Today I started at TCTC in Champion, Ohio and caught the Western Reserve
Green-way. My goal today was to hit 40 miles, Boy what was I thinking?
My husband was trying to persuade me not to go so far today, because we had a chance of rain. LOL I looked at him and said I have a poncho you know! With only 73 days left of training I need to get with it rain or shine! I mean honestly our goal is 80 miles a day for four days, and I am not going to lie, I am a bit skeptical at this point!
Riding on the WRG to me is a bit scary, especially riding solo, with very little cell phone reception, so if I were to get injured or something, I would be screwed. None the least I put on my big girl panties and ventured out. I popped in my earphones and headed out on the trail. The first seven miles for me were rough. My IT band is still bothering me and my legs were still a bit sore from Mondays ride and the squat challenge that I have decided to partake in as well.
The ride was quiet and very scenic, I did get concerned when I hit the dock because usually there always seems to be a herd of geese there just waiting to attack me, but I managed to escape that aspect. Lucky me! There were quiet a few passerby s on the trail this morning, I did my best to say good morning to each and everyone of them! It's always nice to acknowledge other people and my good morning could of made someones day! (I highly doubt it, but the thought is there).
I got really famished about an hour into my ride, guess the waffles I scarfed down for breakfast weren't enough. Thank goodness for that peanut butter sandwich I put in my pack. I took that out and ate that while I was riding, and honestly, it never tasted so good! I figured that would hold me over for a while, but of course I was wrong. I made it into Orwell and had to stop off to the gas station and grab some more liquids and some beef jerky. Craving that protein! HA.
I was at about 17 miles and so after I left the gas station I continued on towards Ashtabula. I told myself that I would only ride to the next stop sign, then that came, and I told myself that again, and then again and before i knew it I was at 22 miles. I really wanted to keep going, but knew my legs were already tired and my desire to push myself further needed to stop because that is why I had to give up running. So I stopped and called my husband and my friend Ed to let them know I was at my halfway point and turning around! I always try to do that because you never know. There are a lot of crazy people out there or I could just kill over from pushing myself to much (highly unlikely).
My ride back seemed like an endless night mare for a while, My It band, hip and quad (old running injuries) were flaring horrifically! So my speed declined quite a bit! When I got to mile 30 the fun things started.. I was bent over on my handle bars, because that helps me to accelerate when I ride and takes some pressure off of my hip and all of a sudden I look down and I yell and almost fell off my bike because there is a snake and he is looking up hissing at me, but it was to late, I was going about 15-16 mph at that point and I ran him over. I hate hate hate snakes, they scare the tar out of me.
So after getting my heart calmed down,I get back to the observation deck and there before me were the geese... OH crap is all i could think, i put the pedal to the medal and only got hissed at and not chased... ( thank goodness)
Then a few more miles later I see these two bird looking things and as I get closer I notice they were wild Turkeys. Now mind you, I don't like geese and geese don't like me. So i was figuring that these turkeys could be like the geese and come after me, So i am clenching my handlebars and trying to pedal as fast as i can because I am scared... But to no avail the turkeys could of cared less about me they were to busy pecking around and minding there own business. My kind of bird right there!
So I continue on my journey at a slower pace again, my legs hurting more and more and my pace becoming slower reminding me of the days on last years trip with Ashley when it just felt like you couldn't go anymore. But I kept plucking away. I hit a big cloud of pollen, it was so thick it looked like little snow or maybe even fairy dust falling all over the place and then as I look up there is this humungous vulture flying in the air and there are flower pedals all over the ground and for a brief moment as I am riding behind this ginormous vulture, I felt like I was in the Hairy Potter movie, or some fairy tale land.. It was so beautiful and amazing. ( I know I need to come back to reality) but seriously it truly felt like a story book moment! I was rather disappointed that I couldn't capture these moments on camera because my phone camera is broken. But it was truly amazing.
Nothing else out of the ordinary really happened except for the creeper guy in the car wigged me out a little bit. But we won't go into that.. all i can say is I kept looking in my rear view mirror waiting for him to drive his car onto the trail and come to get me! ( yes I am overly paranoid)
Other then that, my ride was long, and one mile felt like 5 because of my injury flare ups.
I sure hope the rest of our group is training, because honestly, I am just not so sure if they understand that 80 miles a day is a lot! Riding a bike may be easy, but it's not something you can just hop on your bike and expect to do 320 miles either!
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