Registration form. Check.
Payment made. Check.
Found my bike in the garage. Check.
Psyched to race in the Hammer Nutrition Missoula XC Tomorrow. Double Check.
Looks like I’m all set to take on my first ever mountain bike race.
When most people start a new sport they start small, maybe borrow a bike, go for a few rides and see if the sport is worth the time and financial investment. Not me. I dove head first into mountain biking.
When I first joined MT Alpha, I had never been on a mountain bike, never ridden trail and definitely never raced. After some searching and the help of Dave from Hellgate Cyclery, I am the proud owner of a Kona Kula 29’er.
Until I moved to Missoula, I was never much of a biker. More of a climber and a runner, but now two months into my mountain biking endeavor, I am hooked. As a mountain guide by profession, I am used to walking really slowly up big mountains. But the steady climb on a singletrack trail to get to the top and rip back down, around corners and splash trough streams is a rush, and I just cant get enough.
As far as the race tomorrow goes, I can’t wait! I’m excited to put on my new MT Alpha kit (Thank you BECHTOLD LAW FIRM), tune up my bike and ride such as awesome course up at Marshall Mountain. A race like this, with pro’s from all over the country, bike enthusiasts and to be a part of such a huge piece of Missoula culture is exhilarating. The energy from the crowd, friends and other racers there to watch and cheer, along with the sense of accomplishment of my first ever mountain bike race is what I am most excited about. I’m not going into this race with the assumption that I will win (although that would be cool), I’m going into the race with the assumption that it will be fun, challenging and to say I did it. You will see me racing with a smile on my face and an even bigger one at the finish line.
-Jess "you never forget your first" Culver
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