Okay, I know y'all are thinking, wow 12 hours, she's gonna have tons to talk about, but not really because it was much the same over and over. All the laps tend to run together, but I'll try to recall what I can remember. I'm sure I will leave lots of stuff out that I forgot, I'll try to update accordingly as my memory comes back to me.

Alrighty, 7 am (Actually 7:05 to those of us that are anal) we take off. Generally in ultracycling events drafting is allowed on the first lap so we weren't too concerned about being around each other, but at the same time, we tried to keep it somewhat spaced out. That first lap was nice and cool. My biggest problem of the day would be to try to block out what others are doing around me and not try to go with them, but I didn't behave on the first couple of laps. On the first lap, there was a guy right on my wheel...not sure who this guy is, I think I've seen him around some, but I don't think anyone really knows his name. Anyways, Dwight tells him that there is no drafting allowed, but the guy says that he's not competing. So, we come around the first lap at over a 20 mph pace...yeah, not a good pace to try to maintain, but too much adrenalin flowing. We all circled through dropping off our washers, but the guy that had been on my wheel simply turned around in the road and waited to get back on my wheel. The second lap we spaced out a little more. Pat was in the lead followed by Mike and then me. I kept finding myself pushing to go at there pace, not good. I finally said, "LEt them go!!" I knew Pat wasn't going to ride for long because he is doing the bike leg in an Ironman relay next weekend. I was banking on Mike crashing and burning because he usually breaks down on his centuries around the 90 mile mark and plus, I knew he was going at Pat's pace, not his own. So, I did my best to remain calm. Besides, first and foremost, this was a training ride, if I lose the 12 hr, fine, but I want to be as prepared as possible for the 24 hr. Also on the second loop, a thick fog settled in, it was really weird because it wasn't there on the first loop. You couldn't see the next person a couple hundred yards in front of you. Of course, my glasses fogged up big time and I kept trying to wipe them clear, but it was no use, so I chunked them in my back pocket and would put them back on when the fog cleared. So, second lap complete and off for number three, with the wheelsucker still on me. I didn't care if he wasn't competing or whatever, I just didn't want anyone around me and it was totally breaking my concentration because that was all I could think about. Pat and Mike really started to pull away from me, which was driving me crazy, but I kept my legs in check. Nothing exciting on the third lap and I was off for number 4. Now, normally this would be where I would have taken a break, but I decided I would ride the first 5 laps straight through to eliminate a 5 min. break because I really feel good during the first 40 miles and don't really feel the need to stop. 4th lap came and went and I was off for #5. Getting ready to turn on to Williams, a car is approaching so I slow down to wait for the car to pass...idiot wheelsucker takes off in front of the car, narrowly avoding being hit. I then turn on to Williams Rd. where he has so kindly waited on me to get back up front so I can haul his butt around some more. GRRRR!!! So aggravating. Oh yeah, another thing...anytime the road curved and the shortest distance was to be on the side of oncoming traffic, he would ride over there. It's a wonder this dude is still alive. It was on the 5th lap that he said that this was his final lap and he wouldn't be bothering me anymore. Whatever dude!! I so just wanted to yell, "Get away from me!!!" Why did he need to be on MY wheel?? Anyways, finished up the lap, wheelsucker gone, fog cleared, and it was break time. I grabbed a granola bar and ate it while walking to the portapotty (gotta multitask), went to the bathroom, lubed up the booty some more, switched out water bottles and I was off again. From here on out I would start taking breaks every 3 lap/2 lap. Once the fog cleared and the sun came out I knew it would get steamy, but for some reason, it didn't feel that bad. Wind still hadn't picked up too much. The next 5 laps really flew by. Each break I would switch out a bottle and eat something (I brought granola bars, pretzels, clif bars, bananas, soy crisps, bean tortilla roll-ups, and pb crackers). On the bike I had my perpetuem, hammergel, and I would take an endurolyte every so often. It's just amazing when 80 miles feels short. My previous couple of long rides I've had kind of a 80 mile mental meltdown...just feel cranky when the elements start to get to me, but today I felt good. As the heat and wind picked up. I tried to focus on the positive: it's not that hot, I've had to ride in much hotter weather; at least the wind is helping to keep me cool. Ane every once in awhile I would focus on some deep breathing to really clean out the lungs and help relax, it's amazing how good it feels. During these early laps I feared that Mike was really pulling ahead of me. I noticed that Pat had already left...he rode around 50 miles. However, as I came in on my 12th lap (100 mile lap) I spy Mike at his truck. He he he (evil grin)...what did I say, the turtle shall beat the hares! So, I guess he wasn't as far ahead as I had thought. But, he quidkly came by me on my 13 mile lap...dang it! Stay calm, still have over 6 hours to ride. I know how it feels to be in the saddle for a long time, he doesn't, just stay calm, stick to the plan, obey your HR. Going out on the 14th lap on Tryon Rd. I get stung by a freakin' bee! That thing hit me so hard, felt like a rock, but the rock started stinging me above my left eyebrow as I tried to swat it away it was going into my helmet. Anyways, so that was tons of fun, NOT! I continue on my way with a dull pain on my forehead. As I come to the top of Dennard Rd. I see Mike get off his bike. Oh no, I think he's had a flat, that guy has the worst luck. So, I get ready to stop and help. Hey, it's a gentleman's sport, you don't attack when a man is down, there's no sport in that. However, he didn't have a flat, he was having leg cramps. Nothing I could do about that, so I continued on. I knew it, I knew his day was over then. He started out too fast, Pat is such a strong rider. He probably didn't drink quite enough and I doubt he took any type of electrolyte replacement. I actually got a little depressed at that point because Mike was my only competition. Oh well, I was feeling good and things were going well. As I would go in for my 5 min. breaks, other club members would be eating hamburgers, drinking slushes, etc. Made my food not near as appealing, but I knew I was better off without the stuff. 15 laps down and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I knew I had 200 in the bag as long as nothing major happened like being hit by a car (but don't think I would try to keep going :) ). Three more laps down, then two more laps down. After Mike's legs cramped he came in, loaded up his truck and had put on "civilian" clothes. However, he sat for awhile and then decided to go back out. I was so happy that he was getting back on the bike, even if I knew that there was no way he could catch me. I grabbed my set of washer which would be my final set. Woohoo! I just tried to focus on relaxing...not pushing the hills, use the little ring if necessary...just keep moving. Not that I had to worry, I was moving at a great pace. My slowest lap was about 29 min. 3 laps left, 2 laps left, 1 lap left. The way my break schedule worked, I had a break before my last lap. For some reason, I just got lazy, I knew I could get 200, I had won. I had convinced my mind that I only had to look at that stupid lap ONE more time. So, I sat for about 20 min. Dwight wanted to ride the last lap together so I waited on him to get ready. We took that last lap at a painfully slow pace, I would have rather gone faster just so that I could get off the bike sooner. Also, I discovered that a 20 min. break is WAY too long. Your butt starts to get feeling back so going to sit back on the saddle was way painful. Feeling doesn't have time to come back in 5 min. :) I came into the finish and slammed that final washer into the bucket. What a great feeling!! I never dreamed I could reach 200 miles, especially for it to be so easy. I never really had any mental breakdowns to overcome.

