Wangbang San Mountain Bike Race

Last Sunday Joe and I participated in the 6th Annual Wangbang San International Mountain Bike Race. Joe got a team together with other Soldiers from 4-7 CAV and I came along on my very nice new mountain bike that Joe gave me as a wedding present (he's the best husband ever!). Neither Joe nor I trained for the race since he was out at Gunnery for 2 months and my bike didn't arrive until 2 weeks before the race. We knew we wouldn't win any prizes, but our goal was to go out, have fun, and finish the 34.7 km course.

The course was not technically challenging, but was extremely physically challenging. Both Joe and I walked a ton as we climbed the mountains on the course.  Both of us experienced our quadriceps cramping up during the race. I had never experienced quad cramps so intense, but knew that I did not want to be the one who gave up and called it quits. Towards the end of the race there was a Korean man who passed me and laughed a little as I was walking up yet another hill and suffering from bad quad cramps. Shortly thereafter he got off  his bike to walk and the cramps hit him. For him it was so bad that he sat down and I believe called it quits.

For both Joe and I the race was a test of mental and physical endurance. Both of us hope to train for the next race and I hope to beat my 3:13 hour time.