Comparing what riders think they are going to experience vs what they do experience, as well as what they are taking away from the ride, has always been a fascination of mine. We all bring our hopes and, yes, our fears to the start line. After a nearly two-year layoff from in-person events, I wanted to see what this year’s Mid South participants brought with them to the race. What did they think was going to happen once they rolled over that start line? What were they hoping they’d take away from it all after they crossed it again to finish?

To find out, I asked ten cyclists the same three questions before they departed and immediately after they finished. They came from all walks of life. Some were first-time attendees of the Mid South while one, Tyson, had ridden every single edition of the race except for one. Another, Ben Aguirre, had literally found out about the Mid South the night before and showed up on his brand new, barely ridden, Cannondale gravel bike. “That guy in the brown jacket found me wandering around, asked me if I was riding today, and when I said I wanted to do the 12 miles walked me over to registration, gave me a number, and told me to have a great time.”

That guy in the brown jacket was, of course, Mid South founder and event co-director Bobby Wintle. Because…Bobby.

The following are all of their answers. Some of them made me laugh, others tugged at my heart, and a few left me humbled and inspired.

Ben Aguirre

Before:
How are you feeling right now?
I feel really good.

What do you think is going to happen out there for you today?
Well, I’m hoping I’m going to experience some Oklahoma gravel roads.

What do you think you’re going to take away from this experience?
I’m gonna learn how tough it really is after seeing the YouTubes!

After:
How do you feel?
I actually feel really good!

What actually happened for you out there?
Well hit a lot of single track type ruts in the road. Okay for the snow from the ice melting off, but it was bumpy. Yeah, it was fun.

What are you taking away from this experience?
You know, I’m gonna have to train a little bit harder for that 50 or the 100 next year, but I’m definitely coming back.

Hannah Dhonau

Before:
How do you feel right now?
I feel really excited to hang out with my friends.

What do you think is gonna happen out on the course today for you?
Ah, I’m gonna bop around and see the Oklahoman countryside and get to like, yeah, ride with teammates and friends so I don’t get to see the rest of the year.

What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
I’ve been referring to this as the Extrovert Olympics. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around a lot of people. I just want to be able to hang out and meet new friends, see internet friends and just to leave with stronger connections or reinforced connections so we can make it through another long spate of living in different places.

After:
How do you feel now?
Good!!

What happened out there?
Ah, it was beautiful. It was, like, just very cruisey and meditative. I think I like rollers more than I thought I did! And I got to see a ton of friends!

What do you take away from the experience?
That it is really fun to do short distances and then just hang out!

Michael Wilson

Before:
How are you feeling right now?
I’m feeling good, a little chilly. But it’s not too too cold. It’s a little dry. So different from what I’m used to. And I think we’ll, we’ll get a good, good race here today.

What do you think’s going to happen out there for you?
For me? Yeah, I’m going to ride how I feel, whatever that means, after mile five. You know, we’re just gonna keep on spinning. That’s one gear for you, it won’t work everywhere. So it’s like, you know, spin it up, spin it down, whatever, whatever. I’m going to spin as fast as I can. And then when I can’t spin any more, I’ll just coast and have a good time, you know?

What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
I’m hoping to take away a good, nice time. See how singlespeed is this is my first season running single speed. I’ve done a few races, done a few rides. I just want a good day on the bike, man. You know, I’ve already gotten to have so much fun! It’s not even about the riding right now. It’s about running around, seeing my friends from expos, from shops across the country. The race itself is just the icing on the top.

After:
How are you feeling now?
I’m, I’m good. Not great. I’m done, you know, I feel done. I could have given it a little bit more beans, but I gave a little too many too early. IT wasn’t as muddy as I was thinking, but, you know, run what you brung with singlespeed gearing, all you can do is finish. This isn’t the worst I’ve ever felt, but I felt pretty bad, pretty early.

