So i geared up, packed 3 bottles of water, 2 bananas, a sandwich, and my ipod... stoked about the journey that i figured would take me 6 hours, TOPS. I planned on getting on the road by 6 am, but i actually left around 8. Got about a mile in, and realized i had forgotten my cycling gloves.
GREAT.
Turn around, pick them up, and i'm on my way... for real this time.
It was overcast and the forecast called for severe thunderstorms at the day progressed. I hoped that i could make it to my destination before those became a factor.
Driving this route in a car, i didn't realize how hilly it actually is. The first 20 or so miles... all hills... and to make matters worse, i couldn't even get up to cruising speed DOWNHILL because the $%#&-ing headwinds were so strong. I literally had to pedal to keep speed going down hills. After pedaling hard up the hills and then having to do the same downhill... very demoralizing.
About 40 miles in, i decided to pull off and have a banana and a sandwich. After a 15 minute food / fuel break, i saddled back up and headed off down the road (up more hills.)
Cranked away for another 15 miles and i suddenly realized that i was out of water. Super. Luckily, my father was leaving to head to buffalo a few hours after i left, in a car of course, so i had hoped water would be available upon his arrival.
I was about half a mile into a mile climb and he blows by me and stops about a quarter mile ahead. Not at the top of the hill, or just over the peak, but right on the slope so i have to stop mid climb.
Thanks dad.
To make matters worse... no water. It would have been really easy to break down my bike, load it up, and ride the rest of the way... but i resisted the temptation and kept on going. Luckily, and much to my relief, my father came tearing back towards me about 5 miles later with 2 bottles of water. He's my hero. Seriously.
My hamstrings were cramping, my calves were cramping, i was getting sore being in the saddle, and my upper back was just killing me from being in that position for 4+ hours at this point.
Then started the rains. Misting at first... then harder, mixed with headwinds and crosswinds that made each hammer of the pedals torture. Mind you, i usually average between 18-20 mph on my rides... i was lucky to be between 13-14 mph at this point in time. Again... demoralizing.
As the end of the ride neared, the sun came out, and for the first time i realized how close i was. Only about 20 miles to go. Only an hour and change. But no, it would have been too easy to finish like that.
The Place: Mile 77.5 - Bullis Road, just outside of Buffalo.
My back tire shreds. AWESOME! There was nothing i could do. I had an extra tube and repair stuff, but with 20 miles left and no serious tire pump, i couldn't ride on. So thats a big DNF.
DID NOT FINISH.
The worse words an athlete can hear and words i hope to never experience during an actual race. So now i have to head back out and attempt the ride again, and again, and again... until i'm successful.
So i called my father, he came to pick me up, and in the meantime i walked my bike an extra couple miles because i couldn't bear to just stand there.
The rest of the weekend was a gluttonfest and full of Rychlik family tomfoolery. It was my cousins wedding on Friday, so naturally we had to party Thursday, Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday.
My family is more fun than yours.
So now, i guess you could say it's back to the grind. I ate horribly, drank soda for the first time in probably at least 6 months, and enjoyed an alcoholic beverage or 10 with the family to celebrate the wedding.
Time to detox and get back to it.
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