Why I Decided to Stop Cross Country MTB Racing

After many, many years of racing cross country mountain biking, I've decided to put a hold on it, maybe for good. Here's why.
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[@donaldmorrill1636]

Did 15 years of XC racing and quit when I got married. My kid just turned 18, moved out and I retired. So 23 years later I joined a team for a 12 hr mtb race. Had no expectations other than completing two laps. It was a blast!! I am 69 and plan on doing another race next spring. You will return, I just know it!!

[@ClintGibbs]

Love this!

[@mancello]

You're getting older. I don't mean that in a negative way. Priorities change as we age. I've been cycling 40 years and it's only recently that I've cut back my training and I'm fine with it. It's ok to take time off the bike to do other things in your life.

[@classactracing]

Recovery is key to getting faster, but it seems to take longer as we get older. I learned a lot about how to train properly, and I’m still learning how to keep momentum in my training by listening to my body to keep from overtraining and avoiding injuries. I am right there with you on the thought of I want just want to ride. I want to enjoying being on a bike. It was always good seeing you at the races. We competed against each other a few times. Thanks for all the laughs and pushing me. Ride on!

[@garrickdtaylor]

I bought a bike to try to get back into shape and re-connected with how much I enjoyed riding a bike as a kid. We have a local series of gravel races and I plan to enter a couple of them this year but honestly have no goal of actually racing. I just hope to finish them which I feel is a huge goal from where I started 18 months ago.

[@letour32rr]

I can understand this. I’d finally gotten back into XC racing being a NICA coach then racing along side the kids in the off season. But having two kids of my own since, I’ve had to stop racing for a few years. Definitely miss it but different chapters in life require different priorities.

[@tyallen996]

This is very timely for me… I’m signed up for my first mtb race this weekend. I’m glad to hear your perspective on first races - have fun and don’t worry about the results. Thanks for the video.

[@alexjohnson6462]

Huracan 300 is coming up in February. Its in central Florida. Seeing how much you like Zone 2 on a gravel bike, it could be for you since you only need to maintain that pace. And you are free to take as many days as you want to finish it, though at your fitness level you are a 2 day contender for sure. There are two routes to choose from, the more mountain bikey route (the Classic), or a slightly shorter and faster rolling route (the Lite) which was put in for the gravel bike guys who did not want to do the Croom section.

[@NZCUBDRIVER]

I hear ya buddy. I have a young family, a career and a great wife. I’ve competed in a few mtb marathon events over a span of 6 years before starting my family and priorities change. I don’t want to be a selfish rider/racer and miss out on those special years with young kids. I only ride for fun once a week now. I appreciate the time I do get on the bike and I feel more at peace when I ride just for fun.

[@thomashussey5159]

Good choice Clint. Not worth missing family obligations. Thank you for all the valuable information this channel has provided.

[@MiamiCycling305]

Took me 5 criterium races before I even finished one 🤣. Those were some tough days. Now I’m finishing plenty. They’re still tough days. 😂

[@ysaelynoa27]

I've been riding for 20 yrs and had my share of racing time and totally agree with all your saying. I think it's part of maturing as an athlete (as a cyclist). You know what you're capable of, you know what winning is, you know what losing is and more importantly you don't need to prove anything to anyone. Ultimately we are all just people riding bikes and that's what matters, some faster and more seriously, some slower and more relaxed, at the end of the day what matters is being out there on the saddle. Like you, I still enjoy a good endurance race and still do it when I have a window of time to prepare for my own race and my own success, I've signed up for BC BIKE RACE 2024 by myself and feel as excited as i felt 20 yrs ago, but nowadays I'm more interested in the people, the trails and the experience than in the results and I think that's the beauty of maturing as a rider. Just enjoy a good ride whether it's a casual ride with a slower rider or your fighting for podiums on the weekends.! See you on the trails.!