What happened out there?
Like, I raced it more of like a 60 course. I was done by mile 65. I made it, thankfully, caught up with some really cool people. This girl Shay was out, she was on singlespeed, you know, sister in bikes, had the same gearing. We both kind of fed off of each other’s energy and just brought it on home

In the end I kind of threw all the race stuff out of the picture and just hung out with some cool people on the way back.

What are you taking away from this experience?
Singlespeeds are rad, Oklahoma’s rad, everybody in gravel is rad. The hardest part is still just dialing in the weather. You can’t control it, man. We thought that the wind was gonna die down and it didn’t. It is what it is. It’s it. We made it though.

Mark Wood

Before:
How do you feel?
I’m feeling good. I’m feeling warmer than I thought it was gonna be so that’s good.

What do you think is going to happen out there?
I’m gonna be honest. I’m gonna want to quit at some point, but I’m just putting my mindset out there and be like, I’m gonna finish it. That’s it, I’m not gonna do anything else. I’m gonna finish it.

What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
I’m not sure just the accomplishment of at least trying it if I don’t make it.

After:
How are you feeling Mark?
I’m feeling tired, but I’m just kind of happy, I guess.

So what happened out there?
A lot of the time was just zoning out. A couple of times I felt like crying but I couldn’t actually cry. I can’t really tell you why. But I got it done. And that’s kind of what I’m happy about. And I’m glad I can sleep in tomorrow.

What are you taking away from the experience?
I’m taking away that I’m not only proud of myself, but I’m proud of everyone who’s already gone through and who’s still going through the course.

Nick Coleman

Before:
How are you feeling right now?
I’m feeling good. A little nervous. This is my first first like race. I’ve never had a number on my bike before. So, you know, I don’t know what to expect. I’m a little nervous but mostly excited.

What do you think is going to happen to you out there?
I think I’m gonna figure out if I can, like, actually push hard for like 100 miles. I think I’ll see how much I got deep inside.

What do you hope to take away from this experience?
I want to walk away feeling good about it, and I’m going to have some stories to tell.

After:
How do you feel now?
I feel great. Honestly. I mean, I do feel terrible at the same time.

What happened out there?
I was cramping at mile 20. Through the whole time just like pounding bottles. I ran out and had 10 miles where I had no water and I was just, like, I was hugging people’s wheels. But I somehow beat my century time by an hour! So I’m pretty proud of myself. It was a tough headwind, too. The last 20 miles it was brutal. But thank God it was dry. I cannot imagine doing that in the rain. Oh my God!

What are you taking away from this experience?
I mean, honestly, I didn’t prepare very well for this. I haven’t been riding much. I had to move, got a new job, and the most I put in the past couple months total was 200 miles. I don’t want to be cliche, but honestly if you just set your mind to something you can do anything. I got to mile 20 and I thought I was gonna have a terrible day. Right? And somehow I got through it and I’m feeling good. So, you know, it’s just like, if you want to bike 100 miles in the cold? Go ahead and do it!

Marley Blonsky

Before:
How are you feeling right now?
Excited! Ready! I want to ride.

What do you think is going to happen?
I’m gonna get to warm up! It’s going to be a great ride and I’m going to have fun.

What are you hoping to take away from the experience?
A good gauge of where my fitness for Gravel Unbound.

After:
How are you feeling?
Fucking amazing! So good! The course was beautiful, the community was good, my body feels good, I’m ready to party!

What happened out there?
Everything I wanted to. I rode my bike, I minimized my stops and I had a good day. I went out a little bit fast, though. I just try and ride with friends and I always do that. It takes me like a half hour to actually warm up but I always forget that. Then I had to adjust my seat post three times. But it was a delicious, amazing day! Just sunshine, like, the entire time.

What are you taking away from the experience?
That I need to come ride bikes in Oklahoma more!

Tyson Branyan

Before:
How are you feeling?
I’m doing good! It’s not too cold.

