Well that was refreshing! Not in like a clean sort of way, more so as a reminder that bike racing is a fun thing...sort of way. Letting go of expectations is an impossible challenge in some settings, but for me at @cheqmtb this weekend I was able to release my mental grip I’ve had this whole season and truly enjoy myself! The pressure is still there, it’s always there, but I was able to hide it away for a minute to slip around in the mud with some of the best! The race itself went from straightforward to epic with a quick blast of rain right before our start. Actually right when @ellen.m.campbell and I were riding to the start. Everyone battled poor tire choices out there for the most part, as the conditions did a 360 with no time to swap. And that kept it interesting for sure with crashes all over the place. I was really excited to have some cyclocross feelings out there but certainly didn’t know just how much of that we would get. The pace was hard but not too fast until the first muddy descent where it broke up a bit and it was game on from there. I mostly rode with @haleyhuntersmith again which is always a pleasure, we kept our pace high but also kept laughing as one of us would slip on something randomly and let out a weird little yell. I’m a little bummed to be right off the podium (again) but that’s how this cookie of a season has been crumbling. However, it was a nice little surprise to see that I’ve moved into 2nd overall in the @lifetimegrandprix, so I can’t be too bummed! Photos: @adamkoble 🤩