[@sccxvelo]

Local CX season was big till few years pre covid when it started dropping off as gravel started taking off. We are slowly getting CX numbers back now. Raced CX alot some years ago but had to focus on race photowork and staffwork first which left me nothing left for racing on the day. Now ride the late winter/spring events and work the fall. Just started gravel event this past fall and planning my late winter/spring, as summer in SoCal bike racing shuts down due to the heatwaves till mid fall unless at coast or high elevations. Hopefully yours local CX will slowly come back as people realize it is good for other parts of cycling besides just a fun day in the park with family and friends.

[@BikeVanDad]

Awesome discussion. I’ve gone through the rollercoaster of racing and life and now maybe having time to race again and these are the very things I’ve been considering. Thanks so much talking about this it helps knowing there’s others in the cycling community having similar thoughts and experiences. Ride on!

[@tiagoweyne6661]

Thanks a lot for your insights, I just went to coconut cup and even though I got a last place, I had a lot of fun. Looking forward to get on shape next year and try not to be the last.

[@Transsend_it]

I appreciate this. 👏 Mountain biking used to be my main endurance passion then I found triathlon. I fell in love with the structure and the endless opportunities to improve but like yourself know that I’m at my limit in terms of focus, commitment, and time. It’s hard for me to just go for a nice gravel or mountain bike ride now because I’d be sacrificing a structured training ride - it’s also so hard to let go of all the “fitness” that I worked so hard for. Indeed, endurance sports can become self-centered.

[@davidbendezu5356]

I'm turning 50 soon, but love to push myself with training for my next XC race. What's helped me the most is having a e-bike to ride on days that I'm not feeling it, so I don't over-exert myself. Also I only ride my e-bike in the lowest setting, so I don't feel off once I jump back on my sweet Canyon.

[@mariofonseca9267]

Clint, I appreciate your perspective very much. My journey took me from being a competitive athlete to the point where training became the end goal. I lived and still do live for training. But because oh a number of circumstances -and 30 years later- I am back committed to see the version of me that I can piece together at this point. I see you becoming competitive again when you retire. I’m there and very much feel like competing again!!! All the best.

[@joeydirty6112]

Respect! I’m 52M and race XC once a year and a Gravel race. My kids are grown and I live alone. I ride hard during the week and weekends are for fast group rides. I’ve only been riding since 2011. The trailhead is 3 miles away in S.E. Michigan. I’ll ride hard until I can’t. 🤙🏻

[@thezonemtb]

Welcome back to the more relaxed aspect of cycling fun.

[@Brockdorf]

Great video. It is hard to not stand on the podium with your friends who are still making the sacrifices. Once you are comfortable with just racing for fun, it really is better.

[@kersh8268]

Man I feel you. I loved training hard, now I love riding 3mph following my 2yr old on a balance bike. Been a macride and balance bike year. So freaking enjoyable.

[@steveridesxc]

I've raced xc for 25 years here in Colorado and found that while "racing into shape" worked in my 40's I had much more fun and success racing about once a month in my 50's. As I've aged I've had to elongate the training cycles including additional recovery so that I go into races looking forward to a hard effort. This approach leaves plenty of time for fun rides and I don't feel at risk of burnout at age 63. It also helps that I don't mind not keeping up with the front guys and celebrate the ability just to be out there and hopefully finish strong. Sounds like you still enjoy the race environment and doing your best. You'll be back.

[@mister_ray]

Have to do intervals to stay competitive. Way more fun to just do what you feel like doing. Almost every guy I know who raced in the past is now burned out. Still can stay fit and generally fast without racing or race training. A couple brisk group rides a week is a good way.

[@hongziyang]

Cross is still going well here in Utah. Most our gravel events are well and over before cross season. Though occasionally there is a race that tries to sneak in.

[@martinsloan5760]

I started doing XC races just a few years ago. I started training in the fall of 2019 with plans to do a 100 miler in 2020. Well, you all know how that went! Fast forward 4 years and I've done a few XC centuries and other shorter races but now my schedule has changed drastically (work/family - all good stuff). They say that "I don't have the time" is just a euphemism for "that's not a priority for me" and I think that's true. I absolutely love XC riding, but other things have taken priority. I watched this video while on my trainer doing a zone 2 ride because I haven't been able to commit to another training block 🙂 Cheers, Clint. Thanks for sharing!

