Don’t give up don’t quit don’t do it…don’t give up don’t quit don’t do it

I went on an organized bike ride a couple weeks ago with a group of friends to Harrodsburg, Indiana.  I was wavering back and forth about going and the decision wasn’t made until 9:30pm on Friday night and I had to be a friend’s house by 8am the next morning.  I am so glad I made the decision to go.  This ride was a bit South of Bloomington and a bit North of Bedford.  Basically, hilly country.

There were three routes we could choose, hard, harder and almost impossible.  I chose to go on the route with the group….guess what they chose.  That is right, Almost Impossible.  Sigh! 

There were five of us on this epic adventure.  I didn’t know what to expect when we left the start area and I am sure that was a good thing.  I just thought it was going to be your average 30 mile bike ride.  Not so, as I quickly learned.  The first three miles were eye opening.  Horrible.  Terrible.  Hard.  I mean really really hard.   What I mean by hard was a constant up and down.  There were no flatland.  Just long uphill’s and exhilarating downhill’s.  But honestly, all I remember are the uphill’s.  Those are the rides where I wished I had a fancy GPS cycleometer and it could tell me my total ascent.  But I don’t have that cool toy yet so you just have to believe me when I say there was zero flatland.

After the first three miles I resigned myself to the remaining 27 hard miles.  I just kept pedaling up and down and up and down.  I had assumed that the group was going to drop me quickly as I am a slow hill climber.  Not so…I would always find them waiting patiently(??) for me at the bottom of  descents or the crest of a hill.  I was always happy to see them in the distance and have a reason to keep moving forward.

There was a very awesome downhill section that allowed me to get my bike to 36mph.  Seriously…36mph.  The adrenalin was so worth the tough ascents.  I loved it.  Flying down the road at my top speed and enjoying the wind in my face and the carefree attitude of someone who thinks she is invincible.  I know this isn’t true but I still feel that I am.  Emotions have no logic.

Soon after the awesome downhill section I found the first hill that made me want to quit and cry.  It wasn’t particularly steep but just long.  It went on forever.  I kept telling myself to pedal. Turn the crank.  Move my feet.  The little cheerleader in my head kept repeating: “You can do it.  You can do it.  You cannot quit and walk.  You can do it.”  And I did.  I made it up the hill and I was so excited.  Spent but happy to be done.

Somewhere after the start of the ride one of my companions discovered that there was no sag stops on this ride.  None!  I don’t think anyone was prepared for this to happen.  I forgot my water bottles and thankfully someone loaned me theirs.  I brought no food and I ate a small breakfast.  The lack of food was a real problem around mile 20.  My body wanted it and I had none to give it.  This is where things began to go wrong.

We got to a beautiful section of the ride that crossed the dam.  It was pretty and we got this picture.  We took a little reprieve with little knowledge of what was in our immediate future.  We turned a corner and discovered a mountain in front of us.  I am not making this up, it was a mountain.  I found out later that cycling groups use this hill as training and they call it the “alps”.  W.  I knew quickly that there was ZERO chance of me making it up this hill so I hopped off my bike and I started walking up.  Walking..walking…walking.  It kicked my ass to walk up this hill.  I was breathing hard and my heart rate was very elevated.  I think three of the five members were able to ride up the hill. Kudos to them as it was not my time.

The last 10 miles were a blur to me.  I just kept telling myself to keep going.  My body was so done.  But as I never saw one sag wagon the only way back to my car was on my bike.  So I kept going.  At one point E rode up next to me and started a conversation.  I was talking but breathing really hard.  Really I think I was gasping and it was a little hill by comparison but I was spent.  He looked at me and told me it was OK to take a break.  It never occurred to me to take my own break. I was always concerned that the group was waiting on me and I didn’t want to hold them up.  I took a little break and it helped.  The little hill didn’t feel nearly as tough when I gave my heart and legs a bit of a rest.

There was one other hill that I walked up.  I don’t think it would have been too tough on a normal day but I was d-u-n.  There wasn’t much left in me.  I just pushed the bike up the hill and rode it down.  Close to the end we passed by a gas station and we could smell fried chicken.  OMG…it sounded so good.  I wanted to go in and stuff my face but I refrained and we kept going to the end. 

We parked about a mile from the building so after we ate we still had to haul ourselves back to the car and damn, it was uphill.  Suck!  But I made it back.  It was a good but very challenging day.  I had never been on a ride of that type and it was nice to challenge myself.  It felt good to know what I am(was) capable of doing when I set my mind to it.