Sometimes we know we are touching and changing lives and sometimes we just hope we are….but seldom are we told thank you, you changed my life. Today I’m telling you cycling has that impact
A year ago I went to the Crusher race with the Dan and Brett. Sooo much has changed during the last year but the thing that remained the same for me was this was my last of two #unfinishedbusiness2018 races. I’ve had a photo of the boys and Nick with #unfinishedbusiness on my top tube all year. Every time I look down I think about the Dirty Kanza and Hamr (name the Crusher formally was called). It’s been hanging in front of me like a carrot for months now.
That thought process carried me through right up until Nick said he wanted to race the 30 mile with me and the boys could not make it due to schedules. Oh boy, that means that we are doing things completely differently. I had been home for five days in June and knew that the meaning of this event had just changed for me. I could no longer go into this thinking solely about finishing what I had started a year ago.
There are occasions when you are married that mean you do things for others. Take DK for example, that race was about me. This one was different, it was about watching Nick find new limits and crush them. I knew going into it that it would not be easy for the following reasons:
1)I mean Todd is in charge, and he’s known for making things challenging no matter what! They can get from point A to point B on a gravel road or through a swamp but wait….yep through the briars and rocks we went!
2) I knew that wearing the Salsa jersey and being in the “back of the pack” meant that I was going to see my challenge through and help everyone around me finish!
3)There was single track and Nick HATES single track! Turns out that was the easiest part of the whole event. 🙂
Oh and in the UP when they remove a railroad track from use….they leave the spikes and all because if you look at #2 above it fits perfectly in that description!
Saturday was rewarding in ways I can not put into words. I watched my husband enter his dark place, take a long look around in there (mostly while saying f’you Todd) and come out with the biggest smile ever (and maybe a tear). I also watched a 13 year old boy go from tired to seeing blood on his leg and knowing he had gained maturity on some level from it.
We started the experience on social media prior to the event with requests to “help me finish”. They were all met by me with “ride close enough to our group and we will finish this thing.” Seven of us were in the “group” and seven of us finished! YEA!!!!
To those at Salsa, you believed in the brand and myself and for that I am so thankful and grateful. I heard more than once “You are the Salsa lady, tell me your story because we loved reading about it online!”. Todd, you helped my retired marine husband find new limits and explore parts of him that he had not explored in a long time.
It is more than a race….you are right. The cycling culture is just that and I am so proud to be part of it! Keep doing what you are doing and thank you once again for changing lives! Your impact is far beyond what you know.
Crush or be crushed……We crushed and came out the other side smiling. Next year is the 100!
Crystal Kovacs 