Awesome Tim!!!! Recovery ride Monday?? kp My short report: winds kept me from "chicking" David. :) I came in at 2:34 (and I didn't have to run after-thank goodness!). That gave me the fastest ladies' relay bike leg and the 4th fastest relay bike leg overall. My ladies team won the ladies relay division. My husband did his first sprint tri the next day and came in 9th out of 14 in the Master's Novice division. I'm so proud of him! (He would've done much better if he hadn't spent 9 minutes in the transition area. I think he stopped for coffee. Ha! He actually got stuck in his wetsuit; big feet. :) ) kp --- On Sun, 5/9/10, Tim & Susan <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Tim & Susan <[email protected]> Subject: [COWs] 400K Ride Report!!! To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, May 9, 2010, 10:15 AM I get to the meeting place in Morrisville at 5:30 Sat. morning. I park beneath a flag pole and the old red, white and blue is already standing at full salute. Wonderful! 36 riders leave out at 6:00, well 35 riders, John O. (Joe Cool) is at McDonalds chilling. First control is 50 miles and there is still about 20 riders in the peloton. From there it's packs of 3 or 4 to a group. Stiff SW headwind for the first 125 miles. There is nothing you can do about it so you just keep on trucking. Lunch stop in Seagrove at mile 95. The lead group is still there when I arrive so I eat quickly so that I can stay close. Then on through the Uwharrie National Forest. John and I pre rode this section with others a few weeks ago so I know what's in store. Flint Hill came at mile 108. 18% grade, sucking on my last gear. Mile 125 is the turn around as this is an out and back. Lead group of 7 are starting to head back as I arrive so another quick stop for me as I try to stay in contact with them. For several miles I pass other riders heading down towards the turn around. Everyone is riding solo as the distance, wind and hills make drafting a little difficult. There goes John making his way through the field. So back to Flint Hill, this time at mile 140. Last gear again. Continuously on/off the saddle, completely wasted at the top. Then it dawns on me that I still have 110 miles to go. My sanity is hanging on by a thread and a little bit of doubt creeps in as well as I check the garmin realizing there are still almost 6000 climbing feet left on the table as well. Back in Seagrove another quick bite to eat as the guys and gal out front are already half finished. The cashier wants to know why I'm doing this. Making money? Raising Money? At this stage of the game I simply said "I don't know"! It was the best answer I had. The lead group is dwindling. Captain Mike D. and 3 others out front and I again dangle off the back. We have more favorable winds on the return but the direction is shifting, and the heat has taken a toll as well. Next stop a fellow cyclist has set us up with pizza. Sweet! At mile 200 we have our last mandatory control stop. Sunset is near so we rig up our lights for the last leg. A few riders set a goal on 400k rides to finish before midnight and so far we are ahead of schedule. My goal now is to stay up front as long as I can so that I can finish before the stroke of midnight. At mile 225 I watch the front 4 ride away as I slow my pace knowing without mishap I'd meet my goal. I stop and make some adjustments to the bike, do a little visual stargazing, phone home as I haven't made time for that the entire ride and enjoy the solitude for the last 25 miles. The route isn't marked but we all have cue sheets so I make double sure and note the mileage to all the turns as I don't need to miss any turns now. Al is the organizer and the ride officially ends at his house. I pull in at 11:45pm, he and Mike D. are on the porch with refreshments. I sign in and socialize with them a bit just to see who else pops in before midnight, but no one shows. Mike and I head home. To stay awake on the ride home I contemplate my goals for the 600K in two weeks. Awesome! Susan makes Pillsbury cinnamon rolls for breakfast to get the blood flowing again. I consult my garmin and to replenish calorie count from yesterdays ride I can have 130 of these things and a couple gallons of milk. I stop at 4 but the day is still young! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CyclistsOfWilson-COWs" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cyclistsofwilson-cows?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CyclistsOfWilson-COWs" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cyclistsofwilson-cows?hl=en.
