I had two domestices lined up to ride with me and see to my every need. Well, Mitch had to bail due to working on Saturday. I guess the amount I was paying didn't offset what he'd lose. Oh yeah, I wasn't paying anything. Just the value of my wonderful personality.
So all the domestice responsibility fell on Barry. Lots of pressure to keep me happy and entertained on our 103 mile ride. Let's just say Barry was fired within the first 20 miles for almost missing several turns. But I kept him along for the entertainment value. Great guy to chat with for 6 hours. And all kidding aside I'm very thankful for his company and friendship.
The forecast looked kinda grim with rain coming in the afternoon. But true to form the idiots at Weather.com can't figure out what's going to happen. The weather was perfect...no complaints. We started out around 7:15am and the fog hadn't burnt off yet. Barry set the goal to be back in time for the free ice cream social. Early morning is a magical time to be riding as the sun is just rising and the fog is lifting. We were on quiet country roads so riding two abreast and never drafting was pretty easy. Also it allowed us to chat most of the day while keeping a good pace.
At mile 26 a guy jumped on our wheel and drafted until the next rest stop. I got to chatting with him and it turns out he was alone and planning to do his first century. His longest ride had been 50 miles so this was going to be a good challenge. I introduced myself and Barry. His name was Matt. But we soon changed it to Larry since if he was going to be with us we all had to rhyme...Sheri, Barry and Larry. He was game to go along with being called Larry the rest of the day, so I knew he was a keeper.
I explained to our new pal, Larry that I was training for a race and that if he could hang onto our wheels he was welcome to draft and ride with us. He was all over that and texted his wife that God sent him Sheri and Barry to make it through his century. How sweet and no pressure now!
I noticed Larry wasn't eating or drinking much at the rest stops. I gave him some tips on nutrition and hydration, made him eat a banana and I put one in my jersey pocket "just in case."
This ride meanders through Amish farmland and they know 1600 cyclists will be passing by. So each year they get up at 430am, bake fresh goodies and set up stands in their front yards to sell yummy treats and lemonade. About mile 80 we pulled over at one farm offering root beer floats which sounded like heaven and we needed a saddle break. Note to self...contact management at MI Titanium race and ask if they will have a root beer float stand available during the 112 race. They should be receptive to the idea, right?
Larry was kind enough to buy us root beer floats as a thank you for letting him draft all day. We sat down in the shade and he picked a spot away from us. I kept yelling "Larry" to get him to come over and meet some of the other club riders we ran into. He ignored my calls. Then I remember his real name was Matt. Yep, he responded when I yelled "Matt." I still laugh at the fact that Barry and I kept forgetting his name was really Matt. He'll always be Larry to us.
I offered the banana to Larry that I had from the last rest stop. Not sure why but in the back of my head I was worried he'd cramp. He refused so I ate it thinking we only had 20 miles to go and there was another rest stop 2 miles down the road where I could get another banana to take with.
We took off again and looking forward to the watermelon rest stop just 2 miles. Well they forgot to mark the turn and the majority of riders missed the stop. So now most people haven't had water refills since mile 60 and no more official rest stops until the end.
As we continued on our way two more guys hopped on our wheels. I guess one guy was struggling to stay on and all of a sudden I hear behind me a lot of noise and a dull thud. I look back and one of the guys is nowhere to be seen. I yelled to stop because the guy had ridden off the road into the ditch filled with vegetation...nice soft landing. All of a sudden he comes climbing out and raises his hands shouting "I'm okay". So we continued on and left him with his friend...Larry still in tow.
Mile 90, Larry disappears after we make a turn. We thought he dropped back to ride with a group we passed. Mile 95, Barry, my fired domostice, runs out of water since we missed the rest stop. So we stopped at another Amish farm that was selling fresh baked woopie pies and free water. We waited for Larry as we had to finish the century with him. About 15 minutes later Larry pulls in covered with salt stains on his jersey and shorts. Anyone that rides knows that's a very bad sign. Seems he cramped at mile 90 and that's why he dropped back. He was contemplating giving up but we would hear nothing of it. We only had 5 miles to go. So we got him hydrated and fed. Feeling better, Barry, Larry and Sheri took off.
A mile or two down the road he cramped again. He waved us off and said just go and we'd see each other at the finish. Larry came in about 15 minutes after we did. He was giddy with excitement for finishing his very first century. I was thrilled that we could be a part of it as I know how it felt when I did my first one so many years ago. It's an unbelievable sense of accomplishment.
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| Larry, Me, Barry (not pictured...Matt) |
I was very happy with my own ride, the 103 miles really passed by quick and fairly easily. I honestly don't know if I'm more excited for Larry finishing his first century or that I did well on this ride with something left in the tank. It really gives me a good idea on how much I can push it come race day. Because then I want nothing left in the tank when I cross the finish line. Leave it all out on the road.
Final Stats:
- 103 miles
- 17 mph avg (no drafting)
- 6 hrs 03 min bike time
- approx 2,500 feet of climb
- 3,046 calories burned (no guilt having the root beer float)
- 207 extreme Strava Suffer Score (honestly didn't feel like it)
- Helping Larry finish his first century - priceless
Today Barry and I did an easy 36 miles. My sore butt just wanted to be off the bike. It was a beautiful day and we really struggled to shorten our planned 47 mile route. But it was best to cut it short. The last rest stop was serving watermelon...huge Paul Bunion size slices. Hmmm, you think they have tons of it left from yesterday when no on showed at the rest stop they forgot to mark?
Looking forward to swimming tomorrow at Lake Zurich and just using some different muscles. Feeling good about my training and hoping to peak come race day. 21 days and counting.
Enjoy the ride....I certainly did,
Sheri
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