With my former/stolen bike back (when I was in possession of it) at the IronGirl in 2008. This picture was after the race was complete...you will notice two things: 1) My bike was about 3rd to last in being picked up and 2) I had a really sweet spot for my bike. It was an "end unit" close to the exit. This prime real estate did not help. I still came in about 4th to last of overall female finishers and last in my age category (for those who finished). But on a positive note I think I set the bar real low so I can only improve (I hope) this year!
Gatorade is essential for hydration. And nothing is better than gatorade in a Ben & Jerry's water bottle. Sadly my B&J's water bottle was stolen with my bike last October. I think I am more upset about the water bottle being stolen then I was about my bike. I have a hate/hate relationship with all my bikes. I definitely prefer running over biking because I am terrible at biking. The only thing I am worse at then biking is swimming. Hence my yearly tri is torture I really need to stop signing up:-) But maybe someday I will not stink. Anyway, I also really stink at transition in which I was 2nd to last in timing particularly for T1 (and I think the other lady DNF'd). My time was about 15 minutes!!! Some people nearly completed some segments of the tri in a shorter time period, aarggh!
The only way to make biking better is to have a Krispy Kreme Donut, right. I find Krispy Kreme's mid-race definitely provide a nice boost and help me avoid biking, which is my goal! What I really need to do in the next day in preparation of my metric Century Bike ride at the Tour De Cure is to mapquest Krispy Kreme's, Ben and Jerry's, Brusters, Dunkin Donuts and pretty much every other tasty joint remotely close to the course.
I think I have from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. to complete my 63 miles. This I believe is about 6.3 miles per hour. Manageable, right?
Nope, not for me as you will see. In fact perhaps I also need to mapquest some bars that I can just sit in and spectate. Below you can see why by the end of this event some liquid pain relief may be in order!
I impulsively signed up for the Tour De Cure Bike event a few weeks ago after winning a raffle for a Tour De Cure race shirt when my mom was so ill during bike to work day (I saw winning this shirt as an omen that I should do the event).
Well now it is just over one day until this event and I don't have any time left for cramming. The grand total training I have for this event is my 7 mile bike ride (with TWO breaks!!) on "Take your Bike to work day".
In fact since last September, when my last bike was stolen, I have biked a total of 1 day! That would be the aforementioned "Bike to work day". Six months with only one training day...I am completely unprepared for this endeavor.
This metric century is 63 miles long!
My total training in preparation for this event is one 7 mile bike ride.
On one single day!
I assume that biking is opposite running in that you can ride 10% of your intended distance on one day and consider it adequate training, right??? That means I am well prepared!
I know for running we are never supposed to increase our highest distance by 10% but biking is different, right?
Well, based on my potential lack of preparation I passed panic a few days ago and am now am at resigned (or is it defeated/acceptance/denial)? Well, hopefully the ride is not too bad.
My current strategy is bike until I feel discomfort, then run alongside my bike for 20-30 miles. Then hop back on the bike. Since I have no upper body strength, I may at some point lock up my bike and just jog the middle portion of this event. If it gets me credit for biking I might even consider jogging with a helmet (which probably is safer anyway:-)
Just to keep this trend of being really ill prepared up (well except for running which typically I am trained well for), this may be my final tune up ride before the IronGirl Triathlon in Aug and Half Irondistance in Sept (that now needs to be an olympic distance because of a speaking engagement the afternoon of the tri, wahoo...Go me for getting out of an iron distance tri without looking like a sissy!!!)
This Metric Century should be quite an adventure. Wish me luck;-)
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4 comments:
Good luck tomorrow.
Good luck!
By which I mean I hope you find a lot of Krispy Kremes and B&Js to stop at since I suspect that is what you're really doing this event for.
I'm right, ain't I, sister?
Mike,
Thank you!
Glaven,
You are exactly right. If only VT100 had Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, Dairy Queen, Fractured Prune along the course, it would be the perfect event! Well except I would probably time out and run out of $$ at some point. Oh yeah and when I run I don't carry the puke bucket so perhaps this is better left as a dream:-)
Tammy
There is an Iron Girl tri going on in my neck of the woods this summer. I am NOT a triathlete, but I considered doing it just on a whim. The name, however, really pissed me off. "Iron GIRL"??? WTF?? WHy can't it be "Iron Woman"? I might just be picky and petty here, but I'm really not liking that name.
Mostly, though, it was my complete and utter inability to swim more than six yards, and to stay upright on a bicycle that stopped my from registering.
Oh, and I have no bicycle. And no natural bouyancy.
Good luck to you! Can't wait to read more.
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