So, I did it. All 70 miles of the LIVESTRONG Challenge in the pouring rain and 40 degree weather! I have to thank everyone who contributed to my ride. I was not that excited about the prospect of riding in the rain as I got up Sunday morning three hours earlier than I normally arise, so I could be at the Nike World Headquarters by 6am.
I had been up late Saturday night trying to get everything ready for the ride. Saturday itself was a very hectic day, due largely to the fact that it had followed Friday, which was a the most hectic day of the week up to that point.
We got to the event and found our place with the group of 70 mile riders. This ended up including all the 100 mile riders as their ride got canceled due to the conditions. We were already devising plans on how to get out of this mess before we left the starting line. An announcer said that it was a testament to the cause that we were all still there, willing to do this ride in the rain. That made me feel guilty for thinking of quiting, so we stuck around to at least start the ride.
As we rode, we talked about just passing the turn that would take us on the extra loop to make our ride 70 miles instead of just 40. It was pretty tempting to avoid an extra 30 miles of increasing elevation which would hold the biggest climbs of the day. As we approached the turn where a decision would be final, we asked each other one last time, "do we do it or not?" Twenty miles later I announced to the team and our new friend KJ, that we could be done right now, getting warm, drinking hot coco and eating food rather than something with the same consistency as toothpaste. Another ten miles and we were back to where we had considered taking the road less punished.
We had done fifty miles in the rain and cold. I had rust running down one leg and a cramping, achy thing going on in the other. Dr Kort was squeezing more water out of his gloves every time he clenched his fist than I was getting out of my water bottles when I tried to drink. Logan didn't show to many signs that he was having a hard time, but we all knew that each of us was completely miserable.
I mentioned a new friend a few lines back. KJ joined up with us when we decided to stick to the 70 mile route. He quickly became friends with the team despite the fact that no one feels social in these conditions. We soon realized that KJ was a joy to have with us and his presence helped to keep us motivated.
Once we reached the last rest stop I looked at our ride time. A little of three and half hours for 55 miles. I called Sara and told her that we should be getting in to the finish line in about a half an hour. My thinker must not have been working to well at this point because either I did the math wrong or it was just plain old fatigue but the next 15 miles took about an hour and a half. They felt as hard as the entire previous section of the ride.
Every hill we faced during the last ten miles felt like the worst hill I had ever climbed. I had to keep stopping at the top of the hills to stretch my calf to keep it from cramping. I began to realize that for me, this ride was like doing 140 miles as one leg did the vast majority of the work.
By this time it was just Dr Kort and I. Logan had ridden ahead and taken a wrong turn earlier. KJ had tried to catch him to bring him back, but was just to tired so he came back and caught up with us. Upon learning that Logan had gone the wrong way we turned around and rode back down the hill we had just climbed and told the policeman at the turn that he needed to send someone after him to get him back on course. It was a confusing section and several rider had gone the wrong way following the policeman's arm which looked like it was pointing down one road when in face he was holding traffic.
After climbing the hill again, this time with no momentum, we began to fall behind KJ until it just me and Dr Kort. We joked about how badly we didn't want to be there. It was kind of like we were trying to stir up a little bit of anger to use it's energy but it didn't work. We both knew how close we were and what we were about to accomplish. It was a great feeling that kept building the closer we got.
We were already telling each other that we were glad we had gone the full 70 miles and how proud of each other and the team we were.
The last mile seamed a little easier. We crossed the finish line in a shower of yellow rose peddles. What a joy! The best part for me seeing my wife Sara and my little boy Ari waiting for me there. This is the first big thing I've done since he was born that he has been able to be there for. It made it all worth it.
It's taken me two days to get rested enough to even finish writing this but already I'm actually looking forward to riding my bike again. I've noticed that I am always paying attention to the roads I drive on now, analyzing their potential for a good riding route. This sport is becoming a true passion for me. I have to say that it is largely thanks to Willamette Valley Cyclery who very generously donated a bike to me that was at least four grades better than I had ever hoped for from them, and to Dr Kort who arranged that sponsorship and has mentored me in my efforts to get involved in this sport.
Thank you to them and to everyone who has donated to my ride. Last but not least, thanks to Logan for asking me to do this ride with him.
Cheers,
Jarem