Greetings friends!
I meant to post this a while ago, but Blogo, the software I use to update my blogs, has been cranky this week. Given the weather we've had, I don't know that any of us could blame it!
On Sunday I participated in Pedal Pittsburgh, my first official ride. I had been waffling back and forth on what to call it. It wasn't just a ride, because I do those every weekend, and it wasn't a race because no one was racing, so we'll go with official ride. I chose to do the 50 mile option, because I thought that it would do the best job of preparing me for the MS 150, or at least giving me a good guess as to where I stood in my training.
Registration was at 6:30, which didn't make either me or Ian happy. But we got there on time, got all set and registered, and then rolled towards the very un-ceremonial starting line. Rather than an official start, it was more of a "go when you want!" deal, so we took off.
I meant to map a ride, but I completely forgot. Forgive me.
To the best of my memory, the route started out along the trail by the river, which is completely and totally flat. I'd say at least the first ten miles were super easy, and we kept a pretty good pace the whole way. When we rounded the corner and started up Troy Hill is when I began weeping a little bit. Actually, that hill was nice in that it curved around itself a lot, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I was already at the top. I've said it before, I'll say it again, hills are 80% mental.
After a quick brake for cookies at the top of Troy Hill, we went for what was probably the most soul crushing portion of the event. The hills were all over the place, and some of them were long stretches of slight up hill, the worst kind! I don't really know where all we went at this point, because I was too busy panting and feeling as though I might die.
After a second rest stop for gummy bears and gatorade, we took off for a slightly flatter section of the route. I started to get a bit more steam in my legs at this point, and really crushed it up a couple of hills, including the one I was most nervous about on the trip, One Wild Place. It is worth mentioning that when climbing a hill, monkey poop is not exactly what you want to be smelling.
After our last pit stop at Highland Park, we cruised down the rest of the way into the South Side. Actually, I somehow accidentally finished 10 miles ahead of schedule after getting lost from Ian at a red light, so we called each other and met up to finish the last ten miles. And then, because my wife and Ian's mom are awesome, we stopped to have a glass of victory milk:
(Me, accidentally finishing)
(Me and Sarah at the finish line)
(Me and Ian at the finish)
(Victory milk!)
All in all it was a tremendous ride! As we ate lunch after the event, I started to ask myself if my legs had more ride in them for when I would have to do 100 miles, and I think they did. Plus, I don't believe I'll have to tackle anywhere near the number and severity of hills that I had to tackle in the 'Burgh, so that would be even a bit easier on me.
I do think I'll be doing Pedal Pittsburgh for years to come!
Godspeed,
Jason
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