OK..so people keeping asking me if I feel ready. My usual response is, I don't know. Let's be honest-if I had any clue about what Sea To Sea was really going to require of me there is probably no way I would have agreed to do it.
But the last 2 days have probably given me a little more insight into what I can handle. Yesterday, I decided to do my first solo 100+km ride since the accident. I decide that I wanted to ride the route that we are going to be coming in to London on August 21. I like when routes are familiar to me...something much harder to develop since the head injury...and I am hoping that I can really get the feel of the London ride so that in a few months it will really feel like coming home.
I headed out a little later than expected. Weather call was for rain with clearing in the afternoon. I started out wearing my rain jacket over a tank, vents open. It was cool but muggy with a cross wind. By the 25km mark I lost the jacket. Another strategy I was advised to do was to not get off my bike hungry or thirsty. This helps you have a consistent energy flow as you ride and suppose to help with recovery. I have been advised by both my coach and my physio that I shouldn't worry so much about my speed or time at this point but focus on how to recover quickly. Alright can't hurt. That means for me about every 30mins a small break off the bike to snack and drink. Important-carry food you like!
This technique was working for me and I was having a good ride. At the 35kms point I looked ahead and saw a distant grey haze..time to put the rain jacket back on. At first it was just hit and miss drizzle but by the 45kms point I was as wet as I could possibly be. At that point, you might as well just suck it up and be wet. Made it to the village of Glencoe and needed a washroom break. Options included gas station, restaurant and Pentecostal church. I chose the church. So as I wheeled myself up to the door I wondered if I needed to knock or buzz but instead an older gentleman came to the door. Could I possibly use your washroom? "Sure" he said,"Right there" as he held the door and let me wheel my bike in. Then he proceeded to leave the church and me in it and drove away. Amazing, didn't even ask my name, what I was doing or check to make sure I left.
I was a stranger and you took me in.
I then sat on a street bench(still raining) and had lunch and watched life go by in Glencoe. Back on the bike to head home. At the 60kms mark, it had quit raining so off came the jacket again in hopes of drying off a bit. This was a lesson in-careful what you pray for- as by the 70km mark I was in full sun-without sunscreen. The last 40kms were hot but not unpleasant and at the end I was a little pink( a good colour on me!) but not crispy!
Also the snacking recovery really worked as I felt great and not exhausted. Then today, I did another full run. My first back to back centuries. I feel as ready as I can be.
Lessons learned:
1-There are still people who will take the risk to trust a stranger.
2-Being wet isn't a worst case scenario
3-Even sopping wet, my cycling shoes don't cause blisters!
4-Bring sunscreen even in a thunderstorm.
5-Food you like makes you happy, happiness makes all the other issues less of a problem.
6-You can't really prepare for what God has planned
7-Coming home feels great.
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