The first time I got on my road bike I experienced my first flat tire on mile 2. Since I had no tire kit I had to walk my bike on a busy street all the way back home. I was so frustrated I could not even think of the possibility of ever riding 100 miles on one trip. I was so disheartened that I was ready to give up my career in the sport before it even started.
4 months later, after completing triathlons and countless miles in the saddle, I finally achieved my first century ride, travelling an equivalent distance of New York to Philadelphia, where I encountered a new set of challenges that pushed me to my absolute limit.
About 30 minutes into my 6 hour and 45 minute journey through southern Ohio, I encountered my first road closure -- a construction site that forces all cyclists to dismount off their bike and walk about .2 mile around the construction. Although it was a quick stoppage, during a long ride the last thing you want to do is to stop unnecessarily and ruin any momentum gained.
Shortly thereafter, a stomach cramp appeared and would not leave me for the remainder of the journey. This created discomfort and made me rethink my nutrition plan throughout the ride.
My second road closure occurred about 2.5 hours into my journey. This construction site was much larger and forced me to re-route my ride dramatically. My unfamiliarity with these roads forced me to stop multiple times and check google maps to make sure I was headed in the right direction. Again, this resulted in loss of momentum and tightening of my thigh muscles.
Next came the fall. At the halfway mark, 3 hours into the journey, I attempted to do a U-turn on the trail and as I was completing the turn, my front tire clipped the edge of the pavement and my bike instantly fell to the right and I had no opportunity to unclip my right shoe and I had no choice but to brace for impact. Upon impact, I suffered a major cramp in my right calf, I could not move my right shoulder that hit the pavement, my knee was scraped, and my right hand fingers were bruised. As I lay on the ground in so much pain, all I could think about was feeling that this ride was over, that my goal would not be realized today. At only 48 miles completed, how could I possibly finish another 52 miles in this much pain?
How you ride a bike is very much how you must approach life. No matter how much you prepare, road blocks will occur and the success you experience is a direct result on how you handle that adversity. As I limped off the ground, I gathered my emotions, and perhaps out of desperation being over 50 miles from home, I convinced myself that nothing is going to stop me. Today will be the day I ride 100 miles, no matter what you throw at me. So I clipped back in to my pedals, and continued on my way. Later on in the ride, I would experience pain in almost every part of my body, dizziness, dehydration and shortness of breath. But eventually, after riding over 6 hours and burning 3,500 calories on a gorgeous day in Ohio, I got off my bike, collapsed to the ground and saw triple digits on my Fitbit and the realization that I just joined the Century Ride Club extinguished every ounce of pain pulsating throughout my body.
4 months later, after completing triathlons and countless miles in the saddle, I finally achieved my first century ride, travelling an equivalent distance of New York to Philadelphia, where I encountered a new set of challenges that pushed me to my absolute limit.
About 30 minutes into my 6 hour and 45 minute journey through southern Ohio, I encountered my first road closure -- a construction site that forces all cyclists to dismount off their bike and walk about .2 mile around the construction. Although it was a quick stoppage, during a long ride the last thing you want to do is to stop unnecessarily and ruin any momentum gained.
Shortly thereafter, a stomach cramp appeared and would not leave me for the remainder of the journey. This created discomfort and made me rethink my nutrition plan throughout the ride.
My second road closure occurred about 2.5 hours into my journey. This construction site was much larger and forced me to re-route my ride dramatically. My unfamiliarity with these roads forced me to stop multiple times and check google maps to make sure I was headed in the right direction. Again, this resulted in loss of momentum and tightening of my thigh muscles.
Next came the fall. At the halfway mark, 3 hours into the journey, I attempted to do a U-turn on the trail and as I was completing the turn, my front tire clipped the edge of the pavement and my bike instantly fell to the right and I had no opportunity to unclip my right shoe and I had no choice but to brace for impact. Upon impact, I suffered a major cramp in my right calf, I could not move my right shoulder that hit the pavement, my knee was scraped, and my right hand fingers were bruised. As I lay on the ground in so much pain, all I could think about was feeling that this ride was over, that my goal would not be realized today. At only 48 miles completed, how could I possibly finish another 52 miles in this much pain?
How you ride a bike is very much how you must approach life. No matter how much you prepare, road blocks will occur and the success you experience is a direct result on how you handle that adversity. As I limped off the ground, I gathered my emotions, and perhaps out of desperation being over 50 miles from home, I convinced myself that nothing is going to stop me. Today will be the day I ride 100 miles, no matter what you throw at me. So I clipped back in to my pedals, and continued on my way. Later on in the ride, I would experience pain in almost every part of my body, dizziness, dehydration and shortness of breath. But eventually, after riding over 6 hours and burning 3,500 calories on a gorgeous day in Ohio, I got off my bike, collapsed to the ground and saw triple digits on my Fitbit and the realization that I just joined the Century Ride Club extinguished every ounce of pain pulsating throughout my body.