Personally all I see is the white stripe of the road.
I'm at mile 50 and its all I can do to pedal.
There is no admiring the brown/beige of the desert. No chance of daydreaming at the crystal blue sky watching the clouds float by. I can't watch the lizard watching me.
All I can do is pedal. I have given up on looking around. I have given up on looking at the horizon. I have even given up on looking more than 4 feet in front of me. It's too much effort. Effort I can't afford to loose.
The wind is howling at me. The sun is beating me down. I am t-i--r-e-d! I've been pedaling for almost 4 hours. I am struggling up the umpteenth hill and my energy is at an all time low.
This hill alone must be a mile long and I swear it is a mile high! My speed has crept down to almost a stand still. I am struggling to maintain 4.5-5 miles per hour.
Lake mead has beaten me down. I can't stand to see another hill. My body quivers at the thought of more wind. Finally I give up. Lake Mead has beaten me. I had meant to turn at mile 57, but I relent and turn around at mile 50.
Suddenly, I don't feel the wind. I feel the exhilaration of speed. I am pedaling at 30 miles per hour with no effort. You can't even call this pedaling!
I am on top of the world. At least until I change direction and face another hill. Then it's back to a crawl again.
It's either effortless pedaling or it's a death crawl. When its effortless, I feel like I could go forever. Otherwise, I can't go another step. Time to call in the Calvary.
I compromise and head towards home. By the time I reach home I've hit 75 miles and I am struggling.
It's time to relieve the Mrs. from house duty. But I still want to get more mileage in.
What to do?
The trainer. The god forsaken trainer. The cursed devil spawn trainer.
Not that I'm biased or anything.
The last 15 miles took over 2 hours. Bike time is much lower, but I had to take a break every couple of minutes.
Maybe it was being home. Maybe it was because I was too tired. Maybe I just got wimpy. Whatever it was, I was d.o.n.e.
Finally I had to just shut up and pedal. Stop thinking and pedal. PEDAL!!
100 miles. 100.7 to be exact.
I did my first century. It was my longest ride ever and I earned every mile of it.
I am exhausted.
If I never ride the trainer again it will be too soon. I swear, I will scream if I ever have to ride it again.
Oh wait! I've got to ride it again this week. Oh great!
7 comments:
Congrats on the 100.7! (go Dave)
next time watch Lord of the Rings: Twin Towers, you'll have an easy 4 hours!
Dude, your rock! keep it up.
rockon`
Woo hoo! A century - a well-earned century!! Hot damn! (Trying not to be annoying and ask if your nutrition is enough...but is it? Fourth discipline and all...ok, done with being your friend the worry wart.)
And not that you asked, but here are my you-might-not-think-of-them-but-they're-surprisingly-good-bike trainer-flicks movie suggestions:
Transformers
GI Jane
Stomp the Yard (but that last one's going to be on any movie list I ever make, because it's about my favorite movie ever)
And my old standby: the Matrix trilogy ('cause Trinity? In leather? Kicking the shit out of a guy behind her with a kick straight up and over her head? Complete awesomeness!!)
Awesome -- way to push through it. I'm not a big fan of those freaken long rides -- but that comes with the territory.
On your way now.
I think you did awesome!! Yes it sucked and yes it was hard, did you expect any less?
You just rode longer than you ever have :-)and out stupid North Shore and back (which sucks in a car!)
It will get easier from here and one day you will look back on this and not recognize that person (because you will be stronger!)
BTW...next time don't come home. Finish the 15 outside. I appreciate why you came home but don't worry about me!!
A century ride is something to be proud of, esp. your first one. During our first century a few years back, my husband did not eat enough (the food at the aid stations SUCKED) so he bonked and really struggled the last 20 miles when it was pouring rain and very windy. He was completely exhausted and couldn't even eat anything or drive home (so I did). Last month, our second century ride, he fueled up well and rode the entire Kona bike course strong.
I'm sure it'll go better for you next time too now that you have the confidence that you can do it and so your focus will be different (improvement vs. survival).
BEAST!! You are a beast! 100 miles! My hubby keeps telling me if it was easy everyone would do it. Way to suck it up and get it done!
I won't do my first 100 miler until Solvang on March 14 and I am afraid it will be very much the same way. How is it I can enjoy the scenery on a run (even a rough one) but not even a little on the bike! Ugh!
Great job!
Century City baby!! So proud of you. Look how far you have come since Silverman!
In and out of Northshore and back has got to be at least as hard if not harder than the CDA course!
But the thing I'm most impressed with? You getting on the trainer after all that. No way. I mean NO WAY. I would have left that part out and called it good.
Supah Star!
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