Ride Till You're Bucked, or Don't Ride at All

As I was growing up, I heard my dad and my grandfather say some things that I never thought I'd understand.

"Greatness courts failure."

"Can't never did nuthin"

"Wish in one hand and shit in the other.  See which fills up first."

Those all made sense once I had heard them often enough.  The one I could never get a grip on until about high school was:

"Ride 'er till she bucks ya, or don't ride at all."

That one hit me hard today.  I rode in only the second mountain bike race of my life...my second in three weeks as it happens.  My training and preparation were right where they needed to be for this event.  My bike was well maintained.  I was ready to ride hard and finish 10.5 miles strong.

I got out of the starting gate in great shape, riding in the top 15 through the first half lap...and my bike failed.  The rear derailleur (shifter) jammed.  I had one gear.  Luckily, it was a climbing gear and I was able to spin my way to the start/finish line.  I finished ONE LAP out of three.  I was (am) disappointed.  I felt like I gave up.  I HATE not finishing...EVER.  However, my equipment had other ideas. 

My always positive wife reminded me that I gave it everything I had.  There was rain...no, there was a torrential downpour twenty minutes before the race started.  The course was already soft.  It was quite literally like a muddy "Slip-n'-Slide" for 3.5 miles.  She was right (of course). 

I've gotten this far not by worrying about the trail, or the weather, or getting hurt, or questioning my bike's maintenance.  I'm here because I'm pursuing an activity that I love and that I get satisfaction from.

If I had worried about any of those things, I never would have tried.