[@AngelGonzalez-hc4zw]

25 years of road racing and about 13 years of XC racing. It was an incredible journey, growth and relationships built throughout those years. Somehow though I absolutely come to love cycling more now than I did when I raced. I realize I love to just ride my bikes. Slowing down to enjoy the sights is the real journey. Thanks.

[@PeterSchow]

I believe there are still pockets of high CX enthusiasm in the Northeast and Wisconsin but CX has returned to being a niche sport, in most parts of the USA (which is fine). I still remember the golden days of CX on the Colorado Front Range ~15 years ago where the crowds were big, lots of rider participation, and the touring pro's would come through. I'm not totally convinced that gravel killed CX but would agree that gravel events are more accessible to average athletes: no need to go immediately into the red zone at the starting line, and no concerns about being lapped on the course and being removed.

[@sloothix]

The Mid Atlantic had this 15 yrs ago to maybe it was the Lance factor or new technology in CX. Eventually race promoters decided UCI designation wasn’t important and all the Pros went elsewhere. Road and XC cycling suffering to with Gravel and Enduro newer technology and hype.

[@ClintGibbs]

Yeah, I remember watching a cyclocross race in Boulder many years ago. The crowds were huge.

[@shredntread9600]

I completely get it!! After training really hard last year for Marji and really seeing what effort and time it takes, at 52 yrs old I prefer to ride and enjoy the experience. One reason I like the Enduro racing a bit more laid back but still need to be able to bring and skillset helps more in Enduro than XC racing. Hope to ride with you again in 2024...maybe head out to Coldwater...Smuggler perfect bike for CW. Keep shred'n Clint !!

[@mattkavanaugh5623]

Very thoughtful commentary, thanks! I went through the same thing running and then cycling - it is an "evolution" (not devolution) I think - and we do it for fun, right?!

[@davefetters3290]

All your comments are spot on! For reference, I just turned 49 and have spent 20+ years racing hard in XC MTB, CX, and road. I would train like a mad with 2-3 weekday races and at least one (usually two) weekend races. I spent many of my training miles in the late PM hours (9pm-midnight) when my kids were babies. I did fairly well but within the last few years I used up my suffer cards and also have way less time (and desire) to train. I still ride hard and race here and there, but my expectations are tempered and I no longer have the inner drive to go for top spot. It took me a while to come to grips with loosing the sight of the podium but I'm happy to say I still train hard and love it- maybe even more so now that my weekends aren't always tied up. I also agree that they amount of time I had to train and race put a huge stress on my family. I used to plan everything around my race schedule- so glad those days are done. I now race when I have nothing else going on. I'll also second your CX comment. I absolutely loved CX at it was perfect blend of road power and XC handling. Ever since Covid, the sport has basically died in the Minneapolis area. We used to have at least two races every weekend, now we have 5 races the entire season. It's such a bummer- I really hope it can make a come back.

[@ClintGibbs]

Great post. Thank you. And here’s to the comeback of CX.

[@1luckyleppy]

Stay true to yourself and family and everything will fall into place. 👍🏼

[@cyclinginsoutherncalifornia]

Hey Clint, you should watch Rich Roz interview with Mark Cavendish. It’s extremely interesting, because Mark says the exact same thing. He does intervals, but he really doesn’t like them. He would just rather “ride.“ My children are now out of the house, so it’s easier for me to be self-centered, and go to races.I agree with you that I don’t know why cyclocross has died. I don’t know why it’s more popular, but I think gravel is more of a participation sport whereas cyclocross is a race maybe we will race each other when we’re 65 ha ha

[@prof_writer]

Clint thanks for your wise words. I'm much older than you had 40 plus years in triathlon, mountain bike racing and a lot of hundred mile ultra distance running. But as the body ages you have to enjoy it for the experience. And also I have noted you can no longer predict how you will feel on a certain day. Good point on how much suffering we have in our bodies I have gone well beyond the threshold too many times.

