Broke the 100 Mile Barrier for the first time ...  113.47 Miles!

After a couple of failed attempts at breaking the 100 mile barrier, I cruised through this key benchmark with no real issues. The final number of miles was 113.47, completed in 7 hrs and 37 minutes, burning 8620 calories, and with average speed at 14.9 mph. This speed includes breaks which pulls the number down. Taking out break times totaling about 40 minutes, brings my average speed to about 16.30 mph (average mile about 3.675 minutes). I didn't break any speed records, but I was happy with the outcome.

 

At the start of the day, my goal was not only to break 100, but to do at least 107 miles. This number is significant to me since it represents the longest day ride on my schedule. With just over 2 weeks before I leave, accomplishing a ride of this length prior to getting on the plane was more than important, it was vital. I had to know what the distance and the work to get through that kind of workout felt like. And for mental purposes, I wanted to be able to say to myself when I get up in the morning of June 10th in Quincy, Illinois ... 'I have done this before... no problem. Have fun.'  For me, having  'Been there, done that', takes a huge mental load off and I'm hoping that it keeps me from falling mentally apart on the road. Most great athletes will say that your mind will quit long before your body does. Of course I don't include myself in the company of these sports icons, but in my experience, they have it exactly right.  

 

The reason why I pushed myself to 113+ miles wasn't because I accidentally went too far out. Rather, it was because I wanted to shatter the 107 level for the added bonus of not only being able to say, 'Been there, done that...', but also to confidently utter the words to myself, 'You have done more than this.. no problem!'. It's a subtle difference in print, but it is a huge difference when you're bearing down on your last 20 miles and trying to keep your mind from falling apart.

I mentioned that I had no issue crossing the 100 mile mark. This was true, however, the last 13+miles were some of the most difficult that I have pedaled. The top half of my right foot went completely numb and was painful. I stopped twice to walk in my socks on the side of the road just to make sure I wasn't doing any damage. Apparently, this is very common for ultra distance bikers, so I was happy that the numbing sensation subsided very quickly. Also, despite having fueled well, my body simply didn't have much more to give in those last miles. I could feel every turn of the crank and home seemed very far away. I had hydrated well at mile 103, but it didn't seem to make much difference. It was clear at this point, that every remaining mile would be a test of mental grit and endurance.

 

Personally, I like pushing through the limits. It's pure adrenalin when I challenge myself to do things that I didn't know I was capable of. It's the stuff that makes me feel like my mind and body are in sync and I'm not living in the usual, where conscious thought lags far behind actions and 'hindsight 20/20' is the rule. The feeling of being forced to make a decision to quit or cross over to the unknown, sitting right on the edge where only what I do matters, drives me harder.  I have seen plenty of risk in business, and a good day at the office can give me a real rush, but there's nothing that I know of that is equivalent to when I'm being pushed physically to the absolute limit. This is where my body is begging to quit, but my mind is reaching down deep to pull whatever that 'stuff' is. Grit, determination, will power ...  I'm not sure of the right words, but I'm talking about the stuff that makes me turn that pedal one more time. There is no planning or weighing alternatives, I am forced to make the decision right then and there to stop or achieve my goal. To further bait me, my cell phone is only three feet from my hand at all times and help is only minutes away. It would be so easy to call home. For me, if I make that call, it is failure, and so I pedal on.

At about 6 miles from home, my back, legs and feet were aching to the point that I found myself starting to dedicate real thought to all the ways that I could rationalize calling JoAnn to pick me up. Some of the thoughts were, 'You did the 100! You did the 107!, it's okay to go home...'. I got mad at myself but can see how my brain was now starting to work on me. I quickly talked myself out of that and knew that there was no way, even if I had to walk, that I was going to take a ride. I downshifted and coasted where I could, but the last 5 miles have a lot of climbs so it offered little relief. Anyone watching me from a passing car, would have thought that I could have jogged faster than the speed that I was keeping on my bike.

 

On mile 110, I got a slight second (or third) wind and started pumping harder. With only 3.5 miles to go, I had won this battle and there was no getting off of the bike. The smile on my face brought visions of Dennis Quaid and his group of cutters in Breaking Away (1979) to my mind.

 

Our driveway is straight up, and as I downshifted to make the 1/10 mile climb, I was pedaling harder than I had in the last 25 miles. I wanted to finish strong and not come limping in. I was very happy to see that Josie and JoAnn were waiting for me on top of the hill. She had been tracking me on GPS over the course of the day and knew right when I would be coming in. So funny to think that 23 years ago, I would have had to stop and use a pay phone to let anyone know where I was (if I could find one and afford the call). Technology has come a long way... and on this day, so had I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snap shot of Garmin 810 Edge Screen at completion of the ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FUNDRAISING UPDATE... NEED YOUR HELP!

 

Thanks to all those that have given so generously to the foundation. The tally has us close to $16,000 with just 2 weeks left to launch date. We're still $9000 short of the $25,000 goal. Please dig down deep and consider making a contribution to help me reach this important level. Please forward it on to others that might have interest. Every dollar goes to the foundation (none of it to me! lol), and with 100% volunteer participation, every dollar then goes on to do its part in finding a cure for Cancer. Aside from that, it is completely tax deductible. Please go to the link below to make a contribution.

 www.dpcancerfoundation.org/danielsride4cancer.html


Thanks again for your support. It is much appreciated. 

All the Best,

Daniel