Okay, I haven't blogged in FOREVER!!! Shame on me, truth be told, I have completely forgotten! I have raced in a couple of events, I believe I wrote about the Sweetheart 8k and the 3 Miler. Since then I did the Ukrops 10K. Bad experience with the food we ate the night before or I had a mild stomach bug. I actually had to hit the loo on the race course, but I was still kind of happy with my 55 minute finish. If I didn't have to stop, I can guarantee it would have been 54 minutes, just wait until next year, I plan on a 52 minute finish. I know I can do it, so I look forward to the opportunity.
Next race was the Muddy Buddy. My husband and I, team Married With Children, came in a very respectable 4th. We actually were on the podium, and got a medal, very cool experience for me. I have only placed one other time when I came in second. I held us back though, my running was slower then I was happy with, so next year we can only do better right??? It was fun too because we had a bunch of friends racing with us. I think I race because I like the company we keep from it.
Today I did the Cap to Cap 1/2 Century. You could choose 25, 50 or 100 mile distances. My husband did the full Century. He was a beast. He finished that ride in 6 hours. Mine, the Half Century, I finished in around 3. It was pretty cool...Let me rewind and say I have only ridden on the road once or twice in the last long while. I have been on the trainer though several times a week, and it obviously has been a decent enough substitute.
I had the pleasure of riding with a friend for the first 12 miles, she has a nagging leg injury so she sort of slowed some for the rest of the ride because it was bothering her. I paced myself around 18 miles an hour while I was riding alone. I did try and pace line with other people. I realized as I rode that my real talent is on the hills. I passed more people powering up hills, and there were some doozies today, then I did on the flats. I stayed in my big ring the whole ride too, that pleased me no end. Before I was a middle ring girl using my Granny ring to get up hills, not so anymore. My legs were pumping like mad, but I was getting mad results in return, not just getting tired!
The ride had 3 rest/food/hydration stops. They we divine, the water was icy cold, the Powerade too, and there was a great assortment of energy enhancing snacks. I took advantage of each stop because I was a little nervous never having ridden that far. I wanted to make sure I had some gas left in the tank to finish the race so to speak. I definitely was not disappointed. Good strategy on my part, I finished my race today pacing behind two gentlemen sporting Capital Ale House cycling jerseys. I kept blowing past them on the hills and they'd pass me on the flat. Then I would stay on the last person's rear tire and pace with them. There was a pretty wicked head wind we were riding in to at the end. I joked with my husband saying I felt like Marcel Marceau riding up hill in the wind. I was moving, but I wasn't getting anywhere. But I did eventually get somewhere, and that was the end of my 50 miles, it wound up being 52 or so by the time I was done. I had visions of beer jerseys dancing in my head, and when all was said and done, I had visions of doing the ride again next year as I sat with a beer in my hand.
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