My 40 Mile Bike Ride

This week has been lacking in the training department, racing two weeks in a row really took a lot more out of me so I took a few days off to rest. I hit the pool a couple of times and went running only once. But I planned a long bike ride for Saturday when I was at home and could find decent hills.

So yesterday morning after renewing my license (so I could have a valid one for the HyVee triathlon check in), I packed up my bike with water bottles, extra tire stuff and threw some chews in my jersey pockets and I was off.

The course was a simple out and back on Herbert Hoover Highway going to a small town about 20 miles away and back. This road was known for being hilly and has been on the RAGBRAI a few times in the past so I knew it was biker friendly.

I set out and headed to the first of three towns that I was going to pass through and was making good time for me. The whole plan of the ride was to practice my climbing 'skills'. I wanted to a) not die on hills, b) stay in the saddle as long as possible and c) move as fast up the hill as I could without being dead on the downhill.

Well, the plan worked on the way out, I was moving quite quickly both on the downhills and the uphills and was staying in my seat for many of the high rollers. I hit the halfway point at just over an hour and was feeling good. However, I hit a massive head wind on the way back and was starting to get really tired and completely lost focus, I just wanted to get home in one piece. I managed to salvage much of the second part and ended up with a decent time for me: 2:20 minutes, my longest ride ever. Here are some things I learned/mulled over while riding:

• I need larger water bottles (barely made it through)
• I'm going to need bike shorts with padding (my lady parts are quite sore today!)
• What the hell am I doing on a 40 mile bike ride?
• What the hell am I doing thinking about a half iron distance next year?
• I need to finely tune my bike before next weekend, it's making noises
• Ok, I'm hungry, how can I convince my parents to buy me lunch?
• Sweet only 4 miles until I get off this hell on two wheels!
• I'm really glad Britney loves me cause she's gonna have to stare at weird tan lines all summer!
  

After I got home and got showered I felt good but tired, I felt acomplished since this was my longest ride and I was pleased with it considering the hills that I surivived. Hopefully today I'll be able to get out for a run with decent hills to prepare for HyVee next weekend. I promise this week's training will be much better than last weeks! First up: open water swim tomorrow evening!

I'll be back in a few days with a tentative plan for next season! Stay dry and cool.