 12th Annual Paul’s Dirty Enduro – My Perspective
This event is a tribute to a young man who sadly took his own life. Paul Rush was a mountain biker who knew the Ganaraska forest like no one else. Paul was a family member to some, and a good friend to many of the event's organizers and volunteers. Proceeds from Paul's Dirty Enduro are donated to the Canadian Mental Health Association with the goal to increase prevention and awareness about the tragedy of suicide. The money is used for CMHA programs including the suicide prevention programs in Ontario High Schools. In 2001 over $10,000 was collected through donations and pledges collected by riders. This year, the 2007, 12th annual Paul’s Dirty Enduro attracted approximately 375 riders and featured a kid's race and four different distance races of 15, 30, 60 & 100 Km! There are several age categories within each distance. The atmosphere here is definitely different than most mountain bike races. Paul’s attracts both elite-level riders and first timers alike and the emphasis is tipped more towards camaraderie and personal challenge than race points. The final numbers are not in yet but it looks like we this years total is $26,000. I took up mountain biking five years ago as an excuse to stop smoking. It worked! Last year I sat out of the race with broken ribs and collar bone injured in a training ride a week prior to the race. Since I had done the 15-km twice, then, I felt that this year it was time to try the 30-km again. The plan was to grab the pole position then set a comfortable pace and ride with the pack. It's a beautiful morning, however soon turned very gusty with bright blue sky. The ground so dry the sand blew everywhere, but mostly in your eyes and in your nose. As we prepare, the music is playing and the excitement is builds until KT grabs the microphone. We get the pre-race instructions and a moment of silence in memory of Paul Rush. Our 30-Km group is one the most popular race distances and we file out onto the prologue loop after bottle necking around the first corner. The prologue (first 15 Km) consists primarily of forest access roads and double-track with some short single-track sections. If you are familiar with the Ganaraska Forest you are soon dealing with what are two common elements, sand and Poison Ivy. At about 2 km I face a quick switchback, gear down abruptly and broke my chain. So much for me sitting fourth at the front of the pack. After watching everyone go by I am greeted by two sweep riders offering to assist me find my chain in the deep sand. As I sit in a patch at the trail side attempting to repair my chain of my brand new race bike I see the first of many 15-km riders. Just then I hear “Hi Dad…Hi dad”. Yes, my 2 boys riding the 15-km for the first time blast past me with smiles aglow. Little to my knowledge, that later in the race my son would have the misfortune to crash into a tree, and break his helmet. As my faithful wife and only race fan waits at the finish line she hears news of a rider down and a call for ambulance response. In the back of her mind she is saying, “Don’t let it be one of mine.” Just then our youngest son crossed the finish line and reports of bad news, yes, it was our oldest son. The St. John’s Ambulance attendants and emergency response team were fabulous and with the grace of God he was virtually uninjured, as his helmet and sunglasses lay in many pieces.All this excitement and I’m still twenty minutes from the finish line. I’m starting dead last after the last 15K riders, and I rode on as hard as I could, and kept thinking of why we were all there today. I did not know Paul Rush but share in his absolute love for the sport of Cross-country Mountain biking and work for a great agency that puts the proceeds to good use supporting and people about the tragedy of suicide.All in all it was a great day. We raised a bunch of money, ate a bunch of sand and went home thinking about plans for next year’s race. © 2007 G.Quackenbush
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