Sunday, July 13, 2008

Questions you ponder while sitting on your bike for 50 miles

Why must all sporting events require me to get up at 5:30 in the morning? No matter how far the distance, or what sport is involved, I always end up getting up at 5:30 in the morning. That kinda sucks.

Why don't roadies wear camelbacks? Where do they keep their tissues, and snacks and bandaids, and packs of gummi bears and cameras and cell phones and...


Speaking of which, I packed entirely too much crap for a fifty mile ride. Why does fifty miles register as "epic bike tour around the world" in my brain. Next time I'll just pack some panniers.

What are you suppose to drink when your sick of gatorade and water but you must drink SOMETHING? Sigh.


I liked the powerstops. They had lots of food. Lots and lots of food. Take note Ales and Trails and Mermaid Triathlon. Bicyclists are hungry people.






A girl rode passed me and pointed at my Velo Bella lycra shorts and said "I know those shorts! Did you get them on ebay?" I thought about that for a good five miles. Why would she think I got them on ebay? Is this some kind of Velo Bella inside joke? Or a test of my true velobellaship? And do people sell bike shorts on ebay? Because if so then...eww!


It was a long day. I got to the ride start this morning and the screw fell out of my shoe.

I got to the start corral and ended up being one of the last people to start my ride because I was waiting for Brian ,who although said he was at the back of the pack, MYSTERIOUSLY ended up in front of me on the road.

Fifty miles is a long time to sit on a road bike. There were two hills. The first hill was harder, but the second one was longer. Generally I don't like hills, but for some reason I kind of enjoyed the climbing. I was very slow, but I just kept pedaling and in some very weird, masochistic way it felt good.



It got hot. When we stopped at the forty miles rest station I felt like crap. My legs felt fine, but my stomach was "oogy", and I couldn't cool down. It took three bags of ice, a cup of gummy bears, two cups of water and half of a banana to set things right.



The last ten miles should have been a sweeping victory into the finish line. Instead it felt like a crappy bike commute to work. Start, stop, start, stop, start, stop....we hit EVERY SINGLE RED LIGHT from White Road to First Street. And I apologize to anyone who lives in San Jose, but it's crap. I lived in that neighborhood for 8 years, and it's a ghetto. Certainly not the inspiring scenery I wanted to end my first 50 mile bike ride with. Note to Lance-next year do the 50 miles route the opposite direction.


Brian asked me if I would do the ride again next year...I most sincerely hope I won't have a need to. Go Susan, WIN!






1 comment:

Lorri Lee Lown -- velogirl said...

congratulations, E!