As happy as I am, I'm also extremely disappointed at myself also. If I had taken my regular 5 min. break on my last break, heck, if I took a 10 min. break even and ridden my normal lap pace I would have had plenty of time to get in another lap for a total of around 208.4 miles. But I just gave up in the end, which saddens me that I could become so weak in the end. I think I had just built up my goals of reaching 200 miles and beating the boys that when I accomplished those, I just couldn't get motivated to keep going. Oh well, I guess it leaves room for improvement for next year.

Some things I realized during today's ride: It's amazing how things that you take for granted on a normal ride as no big deal, become problematic after extended riding. For example...glasses start to kind of hurt the head from the pressure. The seams on the shorts start to rub after extended wear. I'm getting scabs on my elbows from riding in aerobars so much. Hammergel gets old real quick. Water bottles get warm real quick in the heat. However, so many aches and pains, if you just keep pushing and keep going, they just seem to dissipate. Lot's of times I find the body kind of goes in waves of feeling good and feeling bad. You want to quit during the bad, but if you just keep turning the cranks over, the pain eventually goes away and you feel fine. Also, you would be surprised how much a 5 min. break really rejuvinates the body. It doesn't sound very long, but it really worked well. As I said before...gotta focus on the good, not the bad. Focusing on the bad is like a cancer, you think about one thing that sucks and then something else sucks and then the body hurts and then you don't want to go anymore. You CANNOT think this way. This long stuff becomes way more mental than physical. So many people I think have the physical capability, but lack the mental toughness to keep going.

After finishing up, we loaded up everything. I grabbed my bag and marched straight over to the BBQ joint, changed in the bathroom and then it was chowdown time. I ate so much and drank about a gallon of tea, but it was so so good. REAL food is heaven.

And then there was the saddle sore assessment...hey, they don't call it blistered buns for nothing. Let's just say, my booty and naughty bits looked worse than the face of a teenager working at a McDonald's fry station. Oh yeah, that will have the boys lining up to date me :)


Nothing, rode at the right pace, just gave up in the end.


As previously mentioned this is just a local club event...very small and low key. In years past we would pay a $5 fee and the club would provide different food and snacks and the portapotty. This year they decided to make it free, everyone bring their own stuff and the club would pay for the portapotty. This was fine with me since I am working on my nutrtion plan and needed to eat what I plan to eat during the 24 hr. It's nice to have the club members cheering you on and to be able to see others out on the course. I like having the unlimited supply of rabbits to focus on, much better than my previous long rides that I've had to do all by myself. I had a great time and...I BEAT THE BOYS!! I BEAT THE BOYS!!! The second place person (Dwight) was 3 laps behind me...that's 25 miles! Hell yeah!