirt road. Some sections of the dirt road are downright heinous, but it’s different. I told myself if I’m going to race Leadville, I’m going to really focus on it because I’ll probably do it just once. That also means riding less singletrack, abusing my true love.
What does that mean? Trade-offs. Spending time training on dirt and pavement roads and chasing power numbers on my Cycleops Mountain Bike PowerTap. My big fat 2.4s will be traded for faster rolling 2.2s. Last year, my season was focused around preparing for the Colorado Trail Race and it’s the most fun I’ve had training in my life! Bikepacking on the Colorado Trail! I have to do it again next year, but for now, I must focus on the road. It’s a huge contrast, and I feel a big hole where CTR training should be this summer. In some ways, I feel like I’ve sold my soul.
There will be plenty of time this summer to ride alpine singletrack and even throw in a short bikepacking trip or two. However, in years past, dirt road sections of races would be my demise. Mentally, I would not want to push as hard on the road as I would on the trail. I’d lose time. I was slow on the road. The good news? For a couple months, I’m training my weakness. I’ll be stronger overall, and maybe I can do some damage at Leadville. I’ll come out a better rider in the end with an even greater appreciation for my trail love.
The good news is that we have great dirt road riding around Boulder with steep dirt roads that are my saving grace. I only have to obsess with road training and power numbers for a little longer. BC Bike Race the first week of July will be a treat. Road riding in that stage race is sparse. BC singletrack? Yes, I’ll take a full serving and overstuff myself if possible!
