Wherein I Compare Driving Long Distances and Endurance Racing

On Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., it struck me that I hadn't gone on a nice drive in quite some time. I do most of my driving around town and into Northern Virginia, so it is rare that I can get out on some open roads and really enjoy myself. I am very fortunate that I really like the car I own. I have yet to come up with some clever nickname for it, so for now we'll just call it what it is, a Subaru Outback 2.5 XT. The Subie was neglected throughout tax season, so I felt it necessary to really use all of it's abilities on a drive. First, I loaded it down with bikes, a cargo box and sundry other personal items:

(The Subie in "Road Warrior Mode")

Having felt that I was sufficiently fulfilling the ruggedness quota of my car (It is, after all, an SUW, and yes, I am a hapless victim of marketing lingo), I decided to take a trip west on 66, away from all the hustle and bustle of the DC area. After about 50 miles, 66 hit 81 south, and I thought, "What the heck, the buru needs a little more attention, I'll take her a little further." But the buru got greedy and took advantage. I swear, you give her a mile, she takes 1,651. 81 led to 64, 64 led to 70, 70 led to 24, and after nearly 26 hours of driving, I was in beautiful Colorado Springs, at the base of the breathtaking Pike's Peak.

(In Colorado Springs, the Buru feels at home, as there is mountainous terrain and many other of it's kind.)

That's right, I left Warrenton, Va at approximately 9 p.m on a Thursday night and arrived in Colorado Springs, CO at 9 p.m. Friday, having only taken brief breaks for gas, caffeine, food and stretching sessions. I would like to point out that at no time did I feel overly drowsy or incapable of continuing with my drive. Had that happened, I would have pulled over and slept. My goal was to get to the Springs as quickly as possible but not at the risk of my safety or anyone else's.

As I have mentioned before, I have some experience with endurance mountain bike racing. I have raced both on teams and individually in 18 and 24 hour races. These races generally consist of riding in a 7-15 mile loop as many times as you can in the given time frame. In these races, I have ridden my bike as long as 15 hours continuously. Throughout my drive across half of the country, I was struck by the similiraties and differences between driving a long, long, long, long time and endurance racing. They are many and some are enumerated below.

1. You will be uncomfortable.

(My mountain bike saddle)

(My driver and passenger seat after filling my car with approximately half of everything I own)

If you take a good look at either of these seating positions, you would probably observe that neither would likely be a comfortable place to be for an extended period of time. Your observation would be spot on. Although I love my car, one fact that became "painfully" apparent during my drive is that it was designed in Japan for people that are slightly smaller than me. This caused many aches and pains as my journey went on.

2. You have to shut out discomfort.

I am no doctor, but I have learned there are different parts of the brain that govern your ability to process information and respond to it. When driving or riding a long distance, you have to learn to use and listen to parts of your brain that are critical to your task, but ignore the parts of your brain that make the task more difficult. Example: When your brain tells you there is another car near by or a turn you need to take soon, you respond by saying, "Hey, thanks brain I will take that information and use it accordingly." When your brain is telling you you are in pain and still have 18 hours to go, you respond with, "Shut up and come back when you have something useful to say."

3. You will eat ridiculous, unhealthy things

McDonald's, corn dogs, energy drinks, trail mix, soda, fried foods, beef jerky, donuts, candy and pretty much everything else that is banned from The Biggest Loser house is what you will eat when driving a long time or endurance racing. The reason you eat this way when racing is because these foods are easy to handle, and although generally bad for you, are often processed into useable energy very quickly. The nice thing about eating like this while racing is you burn the calories very quickly. When driving you generally eat this type of food because it is conveniently located on or near the highway and since you are just sitting the whole time, you can can count on being a little more hefty by the end of your drive. I like eating this way much better on a bike.

4. You have to go through "Kansas"

Kansas is a beautiful state, but has very few gas stations, convenience stores, not windy areas and interesting things to look at. Kansas is a grind to drive through. It is a place that although you are driving 80 mph it rarely seems like you are making any progress. When riding a bike, Kansas is more of an emotional place, it is a time when it feels like you are making no progress and have little encouragement. The only way to get through Kansas is to refer to #2.

(A field full of windmills: Hands down, the most interesting thing to look at in Kansas)

5. You will feel satisfied when you are finished.

I love the feeling of realizing that you have covered what seems like an insurmountable distance. Being able to share that feeling with friends and family while partaking of your favorite adult beverage is amazing. The sleep that comes afterwards is nearly as good. It is like no other sleep I have ever experienced, it is thorough, deep and sublime.