This was the ultimate sufferfest but I gained a lot from it. We started in temps around 50 in the pouring rain. I'm afraid to get on my bike in the rain due to my still lingering post-crash-trauma disorder. The first bit was slow in towns and residential areas so it gave me a chance to get acclimated but it felt like forever to the first rest area at mile 21. My glasses were all beaded up with water and I could barely see. Water was streaming down my face and my clothes were soaked. I immediately wished I had left those tights on to spare my skin the burning of the wind. I lost the feeling in my feet around mile 15 despite wearing the booties. I put them under the hand dryer at the rest stop to attempt to warm them up, it helped marginally.

As soon as we headed out of the rest area the rain started up again and this time it was even harder. My hands went numb, my feet were like dead blocks of ice and I wondered if I might go hypothermic and have to be carted off to the ER in the SAG wagon. I was struggling to fuel because drinking was unpleasant and my gel flask turned to the consistency of ice cream. I compensated by eating solid food at the rest areas. The peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches saved my life.

I hit a low point at the 50 mile rest area. I was shivering, teeth chattering and had zero feeling in my feet and hands. It was hard to walk to the porta potty and I had a hard time going to the bathroom because my hands just didn't work and couldn't grip my waistband. I decided to stay inside there and try to warm up just a little. I tucked my hands under my arms tightly against my body and tried to wiggle my toes around a bit. I must have stood in there for 5 minutes. There was ironically a mirror and I looked at myself and thought "are you a quitter or will you go out there, get back on your bike and finish?" I finally found the courage to walk out and find Jonah and get back on the road. I shook uncontrollably for the first 10 minutes we rode.

At one point Jonah made a joke about how at least the roads were good, but then the potholes started and I swear we rode on some of the worst roads I've seen. Because of this and the giant lakes that had formed, we rode way out in the lane, at times across the center line. And that led to my next low point. A truck drove by and hit a puddle just as I was passing and a giant wall of water went right over me, right in my face. The sad part is that it was raining so hard and I was already soaked so it didn't even phase me.

Shortly before the last rest area at mile 74, the rain stopped and I started to feel human again. Walking around brought some feeling back to my feet and two cookies and some strawberries boosted my energy. I finally thought I could make it. The final stretch was the most challenging terrain wise. There is a long false flat where you can maintain 18-19mph, but your legs really burn from the gradual incline. This is where I started passing people who had passed me earlier. I was getting a little squirmy in the saddle (a brand new saddle BTW and this was my first ride on it) but otherwise was feeling incredibly good. My legs only started to hurt around mile 90 and I knew I was almost done so I kept pushing. I was overjoyed when I saw the pink marker spray painted on the road that said "end" with an arrow pointing ahead.

Nothing. These were by far the worst conditions I hope I ever have to ride in. It was cold, rainy, we had gusty headwinds and some rotten roads so given what the day handed us, I am amazed we did as well as we did. I feel like I didn't ride timidly and that's a big step for me. It could have been so much worse. For whatever reason, there were tons of people with flats and if I had flatted, I could never have changed a tire with my numb hands.

I was supposed to do a brick run but it would have meant missing the train and being stuck waiting for 2 hours in the cold. So I put my bike on the truck, took the best hot shower I've ever had, inhaled a veggie burger and just made the train. Jonah had already gotten on the train so I rode back with my training partner friend and his crew. We ate all the snacks we had on us and then napped.


Atrocious weather, poor nutrition.


Like I said, I gained a lot and that's what these events are about. Despite the conditions, I had fun thanks to being able to ride it with a friend. It felt like good preparation for IMWI, I am far better equipped to deal with bad weather.