tcr 6 – oh dear, I’m in!

Oh bugger.…. I’m in.

Here we go again…….

I put a bit of a speculative application in – it would be rude not to apply after all…..
I have already got a place in the TransAtlantic Way jaunt, but that has already been deferred to 2019, as I am off kayaking in the alps for a week, (a nice clash of dates).

The tcr has been massively oversubscribed in 2016 and 2017, (and I failed to get in in 2017, thank goodness).  So I assumed that would also be the case in 2018, so the ‘your in’ email came as a bit of a shock.

First Thoughts

Oh fuck!

Can I actually do this from where I am now?  Confidence is not high……  I had thoughts of failure.  But I can’t pull out having just got a place – someone else will already have lost out.

I’m no where near where I was in terms of fitness.  2 years of on/off bike commuting mean I have some bike fitness, but I’ve not done any /many long rides for 6 months.

I’m enthused, but I have a lot of work to do.  I need something to throw myself at so here goes.

Alpine climbs are scaring the crap out of me

How / Why did I get in?

I believe applications this year were significantly down on 2017.  I think the reasons are pretty obvious:-

• Indian Pacific Rim Wheel Race 2017 – rider death, (Mike Hall)
• Trans am 2017 – rider death
• Tcr 2017 – rider death, (Frank Simmons)

After just a few minor incidents in bikepacking races over the last 5 years, the implications / risks of riding are now obvious.  

Why am I (still) riding?

#BeMoreMike

The risks were/are always there – every time we get on a bike, we are at the mercy of car drivers, and every time I ride I can be killed.  I ride a lot, have well developed ‘spiderman’ senses from commuting in London.  However nothing will help if someone hits me from behind, or pulls out on me on a roundabout.  

If I am not racing the tcr as its too dangerous, I have to stop bike commuting / riding at all.  I am not prepared to do that.