Friday, July 1, 2011

"Mind Over Matter" wins a 20 mile success!

Okay, I'm getting the hang of the gears now.  Sunday I went to Waterville Valley with the Tri Newbie Group, as many of the athletes I'm training with are doing the upcoming Black Fly Triathlon there.  Fellow competitors jumped in the water to train for the race, which was a chilly swim, but they managed to do VERY well!  Wetsuits were pretty needed, it was COLD.  We then hopped on the bikes to ride the "Run" portion of the course, and then rode the actual Bike Course itself.  All told, I did a full 20 miles.  It seemed like that course was going to be fairly easy... the ride on Route 49 on the way in to Waterville seemed pretty even.  Well, the thing about that course is the slow, gradual incline.  The first stretch out on the course was great... slightly downhill, winding along the beautiful Mad River.  It really was a beautiful ride.  The ride back, as I knew it would be, was more challenging.  The course isn't 'steep' per se, but just gradual and unrelenting.  There isn't as much of an opportinuty to crest a hill, and catch your breath on the way back down the other side.  It's just pressing and pressing forward.  By about mile 16, I kept waiting for that last hill, where it's going to get easier.  I knew I wasn't even close to being back at the parking lot yet.  So, I started going through the mental pushing.  It's uphill, I'm pressing forward, it's a slower pace since I'm in an easier gear, and I know that I'm going to be at this for a while.  I resolve to just focus on the road in front of my wheels.  Just worry about what I can see.  "Just worry about NOW", I thought to myself.  "Keep your feet on the pedals, and get there.  Doesn't matter how long it takes, just get there."  Push, push, huff, huff.  What a mental game.   "Just stay up."  Quitting didn't cross my mind, it wasn't that.  It was just the perserverance that I was in pursuit of.  It was hard, and it would have been easy to give up or feel bad for myself for not feeling experienced enough to find this climb easily.  I didn't want to go there in my mind, I just wanted to finish and feel that success.  By the time I reached the lot, I was exhausted.  I honestly wasn't sure whether to pass out or get sick.  Some of the other athletes had taken off for the Run portion.  I was doing all I could to stay on my feet.  Sigh.  Good thing I have another 58 days to train for the Timberman, I'm going to need it!

Even though it was the toughest ride yet, saying that I had just biked 20 miles felt very satisfying.  I planned another ride on the Timberman course with a few fellow athletes later in the week.  Nazzy, morning host of 105.5 JYY and Jim Adams, General Manager of the Lakes Region for Nassau Broadcasting are both co-workers and fellow Sprint competitors.  Nazzy's trainer would join us for the ride, and we planned to Bike the Timberman course in an afternoon after Nazzy gets off the air.  We've never trained all together yet; I wonder what this will be like?

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