One week left. By this time next Friday, I will hopefully be getting some much needed sleep before I push off from Two Harbors, biking 86 miles to Grand Marais on day 1 of my epic ride around Lake Superior. I have been due for a long ride for awhile in terms of my training. The last several weeks, I've managed to eek out some 50 mile rides - not 50 miles a day like I had intended. I am all too familiar with the various routes around here and find myself so bored with them, it's hard to will up the energy to go - much less get some distance riding in.
What started out today as just a ride to Stillwater, MN and back turned into a century ride (100 miles). When I finally reached Stillwater some 34 miles later I decided I would lock in 100. It was my last century ride before I push off around the lake. With my wheels humming along the pavement, the light whir of the freewheel, and the burn in my legs as I continuously powered forward, I felt good. I stopped off in Stillwater and sat by the water (a much needed break for my feet and for my um...tender parts. Ha! I indulged in a Cliff bar and pounded back some water flavored with Nuun electrolyte enhanced drink pellets. I swear these Nuuns have saved my life in terms of hydration! I highly recommend them! The St. Croix river, which flows through the heart of Stillwater was still very high, and as the waves rolled in from passing boats, the water washed up on the flat stone I was sitting on. I took in the clouds off in the distance and tuned in and out of the conversations of the people in the gazebo above me. The shade offered a nice temporary refuge from the sun, heat and humidity.
As I mounted my bike on my way to White Bear Lake, headed back to the cities, my legs burned and cried out. It was a slow few miles to get back in the groove. I suppose climbing the hills out of the river valley didnt help things much either. I shifted up to my highest gear (yep, I utilized the "granny-gears") so as to try and minimize the torque on my joints as I worked every muscle in my body to get up those hills. Carrying 15.5 lbs of extra weight on a bike that weighs probably 10 lbs heavier than my road bike really makes a difference.
My ride took me to Stillwater, the border of Mahtomedi, North St. Paul, dowtown St. Paul, out to Hopkins and through the Cedar Lake Trail, back through Minneapolis, and out to Mendota Heights and back to St. Paul. There were several times during my ride that I imagined I was pedaling through Canada. Exhausted, yet exhilarated, in pain, yet willing to push through - driven to push through - I continued to turn those cranks over and over and over...As I tuned into my body, I felt every muscle contract and release. I felt every sting of pain and rash of burn. My breath was fast and shallow. I tried to pull in deeper breaths only to feel like I was going to vomit. The sun was baking me and the humidity had cloaked me in a thick layer of sweat. It felt heavy and miserable. Thinking ahead to every day for 17 days being like this, hopefully minus some of this heat and humidity though, this big ride suddenly became so real that I almost started crying. The intense need to cry didn't come because of the pain, it came because of the meaning of this ride. It came because of the 4 months I will have worked so hard to train to put myself through, by far, the most taxing and physically demanding endeavor yet. It came because of nervousness and fear. It came because this ride, I believe, will define me in so many ways and on so many levels. This is literally the ride of my life.
When one is heaving in breaths, pouring sweat, and in a fair amount of physical pain, all of a sudden feeling that lump forming in the throat does not do anyone any favors in terms of being able to continue to breathe! I literally swallowed that lump hard in order to maintain my pace and my ragged breathing. About 65 miles into the ride, my feet started to cramp really bad. This is a new ailment that usually plagues me around the 40 mile mark on rides. I've done some research on this and am fairly confident that it's about 80% my bike cleats (too narrow and not firm enough souls), 15% my bad knee, and 5% from a back injury I sustained while lifting weights a few days ago. It amazes me how everything is so connected. The pain was unbearable at times. I literally felt like my toes were swelling up so bad that they were going to burst. I finally stopped around 80 miles and took my socks off and loosened all the straps on my bike cleats. That helped for a little bit. As I was on the final homestretch at 97 miles, the pain was so bad I was yelling and moaning into the wind as I continued to push forward. I stopped, got off my bike, took my shoes off and tried to elevate my feet to try and get even 30 seconds worth of relief.
I worry about this foot issue for my ride. I think I have a combination of things that will help reduce the pain. For one, I will be biking mostly in tennis shoes that are a wide fit. I'll save my cleats for when it's raining when I'll need to fit my waterproof rain booties over them. I also have some Adidas sandals that can fit so loosely that no pressure is applied to my foot. Additionally, I know I'll be getting off my bike many times to explore the small towns I ride through, eat lunch or get a snack, take some photos, journal, and/or just meditate along the shores of the lake. I am hopeful this will minimize the pain as it has caused quite some concern for me, especially with this trip being full of back to back distance riding.
I'll be posting my route and mileage on my blog in the coming days. Anyone who takes a gander here can see what I'll be putting in and where I'll be. Whenever possible, I'll be updating my blog with reflections of the day and perhaps some photos.
All in all today, it was a good century ride to go out with. I'll be taking it easy this next week so I have fresh legs come August 6th! I am ready for this!!
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