I understand her apprehension

Jill posted an excellent blog post about her apprehension of an upcoming epic adventure in Alaska. While I have never done anything near as adventurous as her, I could relate to what she felt before the start of a race. These feelings of dread and fear are one of the things that made me quit doing endurance races. I just felt like if I wasn't going to enjoy it then why bother. She didn't talk about why she races in spite of the fear before the race. I can only guess she either enjoys herself during the race or maybe even after the race. I definitely got something out of it, but I can't put it in words.

On a completely unrelated note here is a commuter tip. When it is really freaking cold and you are scared to open your garage door and head out, put on all your cold weather clothes then inflate your bicycle tires. The more days you wait between re-inflating your tires the better this technique works. It had been weeks since my last inflation, and I was toasty as I headed out on my ride this morning. As a bonus, I felt like a speed racer with an extra 50 psi in my tires. It is amazing how much better your tires roll when they are inflated.