After the 300 ride this one was supposed to be a walk in the park. Instead, it turned out to be the hardest ride I ever did. Seriously.
The route was not too bad, a bit hilly but not excessively so (1740 m of ascend).
The starting point was within cycling distance from home, so I didn’t have to do any driving, bike loading and the other early morning preparations. It started quite nicely with a cool breeze and a few friendly participants – maybe 30 overall. Unlike previous rides, I found myself in total isolation at the very far back within minutes from the start. I also managed to lose my way after just few Km, so I was certainly and truly on my own. Following my trusted GPS I recovered the correct route, but I have not seen any of the other riders again.
The day started to heat up, and I was drinking and drinking large amounts of water. However much I drank – it didn’t seem to be enough. As hours passed by, I became very hot, very tired and very sore. My knee started to play up again – not very badly – but painful it was. I managed to fall off my bike about three times – none of them of any long lasting effects, as I was nearly stationary at the time (which is just more humiliating than hurting).
At the first control, which was a river side cafe that was so hard to find I had to ask around where the hack it is (again – first time it happened to me), I was expecting some people to greet me and stamp my brevet card. There was no one. I checked and searched – nothing. So I just bout a diet coke and asked for the receipt. I was sure that the control people just did not want to hang about and wait for me – although the time was not yet over the limit. Only at the other control I learned that actually nobody was supposed to be there anyway. Again – another first …
When I entered the last control (a BP station) I knew that I don’t need o expect anyone – and that a receipt is all I need. But by then I was so apprehensive about the potential for lack of fluid that I bought:
1.5 liter bottle of water (to pour immediately into my standard water bottles)
0.5 liters bottle of water (to keep cold for later)
0.5 liter of milkshake – drink immediately
2 bottles of diet coke – 0.5 liter each
Clearly an overkill when all I had left by then were a mere 40 Km ride – but I wasn’t acting very rationally.
I think by the end of the ride I finished the milkshake, one diet coke, the 0.5 liter bottle and maybe another liter from my usual drinking bottles. I was thirsty – no two ways about that.
I got to the last control (ARIVEE) with maybe 20 minutes to spare. My worst performance ever. I then made my way home and probably took about 20 minutes to cover the 4 km or so – quite pathetic. Wife understandably worried and me very – very tired.
I did not ride to work for two days. I had no problem riding to work after any of the previous long rides. I am going on Thursday fort a complete bike fitting exercise, which will take 2 hours and for which I am taking half a day off. I am putting a lot of faith in this exercise as I clearly will not be able to ride longer distances suffering as I do. The shop uses the Specialized Body Geometry system and I read good reviews about it. We’ll see what it will do for me.