I layered pretty heavily for this morning's overcast and chilly ride, and I wore my new raincoat for the first time, just in case. I found out the wicking layer really does wick because it was fairly dry. But the fleece in between the wicking layer and the raincoat was wringably drenched!!! It was pretty funny to be wearing something that wet without a single drop of rain!
At precisely 6:18 this morning, I reached my magnificent millennial mile mark, 1,000 miles since March 10, the first day I rode this year. That accomplishment was dished out in exactly two months, with no riding two nights a week due to volunteer tutoring, no riding during THE storm and short rides on Sundays so I could attend church.
When I reached this marvelous milestone, I was six-tenths of a mile away from 78th Street, the closest landmark, which was joyously significant because I graduated from high school in 1978. I currently am the proud owner of 1,033.6 miles since I began training, and more than 2,000 miles since I bought my Marlin (Gary Fisher) in March of 2002. And you thought I put a lot of miles on my car...
I also found my first baby geese of the season this morning. Spring is on the way! Snow, too, but this is the Rockies. We expect it.
I attended the Ride the Rockies clinic last night to get an idea of what kind of people might be participating. (And boy was I ever surprised! But I�ll save that story for another day.) The evening actually turned out to be informative. One of the speakers (Ron Kiefel) is a former Tour de France racer and a stage winner in the Giro d'Italia. He shared a lot of great tips on stroke technique, breathing and even nutrition. They also had a professional racer who presented a hands-on demonstration of how to check every inch of your bike to make sure it's in premier performance condition. Also got to see a sample of the jersey; the jersey received a bigger standing ovation than the speakers. :)
For about the last week or so I've been feeling very healthy, positive, confident and almost ready. The third speaker, Paul Balaguer, last night re-ignited my subdued level of intimidation about the 102-mile day. He's done the entire route twice now (he's the paid ride director), and he said the 102-mile segment is perhaps the single hardest Ride the Rockies day ever (7,000-foot elevation gain).
But, I also talked this morning (finally!) to one of my co-workers who has done Ride the Rockies with his wife several times, and he surmised I'm probably in the top 20% percent as far as physical fitness is concerned, without any further training. (Okay, so I melted with enthusiasm...) I confessed I've been worried about the 102-mile day, and he suggested I do a couple of 120-mile days before the ride, which he said will make 102 miles seem like nothing. I told him I've been worried I might hate my bike by the end of the Ride, and he asked me how I feel right now. I told him I can't wait to get on my bike each day and I don't like days when I can't ride. He said that's exactly what is going to happen during Ride the Rockies, that I'm going to be addicted, and that I will be bummed at the end because it's over.
So, even though I got a little bit scared again last night, I think I can do this. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
bikemaster: jrnylst at att dot net
