Clearing a Hurdle

Here is an update from the training front.  I cleared the last big hurdle in training with the completion of a long ride on Monday.  I took a day off work and travelled to ride on the Chief Ladiga Trail in Weaver, AL.  This is a rails to trails project and it goes 32 miles to the Georgia border where it hooks up with the Silver Comet Trail.  62 miles later, the Silver Comet terminates in a suburb of Atlanta.  

The trail is in good shape and a chance to ride without cars.  There are numerous street crossings in the first 15 miles and then again in Georgia.  However, I take for granted that roads generally are debris free.  The same can not be said for bike trails traversing through remote areas.  The recent monsoon in AL deposited in places gravel, sticks, and pine straw.  Twice I had to dismount and climb with bike over fallen trees. There were a few areas where water was covering the entire path.  I negotiated all these obstacles successfully, but I did have one "Uh oh" moment.  On a long flat stretch I was in the aero position on the bike and was only looking forward every 10 seconds or so to ease the tension in my neck.  Just as I look up, there is a tree branch probably 4-5 inches in diameter right in front of me!  The thought that went through my mind was.  Well, this is it.  You are going to crash 40 miles from your van and you will be in trouble.  Somehow, I rode over the branch and was able to correct my swerving bike without incident.  Accident avoided!

People ask me what it is like to ride for 7 hours.  I am not a good cyclist and for me it goes something like this.  The first two hours are physically easy, but I think that there is no way this is going to end.  After about two hours, my rear end starts to tire and shift into a mode of working.  After four hours, I start to realize that there are only three hours left.  I've ridden three hours many times.  After six hours, there is almost a feeling of euphoria.  The end of the ride is in site and the feeling of uncertainty at the beginning is filled with a sense of joy at completing the whole thing.  

When I arrived at the van, I loaded up my bike and popped on my running shoes.  I actually enjoy a short run after the bike and this run went well.  My legs always feel strange trying to run after biking for hours, but after a couple of miles they start to get in synch again.  

Overall, the bike and run was a big success.   I did not crash into the hurdle in front of me and I think I had a little room to spare.  I asked myself after this session, "Self, could you have run farther?"  The answer was  definitive yes!  Could I have gone 23 miles farther?  I don't know about that, but I'm going to find out in a couple of weeks.  

Check back soon,

Chris