#myGravelWorlds: Tamara

When was your first Gravel Worlds?2015 I pirated and only finished about half of the route2016 was my first finish!What was the biggest hurdle/most difficult challenge? Being slow :) being on a bike for 16 hours can really mess with your mind. It was difficult to stay committed and to not give up. It took a lot of willpower to keep pushing forward when it would’ve been very easy to give up before the end. If I was stronger and faster I would’ve had less time to think about quitting ?What was your highest Gravel Worlds moment?Probably that first time we crossed the finish line. I was riding with my friend Rachel and we pushed each other to the end. It was dark and our lights were running out and we got lost right at the end so finally crossing the finish line was a huge accomplishment.What is your favorite Gravel Worlds story? I don’t know if it’s my favorite but last year I crashed around mile 84. I went down hard and gouged a hole in my elbow (I still have a good scar there). I was bleeding profusely but there was no one around so I had to keep going. I took a rag out of my tool kit and tied it around the gash. Then I rode about 5 miles to the next checkpoint where I got cleaned up and downed a shot of whiskey. My bike wasn’t hurt and my legs still worked so I kept going and finished in 3 hours less than I did the year before.How did you feel when you finished? Initially I felt relieved! Haha I was hungry and thirsty for beer. Even though I was exhausted and extremely ready to not be on a bike anymore I still felt so proud. I was very proud of my accomplishment and that feeling kept growing and I still am amazed that I was able to do it twice!In one phrase, what is Gravel Worlds to you? Because of Gravel worlds I know I can keep pushing the boundaries of what I think is possible.