Finding the Smile

I rode away from the house yesterday headed for Lookout Mountain (http://303cycling.com/Lookout-Mountain-Hill-Climb-Bike-Ride), a ride that has become one of my regular training rides over the years.  This ride includes a 5-mile segment that is often raced; Tom Danielson holds the current record at just over 16 minutes.  I was planning on riding that section to better my current best time of 30 minutes.

As I rode the trail towards Golden a young lady passed me going the other direction.  She was in full kit, for the non-bikers reading, that’s the uniform that a bike racer wears, and went past fast enough to create a Doppler effect.  Here was someone who at least rides enough to spend money on matching clothes to do it, or possibly belongs to a team.  But what really caught my attention as she rode by was the smile on her face.  She was clearly enjoying herself. 

 

After she rode past I realized that I was in ‘duty’ mode.  I have recently committed to race RAAM and have lately felt that my training has been lacking.  I rode away from the house today as if I was headed to work.  This young lady reminded me that I do this for fun! Catching the next rider on the road or recording a personal best isn't a matter of getting paid; it has nothing to do with my value as a rider.  It’s just a personal challenge, the inner conversation of, “do you have it today?” 

As I rounded the next corner I also began to smile. 

I didn't set a personal best from pillar-to-post yesterday… but I had a great time doing it!

Wil.

Somebody Hold My Beer

Our journey began with a statement - "We should do the Race Across America." "I'm in," came an immediate reply. It wasn't really any more complicated than that.

We are Team Thin Blue Line - three police officers who have accepted the goal of completing RAAM in 2016. Eventually (when we find another poor soul) we'll compete as a four person race team, with a number of support staff helping to make this possible. Over the next three years we'll use this blog to update friends, family and our readers with team information, racer status and discuss the degree to which we've driven each other crazy long before arriving at the start line. We'll also shamelessly solicit sponsors, seek donations for our charity (TBD) and beg you to cheer us on.

Introducing Team Thin Blue Line:

Wil Cochenour - founding member. Bike patrol officer, lead bike patrol instructor. Road cyclist who has completed the Triple Bypass and Denver to Aspen rides.

Alicia Harris - founding member. Bike patrol officer and instructor. Triathlete, ultra-distance runner, road cyclist. Completed Triple Bypass in 2013.

Jim Greer - founding member. Bike patrol program coordinator, road cyclist. Transamerica 1976.

Each of us will do a more thorough bio when our writing turn arrives. We understand the challenge we've accepted.

Maybe?