2016 in Review: 1st Year in the Big Leagues

Almost three years ago today, I sat down in a stale, fluorescently-lit classroom to take my nursing board exams- I passed. Earlier that spring, my mom had given me an incredible gift to help me cope with the stresses of school, life and the realities that come with becoming a healthcare professional- she gave me a beautiful, used hard-tail mountain bike (Whose model name was "Fate.")

I signed up for a local race, then another, and another after that. The fourth of these races happened to be the Marathon MTB National Championships, which were being hosted in Sun Valley that year. I took 3rd in my age group with pretty much zero training and no idea what the heck I was doing, qualifying for a “Pro Upgrade.” I remember laughing out loud, and telling my now-husband, "Sure, what the heck?!" as I submitted the upgrade request to USA Cycling.

Fast forward to 2016, and I am still baffled by the ways that little bike has impacted my life. This year I had the opportunity to participate in nearly all of the Ridebiker Alliance US Cup Pro Tour, finishing 26th overall, out of 93 pro riders. I also managed to pull off my first UCI top 10 finish (in short track, which I'd never tried before this year). Despite missing nearly half of the ranking events, I was able to finish with Overall National Rankings of 32nd and 26th, in Cross Country and Short Track Cross Country, respectively. Even more incredible, I was only three UCI points shy of qualifying to race World Cup Events- truth be told, my fingers get a little shaky even typing that. Not long ago, I went back through some of my old training journals. One section of the journal asked athletes to "Go crazy and write down the most unbelievable thing you think you could ever accomplish." Two years ago, that was to qualify for a World Cup event- with a big, fat "MAYBE??" written under it. Considering how this year went, I think its probably time to rethink my long-term goals.

The year was also full of many challenges: bouncing back from several months of drug-resistant pneumonia, racing after crashing badly or flatting the day before, overcoming airline disasters, illness, fatigue and frustrations. I've begun to understand that these are unavoidable and far beyond my control. And I have to tell you; those challenges made the season more valuable and meaningful in the end because they presented unique situations that had to be overcome in order to maintain course. Developing the tools to successfully conquer difficult situations is essentially one of the best things racing can teach you.

Bike racing is something that can really cut to the core of a person. It doesn't pull punches or tolerate facades; it is brutally honest and real.
The fast-paced travel, incredible people who surround you along the way (family, friends, other racers, sponsors and the community at large), absolute reckless abandon with which you must pursue a race, depth of mental and physical fatigue, constant test of your ability to stay balanced, and the highs of achieving something you have been working towards for months (or longer) generate a powerful momentum in your life. Each aspect pulls and pushes you towards some invisible center of gravity, forcing you to grow and adapt as you get closer to your dreams and goals.

If I have one piece of advice to give after this year, it would be to tell you all to take no prisoners when it comes to setting goals. Goals are always closer than you think, and letting other people dictate what is or is not achievable will only rob you of a journey that will help you become the person you want to be. As a wise sport psychologist once told me: "This is all a process. The sooner you can embrace what that means, the more you will get out of it." I am so incredibly grateful to be on this journey and look forward to continuing to share my travels with you.

Thank you all for your support this season! It has been a really wild ride and I CANNOT WAIT for Spring 2017.

Much Love
-Fairlee