It’s a funny thing to have something occupy such a significant portion of your headspace, the kind of thing you think about at every spare waking hour, the kind of thing that’s circling the back of your brain even subconsciously, the kind of thing that pops to mind when you get up to pee at 3am and then keeps you away for the next hour as your mind spins thinking about what-ifs and all sorts of feasible but outlandish situations… and then once that thing, that experience has come and gone, it feels like a lifetime ago. That’s the Race Around Rwanda for me.

I’m guessing that quick turnaround is in part to returning home and immediately be reintegrated into my contemporary life. There are errands to be run, kids need to be brought to school or want to play with me in the snow, with tax season looming there are two dozen 1099s to be culled and sorted, life doesn’t slow down. It didn’t help (or maybe it did) that during the 620 mile, two-and-half-day race, the airlines moved my return flight home by one day. So even upon finishing this rushed event, I felt rushed to clean, pack, and get ready to head on home. It seems like it could be a decision, rather than simple fact, that I could slow things down, I could digest what’s happened in such quick succession.

…but I’d rather go skiing and sledding with my kids.

I really enjoy writing. It’s been a meaningful way for me to think back at this accomplishment. Similarly, I enjoy looking at photos and videos I took and beautiful images from the race photographers to remind myself of the snippets and snapshots from the trip. So much of the race was done under massive exertion and sleep deprivation, that it almost feels like an out of body experience. Having these reminders, writing and scrolling photos, help fill in the details of the course, the way the race unfolded, and what was happening with the other 134 competitors out there.

Immediately after the race, I wrote for Bikepacking.com, Dotwatcher.com, and UnTapped.cc. All of those are quick reads and I thought you might find them interesting.

In the meantime, here are a couple of albums of photos. This first one is by Manu Cattrysse.

This next album is James Busby.