“Please be in shape for this event. If you cannot complete a moderately hilly century in 7-8 hours, you'll struggle finishing this ride within the time limit. An "I can do it" attitude is a wonderful plus, but only if you're already conditioned for this type of challenge.”
As I placed the stamp onto my application for the ride I knew those words would come back and haunt me! But I needed to get a long ride in and time in the saddle, having been injured then busy doing marathons my Cannondale had sat silently in the garage wondering when it was going to break free!!
Heartbreak before I knew it was here, it was 5.15am Saturday morning, very windy and cold, brrrr this is desert and it was brutal! Not many riders had signed up for this challenge but I felt I could finish it in a moderate time.
As I set off in the early morning, I was frozen! All I could think about was finishing!! And raising $1,400 for the Avon Crusade against Breast Cancer; the first 50 miles are spent trying to acclimate to the air chill, enough early morning light to see well, and before I knew it we were climbing the first grade.
At mile 30 there is a brief check point and I have already cycled past Lake Hughes & Elizabeth Lake while most folks are still sleeping!! I tried to stay behind a group of cyclists who seemed to be doing a fair pace. Climbing Gorman pass to Lebec there was a nice little bit of wind! My quads were burning but I knew I was close to Checkpoint 2 were I had hoped to arrive earlier and have century riders for company!
I actually felt good, not a good sign! I refilled my bottles with fresh water and Perpetuem, it was going to get warmer and there was quite a bit of climbing. I started cranking over the pedals, and managed to get into a rhythm I had done this century ride several times and had hoped to see lots of the century riders to have company but my lack of conditioning had taken me to do 50 miles longer than I had hoped for and I would spend the whole day trying to catch a century rider!!
On leaving Lebec, and climbing to Tejon pass, I have to say although this route is challenging it is really beautiful, little traffic and dramatic views the next 30 miles were climbing, but views were spectacular! The little relief that was earned by steep wynding down hills where short lived as up hills seemed to greet each descent! I was in the high desert of Mt Pinos, I seriously wondered if I would see check point 3!! Surrounded by Alpine forest I finally see the fuelling station, it is here I see Frank and Paul, two veterans of Double centuries giving back to the sport as roving SAG.
The next section of cycling is in my opinion the best part of the whole ride as I cycle away from Apache Saddle I am rewarded with 20 miles of riding through Los Padres National Forest, just me and a road no traffic, smog, people and for that matter other cyclists!! I soak in the view, gosh I am so lucky!
It was like being in the Grand Canyon! Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and soon I was leaving this road less travelled and a second wind I was speeding along to the half way point!! I was happy to have 103 miles done but there was not many cyclists at this stop… they were all ahead!! Gosh, well the weather was great and I applied Ocean Potion suncare and refilled my Hammer Nutrition bottles, I chatted to two other cyclists and joined them for the next 30 miles of cycling.
Climbing Heartbreak really is not that difficult after doing all the other climbs that day and I knew the aid station was always well manned at this stop. From then on the next section is rolling hills, I started to feel tired!! And it was all I could do to keep on turning the cranks! When I saw mile 155 I was like Yeah!! Only 50 more to go I was tired but felt it would be a piece of cake the last few miles!! Little did I know that I would have a serious melt down!!
I called my husband AL to let him know I was on the final leg of my all day adventure on the bike! I felt a little tired and would have appreciated a padded saddle at this point but I was so close to finishing! And then it hit, 3 more climbs! I was barely moving on the second one at 4 miles an hour I seriously questioned my sanity, at mile 180 there is the 7th and final aid station called Three Points Road and here I made the biggest goof of the day, I went for hot chocolate and believe me I know better, it was getting cool the evening and soon the night would settle in, I am told there is one more big climb then all downhill, I set off renewed darkness creeps in and I am so tired I cannot remember how to get my light to work, luckily The roving SAG aka Frank the cycling guy was there just as I was about to quit, and soon I was turning the cranks, I began to sweat and gag, I felt AWFUL!! Other cyclists started to pass me, I finally stopped less than 10 miles to go, I start to puke up Hot Chocolate, with that out of my system I put in fresh cold water and a little hammer gel. I cannot quit I am told I will soon see City lights!
I roll down the road ahead is the sign I am waiting for, my total time including rest stops is 16 hours and 30 minutes!! Goodness! I felt I had just finished a 400 mile ride!! I sign in and am given a high 5 and offered a chocolate brownie! Which is the last thing I could possibly have swallowed; I opt for some good Hammer Recoverite before heading home.
I do want to say a HUGE thank you to Frank Neal for his roving SAG support as well as the companies that help me, Hammer Nutrition, Cannondale, Williams Wheels, Serfas, Profile-Design, Rudy Project, Ocean Potion, Polar Monitors as well as the money AVON contributes to the Crusade against Breast Cancer.
It was a long day! And having a little training under my belt would have made it a lot pleasanter! Having a great husband who thought about getting my favorite food pizza was the icing on the cake!
