137.38 Miles Of Ouch

I got in a really long ride yesterday, it wasn't what I would describe as fun....in fact it was a struggle. I didn't get to start until about 10:45 a.m. but I headed out on my road bike and did the ride to Roads which is 64 miles round trip. This is the same ride that Coach took me on when it was blowing about 1000 mph. I should have run both bottles dry by mile 45 but I nursed them the whole way back to town. Heading North on Hwy F wasn't as much fun as the day I rode with Coach because we had a monster tailwind that day and I had a very slight headwind yesterday. In fact the only things missing that day on that coaster was a lap bar, a chicken exit, and a small child blowing chunks over the rail after exiting the ride. Those are some fun downhills but not the best I have ridden, that would have to be the downhill on one of the horse trails at North Poosey......if that hill doesn't make your butthole pucker, I don't know what will.

After hydrating and eating a small snack I headed out for a round trip to Jamesport, I nearly emptied both bottles by the time I got there on this trip. I stopped at the grocery store there and purchased a gallon of water, I filled both bottles and drank a lot out of the container and then enjoyed pouring a lot over my head. The start of this ride was very painful and slow but after the stop in Jamesport the ride back home was better....not great but better. The 190 alps were taking there toll on my already tired legs but I pushed on. I did catch myself coasting often to stretch my legs, back, and to give my rear a breather. When I got home I drank some recoverite and ate a small grilled chicken sandwich and realized that I had time to get some more riding in, I was at 114 miles by this point. I loaded up my bottles and grabbed a gel and my endurolytes and headed out to ride the loop.

The loop started out fairly well and then I hit a wall, starting the long gradual climb shortly after Brent's house my right hamstring (which had been getting tender) started to lock up on me. I pulled out 2 endurolytes and bit them open and let the powder totally dry up my mouth (Yummm) and then washed it down with water, within about 5 seconds the muscle started to relax. It didn't fix it for the whole ride, I still had to baby it on the climbs but I was able to pedal. Just before crossing the bridge I took off my glasses, all of a sudden it felt like I was riding a really small bike. It almost felt like I could reach out and touch the ground, it was really weird....I didn't like that feeling. My total moving time on the bike was 7 hr 44 min.