Somehow, I got it in my head that I was going to try to do a 30-mile bike ride before my 30th birthday. I realize that in the world of bicycling, this is not a big deal. But I have never managed to ride this far/long and wanted to see if I could make it.
So I signed up for The Great Green America Fest's metric century, and checked the box for 30 miles instead of 12.
Silly me.
As I drove east on the turnpike way too early for a Sunday morning, I told myself I could switch to the 12-mile ride at the registration table.
When I climbed the first hill, I told myself I could still turn around and do the shorter ride. I even fantasized about getting a flat tire so I could call the SAG support to come haul me back to the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, where the ride started.
Then I started telling myself that if I could just get to the first water stop (13 miles) I could tell the folks there I was calling it quits.
After 13 miles, I thought, hey, I'm almost halfway. But then I focused on the ALMOST and had to fight to push that out of my mind, replacing it with: Just go 13 more miles -- you can do 13, because you just did. Then you'll be at the last rest stop and it's only a bit more from there.
I felt pretty good by the last rest stop. But then the road went vertical on me near the Mount Gretna resort and my bike would not go anymore. I had to get off and walk it a bit -- for the third time that day. This made me feel like I was cheating. Darn rolling hills of Pennsylvania that seem to always go up and never down!
But I made it.
30.99 miles, to be exact, according to the computer on my bike.
I'm tired....
Congratulations!! That's awesome. I bet you felt great afterwards.
WOW! I'm so proud of you.
Felicidades
There's no kind of about it. Way to go!