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Today’s ride was a bit intimidating on paper. It was 99 miles with three uphill inclines. There were only 4 climbs, but the last climb was punchy at mile 97 running through to mile 99 after a long day.
What was on paper, however, and what happened in real life were two different days. I started the day with a walk to the local Starbucks at 4:50 am. Given the plethora of bad coffee consumed along the way, a decent latte, some egg bites and some oatmeal seemed pretty near perfect.
I enjoyed a second breakfast at the local cafe which included two eggs scrambled and an English muffin. One of my goals today was to keep my stomach in order towards the end of the day. Starting out with food it was used to was the way to kick things off in the right direction.
We rolled out of town with temperatures in the mid-70s and light drizzle. The forecast for the day seemed to be temperatures in the mid-70s peaking out in the low-80s with overcast skies and likely some rain. This would be a very different experience than the 95 degree plus temperatures of the previous days.
With the cooler temperatures, there is always the temptation to go out too fast because you feel good. I resisted that urge today and set myself a second goal of a very comfortable pace through the entire day. I rode out in the pace line and ensured, throughout the day, that I would keep to my own pace regardless of what the line was doing. We started out sharing the pulling with each of us taking a mile in the front and keeping the pace at roughly 15 – 15.5 miles per hour. This was a reasonable and manageable pace.
We quickly hit the first climb and I ensured that I kept my gears low and spun up the relatively short climb. We had a nice downhill and then the same pattern on the second incline and the second climb. Our first break was mile 20 after the second incline. I was feeling good and ate a banana as well as a half peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
We rode on to the next stop around mile 35. I ensured I stuck with my pb&j regimen and consumed a second half at this stop.
We continued on to the next stop at mile 55 which would be lunch and had some considerable inclines to overcome before arriving. We had a delicious taco table set up for us. I resisted the urge to stuff myself with yummy tacos and instead stuck with a tortilla, plain rice and some chicken, and – of course – a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also resisted the urge to consume any sparkling water which I believe was also contributing to the stomach discomfort. After our yummy meal, we continued our ride arriving at our third climb of the day around mile 66. This was a fairly juicy 3-mile climb, but I continued to feel really good as we made our way up the roughly 3.5% grade with a few steep spots along the way.
We had a stop waiting for us at mile 76 and as I hopped off my bike, I asked for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But, alas, the pb&j was in the other van. No worries. I had a small Kate’s granola snack which was as close as I could get to something I think would help me through the last 25 miles. I ate it and we went out on our way.
My theory was accurate. My stomach held out today without the fizzy soda and keeping it simple with the pb&j. I threw back a few of my gummies that I keep in a bag in my jersey to get me through the last five to ten miles including the two-mile climb.
Aside from the eating, I’d watched my pace through the ride and ensured that I was keeping things low on the resistance scale in order to make it through the day. I didn’t need to worry about time. It was about keeping my legs comfortable and ensuring I had a match or two to light for the last 2 mile climb at the end.
We made our way across the border into Idaho and had a little over four miles left to ride. We made our way along the two mile route that would take us to the final two mile climb to the hotel. We turned the corner at one point and started climbing. Sadly, I knew that there was a steep portion ahead. I was very please, however, that I felt comfortable and strong through the climb in spite of having ridden 97 miles already. When we hit the steeper portion, I still felt strong – tired, but strong.
My day had turned out to be the day I had hoped for. The thing out of my control – the weather – turned out beautifully even with the downpour on us as we arrived into Lewiston. Handwashing my kit showed me how much we had been splashed as I looked at the dirt left in the tub following the cleaning.
For the things I could control – my pacing, my hydration, my fueling – they all worked out exceptionally well. They worked so well, that I even rode 400 yards in the parking lot to round up the ride from 99.75 miles to a cool even 100 miles making it a legit century ride.
The day left me with a boost of confidence for tomorrow and what lies ahead. Not every day will be a great one, but I will take and appreciate those that are presented to me anytime.
