That's Gonna Hurt Tomorrow

For any of you who were worried, I did get the bike home from work the next day. Turns out that when I fell, I broke a rear spoke so it had to go to the shop. Seems like I should learn how to fix that and true up the wheel myself. The mechanic recommends replacing the rear wheel before too long.

Today was the Tour of the North Shore Half Century. My friend and I started early in a cold wind. It was about 50 degrees when we started. The ride is not what I would call a model of organization and parts were not well marked. One would think after doing this for 30 years, it would be old hat. We got off the route two or three times. I blame signage for that.

I did get through it for a total of 53 miles in 3:38:12. By no means fast. But, considering my level of conditioning, I am not complaining. The route took us along bike paths and suburban streets through some very affluent areas. So, there were nice houses to see along the way and the occasional glimpse of the lake. To see the route, look at the 30 and 50 mile maps here.

From about 18 to 23 miles, I was sure I would bonk. I ate a Powerbar and stayed hydrated on Powerbar fluid. I drank water at the rest stops. By the time we got to 30, I was feeling better and the last 20 were not too bad. Truth be told, I also relied on a potent cocktail of performance enhancing substances. First, I was legitimately on a 12-hour Sudafed to fight the end of a cold. This gives me a a buzz equivalent to a couple shots of espresso. Second, and more important, I was riding with a guy I know who rides a lot. That means that, as a male of the species, I was overcome by high dosage of testosterone and driven to keep up the pace. It helped that for a good chunk of the middle of the ride, we were joined by a guy who was at least ten years older than me and quite a bit faster. Finally, I swallowed a Gu pack at about the 30-mile mark.

All in all, I am glad I did it and relatively pleased with the result. I was hoping for closer to 3 hours, but given the weather and my level of training, I'll take it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
You're a nut.
May 16, 2005, 9:28:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Congratulations! By the end of the summer you'll be ready for a Century! Keep it up.
May 18, 2005, 6:43:00 PM
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