[@michaeljensen4095]

I’m on much the same path as you. Kids have made my priorities change and reduced the time and motivation to focus solely on my training. Endurance MTB and gravel events are easier to go into with less expectations for me. And the pain of doing a 1.5-2hr XC race is significantly higher for me than a 4-8 hour race. I am now picking a couple races to travel to as a priority and way to see something different with Pisgah 111k planned for next October. Way easier to justify that to my wife than 15-20 weekend days of XC and CX racing over between March and November.

[@BruceChastain]

Are you going to 12 hours of Santos next year? Would be great to see you again there. I'm going to try to make it, I have some ideas to improve my time over last year being last year was my first time ever at that track.

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes, that’s one endurance event I try not to miss. I’ll do it either as a team if I can get my son to do it or do solo.

[@Mjq450]

A few years ago I went from XC3 to XC2 the fitness level you need maintain is to much and I ended up making the same decision. Love racing but at 44 its getting difficult to maintain

[@50whatnomadtravelnursemtb5]

Bravo...I raced back in 1996, "downhill" but never since then not my thing..I ride for fun and enjoy pedaling at my pace. Being out on the trail is all I need! This is why I ride a longer travel trail bike, no need for a speedy short travel downcountry bike, since I'm not crunching strava times i'm just crunching my fun time! But in reality I pull out the hardtail more frequently then my other bikes, even non the chunky stuff.

[@vinncecil]

CX racing was the best between 2014-2016. Having the races in Dunedin, the WAR series and the one or two races here in Ocala was nice. But it all faded away.

[@johnnyguzman3429]

At the end of the day, no one is getting paid to do mountain bike racing. Instead, we're constantly paying for upgrades and paying to play in a game many of us won't win. At some point, that gets tiring especially when we might not be competitive by nature. My biggest competition is myself so I will always have a career in self-improvement. I don't have a career as a cyclist, never did and at this late hour, never will. So I practice contentment and break things down to their simpler forms. If I can excercise, get fresh air, stay fit and relieve stress, I'm already winning.

[@hansschotterradler3772]

Zone 2 gravel riding. So enjoyable and enough to keep you in decent shape.

[@curtvaughan2836]

Well, you're getting older - there's more to cycling than competing for speed. Adjust to the fact that riding bicycles is a choice, and a gift, to you as you advance through life. You can still purchase nice bicycles for the kind of riding you want to do, and adapted to your needs as you get older. I'm in my 70's, and still love riding bikes. I have a couple of recumbents, a couple of full squish mountain bikes - a vintage Klein and a Transition Sentinel - , as well as two hard tails. I love riding them all, and choose the appropriate steed for the day. There's much more to cycling than racing. Even though I'm way too old to race, I still like following the racing at high levels, just like I like watching other sports like football and baseball.

[@rogerphillips6381]

It's ok! Just ride to have fun and be competitive with your friends. Also, I'm not sure how good super intense exercise is for the older heart. I know a number of cyclist friends that have developed Afib and other heart rhythm issues. My thought is you probably need to really dial back the intensity when you get in your early 50's if not sooner. You can still go hard, just not for really long efforts like a XC race.

[@WinsteadSpeedShop]

Very well said good job

[@nkoeppen]

It’s fun to just have fun!

[@BruceChastain]

I've been doing MTB and gravel racing here and there for the past eight or so years but I come at it as a more fun casual racer. I don't really train, I come in the races with duller skills and mostly out of shape, I'm happy to finish mid pack. Not saying it's better at all, I've never been at the top of that mountain, but that's just how I do it.

[@nathanhaney91]

Great video. I'm in the Florida Panhandle near Destin. Moved here two years ago and just got a XC MTB and looking to race - any notable races/series you could refer me to in Northwest FL? Thanks!

[@ClintGibbs]

Check out www.goneriding.com. The XC races are mainly in the fall and the first one is in Tallahassee. The endurance series goes throughout the year and there are quite a few races in the spring Santos is a great course and not terribly far from you.

