hen you sign up for an Ironman, people who have done one will tell you many things. They tell you about the training. How much time it takes and how difficult it is. They tell you about the food. How much you get to eat and how much you still thinkyou can eat after the training program is over.
But they never tell you about the wet.
Some days, I feel like I haven't been dry once.
I wake up and go for a swim.
Shower and put my hair in a ponytail for work
After work, I re-do my ponytail for the evening's workout and my hair is still wet.
During my evening workout, I'm dripping with sweat.
When I'm done, I shower again and head to bed.
With wet hair.
This past Sunday I rode 114 miles, my longest ride ever. I was out there for just over 7 hours. This included stops for water, flats, and sanity.
I had to get a "wing" on the back of my bike to hold 2 additional water bottles to accommodate my fluid requirement of 24-29 oz per hour. With the wing, I am now able to carry up to 96 oz of fluid on my bike, enough for 3 1/2 - 4 hours.
I don't really know what to say to describe 114 miles except except that it is longer that I would have ever imagined.
The idea was pretty simple; two 56-mile loops down in League City, rolling out from the YMCA at 6:30am. Several people from OnUrLeft showed up, including birthday girl Karen.
After a few easy miles through the neighborhoods we were averaging about 21mph along a main route out of town. That's when we hear a pop and a soft hiss, as Karen's tire rolls flat. She pulls over to change it and I loop back to help. We are quickly moving again. Luckily that was our only flat for the day.
Around mile 30, the SAG vehicle rolls up next to us. He has picked up Herman, who was viciously run down and attached by a Chihuahua, knocking him from his bike and resulting in some pretty nasty road rash.
The last 7 miles of the first loop were moderately difficult. We had a head-wind wiring against us, and I was anxious to get back to the car, which had a cooler stocked with the second round of bottles and ice. But we eventually rolled back into the YMCA.
Once at the car, I rubbed my arms, neck and face with ice until I was thoroughly soaked. I switched out my bottles for 4 new ones and we headed back out for our second loop.
As we headed back out the sky became overcast, and it was no surprise when the skies opened up on us around mile 65. It was a day for firsts, as I had never ridden in the rain before. The rain was quite spotty in actuality and cleared up pretty quickly, but not before I was sprayed with road grit and grime.
My watched beeps every 5 miles. It helps me know how I am doing on my pace, as well as reminds me to eat and drink. I was surprised how quickly the first 80 miles went by. Although, since many of my rides over the past few weeks have been outside, it make since that the time passed quicker than I am used to.
I have never ridden more than 82 miles outdoors, or spent more than 5 hours on a trainer.
I had entered uncharted territory.
When you do the math, 32 miles doesn't seem like a lot. But not all miles are created equal, especially when they are on the tail-end of your ride.
32 miles can (and did) seem like an eternity. But you are out there, and the quickest way home is to ride.
At mile 90, Karen and I stopped to stretch. We debated about stopping again at the last rest stop. As much as we wanted to ride straight in, we knew that it was going to be really tough to not stop again, especially since we were both almost out of fluids.
The only thing that got me through the next few miles of the ride was the crosswind from the ocean that kept us cool.
I knew that the gas station was there before I ever saw it. I kept saying, "it just has to be" as we rode towards the intersection. And like a desert mirage that finally comes true, it was there!
I stood just inside the doorway of the gas station for a moment taking in the A/C. Yes, I know I shouldn't have done this, but oh well. I bought a bottle of Gatorade and headed back outside. SAG was awesome and had jugs of water for us to fill our bottles before we set off for the final 12 miles of the ride.
These 12 miles we the absolute longest, most punishing miles of my life, but they held so much growth.
We were again faxed with a head-wind on our way back in. But it was now past noon and the winds had really picked up. And they were no longer the cool ocean breezes from earlier. I can't even say that the winds were all that strong, except that they really just messed with my head.
There was a point where I sat up in my aero-bars and yelled at my legs to keep moving. It wasn't even that I was physically tired. I just knew that if the wind won for even a moment and my peddling paused, I wouldn't be able to start again.
A few miles later I finally turned into the neighborhood and the headwind turned into a crosswind. My face got hot and I cried for a moment as the defeat I had been feeling just minutes before became accomplishment. Yes, I still had 3 miles left but I was going to make it!!
I felt exhausted as I rolled into the parking lot of the YMCA. But by the time I was off my bike, I felt pretty OK. I can't deny that I was sore but I still had energy left to burn. Good thing too, because in about 14 weeks, I'll need that energy to run the marathon afterwards!
When I got home, I took one of the best showers ever and laid down on the sofa.
My hair was still wet...
Weekly Summary
Swim - 2400 yds; 1 hour
Bike - 150 miles; 9.5 hours
Run - 30 miles; 2.5 hours
Total: 13 hours
