When the pandemic hit our shores and my employer, like many, sent us all home to work, I started riding more. I normally do ride more in the summer after the kids are out of school, but with the kids home from school as well, the earlier-in-the-year-than-normal schedule change opened up a lot more riding opportunities. I think I’ve ridden more in 2020 than I have since Milo was born.
Earlier in the summer I decided I wanted to do another unsupported century ride (100 miles). I made a plan to increase milage gradually over the course of many weekends. That plan didn’t quite pan out. I started to get really fatigued towards the end.
The date for the century had been set, however, and I had a determined friend going with who I knew would not let me off the hook. After last weekend’s riding went terribly, I took most of the week off. I slept a lot more than usual (although my usual isn’t much, so that means 8 hours a night instead of 6-7).
The weather looked to be perfect. 40-something-Fahrenheit moving up into the 50s. Light wind, especially for this time of year. I ended up in knee warmers, arm warmers, and a light vest for almost the entire ride. I only stowed the vest away towards the very end.
We’d been scoping out some new roads south of the city for a while, but still hit some new-to-us, beautiful country roads today.
My back was my main concern and my main source of pain. I took two Advils–one at each of our stops–one at mile 30 and one at mile 70.
My legs started to lose power towards the end, but I made it! They’re very sore now. Tomorrow will be interesting. I just took a third Advil. 😬