[@nathanhaney91]

@@ClintGibbs thanks for the info! I’m also tracking events from Chainbusters and Go-Nuts Cycling. Keep up the great content. It’s been a huge help!

[@edavis5451]

I know the feeling. I raced for 10 years and took top podium frequently in both local and regional XC races. Then my son was born and I started a new career in the same year. I slid off the top podium into second, then into 3rd, then within a year I was middle of the pack. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but prioritizing mountain biking in your life is easy when you’re young, harder when your older.

[@330_Crew]

I suppose the good thing about my racing in sport class is that I’m at best a mid-place finisher or last 1/3rd. I enjoy racing but feel no pressure to formally train. It allows me to just have fun.

[@elvzwoods]

25 year since any serious racing here. I dabbled a lot but it has been 10 years since that. Now my two youngest daughters, 14 and 9, want to start racing, so we are going to hit the XC scene again as a family. I have no idea where to categorize myself, so I guess I will just have fun in the beginners, because I cannot commit to the training time racing expert would require.

[@brucehumphries6889]

I agree with this video. Had my time racing road, got into mountain biking and thought I wanted to race, I did a couple and did great, but like you, work gets in the way and I was selfish when I raced road…I told myself I wouldn’t do that again.

[@markreams3192]

I raced masters road racing for many years. My last road race was the master’s national championship in St Louis in 1992. I decided to take a break from racing after that race I never raced again. I really enjoyed just riding and not training. I think I found the joy in riding again. I raced BMX for 11 years and stopped in 2018 because I was breaking too many body parts. In your mid sixties the healing process is a bit slower. The problem is that I miss it.

[@chefA71]

I know the feeling, I first got into CX after doing XC races. It was the most fun I’ve had on a bike. Of course I finally got into Florida CX the last 2 years before it completely died. Now I’m kind of on the same path. I enjoy training and doing fun long endurance events. I just wish CX never died down here 😞

[@ClintGibbs]

I know. It was such a good scene for a while.

[@prof_writer]

Also relevant on your comments regarding narcissism related to endurance sport. I have an academic paper coming out soon data indicates there are significant issues regarding friends and family for those who participate in ultra running.

[@ClintGibbs]

Wow, that’s interesting! Is that something you could share in the future?

[@profwriter8371]

@@ClintGibbs yes...article is "Psychology of Ultrarunning: Evaluating Validation, Social Identity and Disharmony in the Long-Distance Experience" to be published in the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. The study (N = 394) investigated motivators and detractors in ultrarunners. Latent factors Validation, Social Identity and Disharmony were identified. Regressions indicate Cognitive Involvement, Disharmony and Social Identity are significant predictors. Back and middle of the pack runners viewed Disharmony differently than front of the pack runners. Text analysis sentiment “Affect Friends and Family” supports the Disharmony factor.

[@cup_and_cone]

I quit racing for mostly the same reason: At the end of the day if you're not meeting expectations, you are not having fun, and I just didn't have the ability for full commitment. People's desire for racing in general is weaning. Despite MTB's explosion in popularity over the last 25 years or so, participation in sanctioned races has mostly stagnated. The percentage of MTBers who participate in at least one sanctioned event per year is much smaller today than it was two decades ago. MTB's meteoric rise in new riders has mostly come toward the recreational cyclist. We all have busy lives these days and all want to enjoy riding, not see it as a chore.

[@matticus6339]

Priorities change as we go through different areas of our lives. We have to self evaluate where we need to spend our time, you chose your Family and I will say there will not be a point in the future where you look back and say that was a waste of time, however if you chose the self centered-ness of racing and the time that goes into it with training, etc then you would IMO look back one day and say what did I do? I think you made a great responsible choice. Best wishes to you and your Family and Merry CHRISTmas.

[@ClintGibbs]

Well said! Merry Christmas to you as well.

