A second century

It's been awhile since I've written anything, guess I just haven't been in the mood. I figured I'd tell write about my second century though...

I was up at 5, showered, and looked out the window to see how bad the previous nights storms had left things. It was really wet, but not raining anymore. I headed downstairs and started loading up the truck with my bike and gear and was out by 6. The good news is, it was kind of warm, in the 60's.

I got there, checked in, got my number and some food in me, then headed to the start just before 7. We were off right on time and I was feeling good and started going a good pace, but about 4 miles in, the sky opened up and it rained for the next hour, down pours much of the time. I was soaked through in less than a minute, rooster tails flying overhead from riders in front of me. Oh well, I thought, this is what I was expecting. At least it was warm and not freezing my core. I had a long sleeve under-armor under my bike jersey, so that helped too.

I just kept riding, pounding away on the pedals, hitting the rest stop at 25 miles and feeling good, soaked but good. I fired back some food, refilled my water, and tucked a half of banana in my jersey pocket before heading back out again.Somewhere along this stretch, I tucked in with a group of about 15 riders who were setting a quick pace, I looked down to see we were doing a consistent 24-25 mph. I couldn't help thinking, this is great, we will be done in no time at this pace, it was easy spinning. That lasted for about 7 or 8 miles before I got dropped off the back like a bad habit. I just couldn't maintain that pace on a long up hill and lost the group. Things got quiet from there. I was riding alone for the run up to the next rest stop.

About 5 miles before the 48 mile rest stop, I take a left onto a short climb that goes up and to the right, FUCK, I remember what comes after this. At the top of that short climb, I take a left onto a long climb, I stand up and start hammering the pedals, gearing down as I'm losing power. Then my left leg cramps half way up, so I jump off and have to walk to the top, stretching my leg as I go. A few other riders pass me, making sure I'm ok before heading on, I wave and say thank you. At the top I remount and start going again in a lower gear, trying to loosen my muscle more. It's feeling better so I get up to pace again and end up catching the other riders just before the rest stop. Off the bike, top off fluids, get some food, and repeat.

At about the 53 mile mark, I'm asking myself, what the fuck am I doing. I'm hurting bad, the last series of hills has my thighs burning and the mental games start taking over, I'm feeling a failure at this, at my marriage, and probably parenthood to come, I'm never going to finish, I can't do anything right. Every hill feels like a mountain. The next 25 miles are quiet and lonely, not one other riders passes me, nor do I pass anyone. I'm struggling for every mile I gain. I keep looking at the GPS, the miles hardly move every time I look down. I tell myself not to look anymore, just ride until the next stop.

I hit the next rest stop, get some more water, stretch a bit and head out yet again. I'm still sore, but doing a bit better now. Its a quiet ride yet again, just county back roads. There are other riders here and there that I pass on this stretch, that helps my moral a bit too.

The last rest stop is with 15 miles to go, I get more water and just want to finish. My knee is hurting and my back is aching, but I just want to be done. I check my phone to let my wife know that I'm almost done so her and the little one can meet me there. I also have a message from a friend who is riding the 25 mile route, he says its a lot harder than he thought and I'm his new hero for doing 100. That makes me smile some.

I head out from the last rest stop, there are now some 50 mile riders on the route, so I'm passing others, not feeling so slow anymore. The last 3 miles is a series of up hills that take there toll on my legs, I'm not getting off, I power through, I need to just finish this. I swing around the back of the building where everything is staged, then to the left under the finish line with hundreds of volunteers cheering, I stop so they can take my number and my little girl comes running over, "Daddy, I missed you" she says as I picked her up. All the female volunteers around me are melting at this. I get off, walking with my daughter in my arms while my wife rolls my bike beside me. I did it. I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did it.

We walked down to the tent area, and found the team I was riding for. They all congratulated me and the woman in charge, after being shocked I was done already,  just kept apologizing for not getting me the right size team jersey. "The only guy on our team doing 100 miles and I screw up the size on him" she keeps saying. So after a light meal and a beer I rest my legs sitting there, just watching things go on around me, my daughter playing with some other kids, getting a balloon animal. My wife talking to friends. Other riders just finishing the day and happy to unwind. And I sit alone, under a tent in soaked shoes.