What do you think’s going to happen for you out there?
I’m gonna go the first bit. I think there’s some mud before Pawnee. At Pawnee I’m going to decide if I’m going to do the whole race or not.

What are you hoping to take away from the experience?
Oh, just another notch. Stubborn consistency. I started the first race that Bobby ever had here and I’ve done them all except one since then.

After:
How do you feel?
I’m fine, I’m tired. I’m colder than Hell.

What happened out there?
I just kept pedaling, kept pedaling. I met some people and my friend Wichita was stronger and then she kind of faded and I said, “Hey, I’m not leaving my buddy” so we ended together.

What are you away from the experience?
I don’t know just yet. It’s just another notch, you know? Once I say I’m doing something I’m old school, I don’t quit. It just makes me sick, the thought of quitting. I started getting cramped at mile 30. But you know, I figured out how to get through it. You know how you feel a little twinge and say, “I can’t do that again!” I couldn’t put any pressure on the pedals going up the hills. But it was fun. It was a good day.

Yatika Starr Fields

Before:
How do you feel?
I feel really excited. It’s my first gravel race. It’s my first ide longer than 30 Miles like 10 years. But yeah. I’m all about this. I’m all about adventure and about athleticism. You know, this is my home state so I’m excited to get out there and see what I got going down. You know, I’m in the double. I’m still trying to compete

What do you think is going to happen for you out there?
I don’t know. I’ve no idea, man. We’ll see.

What are you hoping to take away from the experience?
Just something new, man. I’m open to it, really. I’m open. I’m open to the potentials of being, to the beauty that arises when doing such things. I’m really excited to see what comes of it.

After:
How do you feel?
I’m in pain, dude. Like my back is a mess.

What happened out there?
I haven’t ridden a bike past 30 miles in like 10 years. I was just aiming for sub seven. I don’t know what I could have done differently. I give respect to these guys. it was crazy out there.

What are you taking away from this experience?
All I know is it really tested me in new ways, that it was good for me to be out here and show my artwork and be a part of this community. I want to get out on my bike and get involved with this community more. And so I think I’m taking away my new relationship with cycling in Stillwater. Hopefully it’ll grow.

Jessica Brunson

Before:
How do you feel right now?
I am all over the place but incredibly happy.

What do you think is gonna happen for you out there today?
I’m just gonna go forward and do everything that I can to finish.

What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
Ah, that I’ll be able to do it again and meet some more great people!

After:
How do you feel?
It was ripping awful. I love it, it was great! It was like the most bodacious thing I’ve ever done.

What happened out there?
Oh so many hills. It was just like poppin, it was like the next thing you know “Bam! Bam! Bam!” with hills and my mind was saying “You can’t do this but you got it.” So I was determined. Man, it was fun! So much fun!

What are you taking away from this experience?
Too much! I mean, everyone out there was wonderful. It was amazing as far as rolling hills and beauty and humans. It was fantastic!

Shequaya Bailey

Before:
How are you feeling right now?
I feel really good! I have to be.

What do you think is going to happen to you out there today?
I’m gonna hurt.

What do you hope to take away from this experience?
Camaraderie. Good times with friends.

After:
How do you feel?
Ah, that my soft tissues are sore!

What happened out there?
A long ride. Everything was good. Then I cramped. I started to cramp and then my seat post actually dropped and I had to do a readjustment. After that I did what I could. I just took it easy.

What are you taking away from this experience?
That I should train more? Yeah, that I should train more! *laughs*

One of the things that struck me the most was just how happy everyone was when they were done. Well, for the most part. There was some pain here and there but generally speaking everyone either finished stoked or took away something incredibly positive: a feeling of camaraderie, of accomplishment, of awe for the beauty they’d just witnessed as they rode through Oklahoma’s countryside. All of which go back to what the Mid South is really all about: community, taking on personal challenges, and the raw beauty of Oklahoma.