[@mrvwbug4423]

I did 2 races this year, 1 enduro and 1 XC race. I only race for fun and my goal with both races was just to finish. The enduro while fun is probably not a race i would race again, that race had an incredibly stacked field in every age category and I spent my last stage constantly pulling over to let the pros fly by (because pros always drop in last haha), was extremely slow because I had a bad crash on a training ride the week before (pre riding one of the race stages of course haha). Would race another enduro, just not that particular one. The XC race was one I had done last year, but I moved up a category this year, and did better than I expected on the longer and harder course, and with a bunch of riders from the category above who conveniently "missed" their start time because they didn't like who showed up in their category and were allowed to race 1 category down. I got totally smoked on the starting climb (this race starts with an absolutely brutal climb) but reeled a few spots back in on the downhills and the more technical sections of the course.

[@robertsonfamilyfarm9126]

Riding bikes is stress relief and racing bikes at a high level is stressful , I raced at a high level as a kid and after getting married and raising 5 kids , its fun to race bikes if my kids are racing but , to really compete with old 50 year old guy at top level, I would need to focus and stress out also , but like you , I would miss out on special occasions with my kids growing up so fast , and special time riding motorcycle with the wife to the coast etc ! Life is a gift , GOD bless

[@rawmancemtb]

I don't have an extensive race background but from the few races I did I came to some similar conlcusions. There's no point in racing if you aren't trying to win. And if you are trying to win that means you have to focus everything for that. Which makes everything concentrated on efficiency not fun. And same with the race. Race is pre-determined so you are confined into it. Where as you could just have more fun riding where you want to. So it both kills the fun of training and riding. It's only really worth it when you are winning. And with Strava you don't need events to race segments. Then there are other kinds of problems like the effort level. When you are pushing that hard it also effects the next day. If you are just riding what you want to you can ride the full weekend. But racing it's only focused on that single day. In my case if the weather is good in the summer I want to ride 6 to 7 days a week.

[@ClintGibbs]

Well said. Thanks for posting.

[@tom10crafted]

One minor but important thing to someone stumble across - just because you trained hard for a particular race, and result is not satisfactory... That does not necessarily mean you have to train more or harder. That is surely not the main reason Clint stopping, but this is not a reason at all for anyone stop doing it. Loved the idea of having schedule SOMEWHERE in the life, and then having a need of free time:)) Family matters, take care!

[@samd6405]

Gravel has killed XC racing locally in Michigan.

[@przemyslawgawel8501]

Just go for a run instead of Z2 and do the intervals as you feel like it. Add some 30x30 and you can race on 8h of training a week. You don’t need to be perfect and come first top10 is an achievement after all. It’s all in your head.

[@BruceChastain]

Interesting to hear about the burn out because Vegan Cyclists was just saying the same thing recently on one of his videos, he was really trying to push hard to be at the top in endurance racing, but after not doing great, he said he got burnt out too.

[@ClintGibbs]

Interesting. I have watched some of his videos over the years. I’ll see if I can find that one.

[@BruceChastain]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4ucdp6EZpx8fsksi=5pvbv6PqQNygF4b6 @@ClintGibbs

[@ropesolo]

CX is great fun, but you will often spend more time driving to and from the event than actually riding your bike.

[@Gabesafish]

Just a thought, but you don’t HAVE to be all in/all or nothing to continue racing. You could just dial it back. The question is, would you allow yourself to still enjoy the activity?

[@keithcottongim7930]

I raced MX for a long time I was getting hurt and reached a plateau and decided it wasn’t worth the risk anymore. To be a “fast guy” you have to be all in. The cost of racing these days is so much. I’m sure that’s caused several people to call it quits.

[@ebayfield]

Yes, everyone should try racing :)

[@DaneKromer]

It’s simple, do what brings you joy! If it’s no longer fun, go do something else. Life is too short…

[@nyreppin1]

I get you bro. I decided a few weeks back to stop racing. I've only been racing on and off for the last two years and every single race I've gotten smoked. It bothered me a little but it made me want to be better. The sad truth is i don't have the time to put towards training and it's not fun getting crushed every single race. These races aren't cheap either. Maybe I'll get back into it. Only time will tell.

