2nd century post MiTi

BIKE 6:02 and 103 miles

My goal for this ride was to hit the 100 mile mark under 6 hours. Last week I had to scramble hard to hit that mark, and missed it. Today I wanted to hold a better pace overall and be more steady.

I wrote a new route to Marissa IL, some familiar roads but mostly new. New cities, parks, roads, corn fields...yay! But I was riding alone today, still no takers even though I posted a 40 mile and 70 mile option. And don't forget that I posted that "I'm selfishly holding to my pace". No wonder I ride alone.

Another perfect day for weather. If only I could be so lucky for B2B! I wanted to test my  new PI Shrug but it was too warm. I got a late start to the ride, my 8am goal turned into a 9am actual since I didn't charge the Garmin and hung around with DH while he had breakfast. That's time better spent!

I had my usual 'why am I so weak' warmup period, I've learned to ignore it but it still worries me. I sometimes blame the bike, maybe the hub is tight or a brake is dragging. But it's me. Takes time to get into it. Once I did, all was well. I stuck to my schedule of eating every 30 mins and for the most part alternating EFS and a bite of powerbar. I was getting hungry towards the 4hr mark. I had those rice cakes but they were too dry and unpleasant to eat on the bike. Had to eat them another time.

Last week I started to crack around mile 65, of course the headwinds and rough roads had a lot to do with that, but I should know how to push past that. Today I did, helped by much smoother roads and more favorable headwinds that were at the start of the ride and not the way home.

My first stop was 50 miles in Marissa where a local Tootin' Marissa ride was happening! By luck I stopped in the same park the ride staged out of and was able to meet a cyclist who filled me in on the ride. I got lost briefly in a little town called Lenzburg, could NOT find a road I was supposed to take. Didn't matter in the end. Stopped in Freeeeeeburg at 76 miles, noted the heat and fatigue. Passed through Smithton again and was faced with a choice: take the usual ride home on the "PS" route or turn north and ride the Freeeeeeburg route backwards. I wanted to take the northern route for a different scene, but at the same time wanted to forced myself to stick to the plan. I skipped the turn at Lunch, but changed my mind at High Prairie. Took the northern route and added maybe 2 miles to the route.

I happily hit the 100 mark before getting to Cherry Hill! I did a cool-down through Columbia, and no ride for me. Get home!

This ride was great, and probably my last century before B2B.