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  • Spoke

    BACK IN THE SADDLE

    Oct 10, 2018 6 minutes
    Words Ian Middleton
    Images
    Jay French & Todd Couper

    I grip the handlebars, turning my knuckles white. I steer around a final corner and come face to face with my nemesis. Down the rocky track ahead of me is the set of doubles I totalled myself on last year. It wasn’t pretty. My shoulder required two titanium screws and months of physio before I was able to high-five with confidence again. Now it’s time for payback.

    I can feel my nerves building. My heart pounds in my chest as the takeoff approaches. I mentally psych myself up, but at the last second, I bottle it. A flood of relief mixed with frustration washes over me as I ride the chicken line to safety.

    We can all relate to such feelings of fear and anxiety, whether it’s coming up short on a jump, or going over the bars on a particular feature. The negative emotions can linger in our minds

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