[@JogBird]

i guess im just not competitive by nature, ive never thought about racing

[@nick_john]

Me neither, I do it because it’s just fun.

[@TheJoncic]

Raced for 3 or 4 years. Did a few 70+ mtb races and exhausted my interest in it. I respect those who do it but as a family man now I'd rather ride for fun and spend more time with my kids.

[@e.con0210]

Cyclocross was dying of its own weight. If you needed USA cycling license. And racing in cold wet muddy conditions, at some point hits you. Gravel “races” are like your local 5k and half marathon. Train as little as you want, don’t need a license, pay entrance fee and have fun. Right?

[@robbchastain3036]

I think gravel is a fresh spin, no pun intended, a fun formality for what many of us have done for a lifetime in various ways. And here in the States, we've a history of doing this or that for a time and then nothing and I'm thinking BMX and BMX freestyle and lots of the mountain and road racing scenes just disappeared over the decades, a great effort, big for a time, then O well, not that big a deal after all. And no knock over any of the loss, it just wasn't sustainable and a lot of it was simply the nature of the danger, like crits. I was a USCF Cat. 3 in '84 when I was a young soldier at the Pentagon and it was my second season of sanctioned racing fun and I was happily amassing points to get to Cat. 2 when on a Tuesday evening race at Tyson's Corner a young spectator accidentally caused the four-rider break to flip and pile-up and my frame cracked and I landed on my back and I was shaken when I went to my team to settle down. And all they did was look up into the evening sky and wait for me to drag my broken bike and body back to my Rabbit GTI and be gone. And so I did. I had a real life and their lack of concern was disgusting to me. It was all fake, the team vibe. And ironically, two years later, I spent three months as a bike messenger in DC and it was a great pro-like experience, 10 hours a day of work and another two for commuting and I was actually a bit disappointed when I had to bail to accept work in my field. And those guys were the real thing, street-tough journeymen and women who rode all year in all conditions. And I still hear the dispatcher on the two-way radio which swung from my hip, "Two-Five, where you at, Two-Five?" And then he'd lay another burden on my back en route to Capitol Hill or wherever. 😀

[@ClintGibbs]

That’s quite a story. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it.

[@AJMacDonaldJr]

Good decision. I've never raced. I just enjoy riding. 😺

[@AARON818818]

Bro you should just flip the switch an move out to Colorado. Let the Mountains heal you! Nothing better for your sole then Change.

[@ClintGibbs]

Trust me, it’s a consideration. I love Colorado.

[@jeromep4148]

I live in Florida and this summer spent 2 months in Colorado riding the trails systems throughout the Front Range. Heaven on earth!!

[@TheNationalTrails]

If splitting hairs is all that's left, then the hair is just too thin. ...Seems like some strong forward-facing logic is pulling together for ya! !!! Respect!!!

[@StanEby1]

You are wise. Can you get the most out of life, not racing? Can you get joy of living by riding for the joy of it? All the best.

[@ClintGibbs]

Absolutely!

[@michaelsteven1090]

8-10 hrs/wk is plenty enough time to train for racing. I wish I was so lucky..

[@ClintGibbs]

Perhaps. But one thing I started to mention in the video but decided I should leave it out, is that many of the guys in my race class have work situations where they can ride 20 hours per week. It’s really hard to compete against that kind of training load. But more importantly, I started to lose the desire to push hard on a racecourse. Maybe that’ll come back one day for cross country but for now it’s going to be focused on endurance.

[@bluegull1541]

I Love my Bikes!!

[@BlackMan614]

Face it. As one gets older the ONLY ones you're going to race against in your age group are the super geezers. Everyone else is either dead or on the couch. Yeah.... no thanks. I don't need the aggravation.

[@carlossegura8785]

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; 7a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Rode 27 miles at Felasco on Saturday all by myself. Zone 1/2. It was awesome.

[@rob6310]

Riding my mountain bike was only enjoyable when I wasn't racing.

[@dallashamilton3773]

It's bikepacking time....

