Yoshitoshi's World

I am back! I’ve been gone consumed in corporate meetings… but they are done and was able to come back to the office this afternoon mostly to share my Swank adventure with y’all.

I can summarize my Swank 65 adventure in two words: tough and crazy.

Wow, it was really hard! I really underestimated the power of Pisgah and mtn biking it for 42 miles… well… sort of… I’ll explain in a bit…

To start with, I was late to the race… yup I’ve said it before, I was born with the “late genes” and no matter what I do I am usually late to everything. Well, the race was supposed to start at 10 am and I got there at 10:15 am… no time for much… grabbed my bike, backpack, number, had some quick instructions by the organizer, and go….

I was able to catch up with some of the racers at the first pit stop. This first section was not back at all… just some up hill and nice trail… but ahhhh that was just the beginning.

After that pit stop things started to get ugly… the trails got more difficult… and while I was crossing a stream I felt and hit my knee against a rock just on the “sweet” spot, after that I was not the same… my knee was super swollen in addition that I was wet and my feet started to freeze up… (see pic of the knee).

Then I got to Farlow Gap and this was THE worse part of the race in the riding aspect... I went downhill but there were so many rocks, huge ones! You pretty much end up carrying your bike... I thought about creating a new sport “hike your bike” and make some device like the one for the golf bags where you can carry your bike on your back LOL you get the idea!! Nevertheless, I manage to ride a little bit of it and then prazzzz I went over the handles and I think I had a little concussion… everything went black for a second…

Well, I kept on going… but after the concussion I was not the same… I managed my mind in to not giving up but by then my body gave up. I pushed it a little more but my knee couldn’t go any further… I was mostly falling all the time… I was dizzy… and well… I didn’t finish the race… I only did 32 miles…

Yeap 32 miles… long day! And only 6 miles left to finish the race… so close… so far…

Overall, I am proud of myself! And I know I’ll finish it next year!

I have my Swank 65 number right here in my office…. As a good reminder to never give up and to make my mind and body stronger!