Brazil – Positive Vibes

We are leaving for the Brasil Ride on Friday!! 6 in I’ve been trying NOT to think about it since I’ve been off the bike for nearly 2 weeks after smashing my head. I ended up having a minor concussion and my atlas/axis and C1-C2 are out of alignment messing up my balance, and I get really dizzy and light-headed when I ride. I’ve taken several days off and am currently getting a couple different types of therapy to try to get back to baseline. I’ll get back on the bike tomorrow, and I’m trying really hard to think positive. I just want to be able to ride like me again.

With that said, I realized we are leaving on Friday! The race starts Sunday with a short, 8 mile prologue followed by a 90 mile day. The travel plans are less than optimal – we will arrive in Salvador at 6 in the morning, hop on a bus at 7:30 and take an 8 hour bus ride to Mucuge. The race starts the next day.

With all the time off (If I’m back to normal), I’ll be expecting to start slow in the race and as the stages progress, so will the power in my legs. Before my crash, I was very happy with my fitness. I’m sure I lost a little bit, but with the season I’ve had, I am sure I will be fine.

I wanted to post a couple of my favorite photos from the race last year. Going back to the race right now feels very whimsical… like you had this really good dream and you are going back to it. I struggled and suffered at the 2010 Brasil Ride more than I have in any race, so it’s funny I still think of it as a “good” dream!! It was such an amazing experience and I’m honored to go back and give it my all! Jeff Kerkove will be my teammate again. I hope I don’t let him down with this stupid head/neck injury. The crash seems like a total nightmare. It could have been much worse, but I am still in shock and terribly disappointed.

There is only way to go. Forward.