[@redlegds_adventures]

Bike packing is a ton of fun

[@ClintGibbs]

I’ve actually thought about that!

[@alexjohnson6462]

Huracan 300. Tough and rewarding, but the pace is more chill (if one wants it to be) because it is ultradistance.

[@SLCPunch]

Res firma mitescere nescit! Think about it.

[@angelsaulovelazquez3232]

CX died in Florida

[@LazyGrayF0x]

Eh… I am much happier enjoying biking lifestyle without achieving more than a pleasure on every ride. If I don’t feel like it, I don’t go, and often go ride on an impulse.

[@MrBig617]

Gravel absolutely killed cyclocross in the US. I feel there will be a cx renaissance in about 5 years when cyclists realize gravel is just becoming mountain biking 🤣.

[@groengm2012]

Non racing is more smiles per miles

[@ZenEndurance]

Dude, do Marathon MTB instead. Races are 42 miles long and who cares how you did. Longer races mean you race less often and get to enjoy training more. Plus, it’s a more chill and older crowd, so the courses are less technical and dangerous, so you can focus on fitness instead of breaking your neck. They are way more like gravel racing. And it’s a legit big sport with national and world titles. A race is more like a stage of Cape Epic than the short chopping blocks of normal XC races that don’t last very long.

[@michaelgroves3900]

Quitter 😂

[@ClintGibbs]

There is quitting and then there is weighing opportunity costs and then redeploying assets.

[@andypaul999]

Clint, Ive been there. I understand. Your Wife kicked off didn't she?

[@ClintGibbs]

My wife is still riding. She’s on a break right now after some surgery but will be picking it back up again. She loves it.

[@jonzylka9474]

Just because you dont podium, doesnt meant you cant attend/participate in a race man… im at a stage in my life/riding career where im racing against myself… im out to simply have FUN!!! give up the notion of needing to podium every race and just go have fun my man!!! You dont have to “give it up” just cause you dont podium…

[@ClintGibbs]

It was really more than that. The last few races I just didn’t have the motivation to push as hard as I should for taking the time to travel to a race.

[@Raumance]

Then what do you need races for if you aren't racing them?

[@Team81MTB]

Anymore Clint I enjoy going to a cross country loop of my choice and either try to set a new PR or just get out and try new lines. You know, just ride. I raced off road hare scrambles for 35 years. I retired from that in 2014 for a reason. I hated the starting line butterflies and the pressure that went with it. I still get them at an MTB xc start. When we start a race we tell ourselves that it's just for fun but deep down we're competitors and want to do well. Im not sure I'll race xc next year. I seem to gravitate more for the mass start endurance races these days. Xc just became too intense for my anxiety at 55 years old. Just my two cents on your situation. I do understand your mindset.

[@jonzylka9474]

@@ClintGibbs I hear ya man.. maybe its because you just have to high expectations for yourself.. I cant say I fully understand because im not on the same level as you, but maybe, just maybe.. if you go into things with the notion of simply racing against yourself and the clock you’d think different.. JUST CANT see someone like you simply giving up racing all together like that man…

[@ClintGibbs]

We’ll see how it plays out. Still looking forward to the endurance races coming up in the spring.

[@gerry9306]

Clint, disappointing, this was a self-sell job. Big time rationalization. Everything but the kitchen sink put forth as justification. I know what's going on here Clint, because you can't fool a fool. Downer

[@ClintGibbs]

There’s always a chance I may get back into cross country racing later. But for now, when I was doing my last few races, I realized I just didn’t have the desire to push hard on the race course. Not sure if that really came through in the video, but when you lose passion for something it’s time to give it a rest.

[@gerry9306]

@@ClintGibbs Okay, now it makes sense. Like Tiger said the other day, "When I don't think I can win, then I'll stop".

[@rumberitoboricua]

Xc racers are way too full of themselves.

[@XCRiders]

That e-bike extinguished your fire 🧯 for racing. your talking amateur cross country racing. Sorry I’m just not buying it doesn’t sound right. ❤ your channel.