Pan-Mass Challenge 2015 - Recap

This is my second year as a PMC'er! 

At the start!  A little apprehensive and a little wanting to get pedaling!!

The first year is here:  PMC2104.  I re-read it before writing this up, unsure of what to transfer over, probably not much.

My intention was to start from Sturbridge this year.  I didn't.  I really enjoyed being with the LUNGStrong ladies last year and thought one more year from Wellesley will be OK.  Get my bearings with the team a bit more.  And as the year progressed Diane, our captain and founder and lung cancer survivor, had gone through a tough year with treatment.  The initial tumor was removed with surgery 11 years ago.  It came back 2 years later in both lungs and has been active, and had gotten to the point she needed treatment.  An experimental treatment was tried and did well, to a point, then became to toxic for her body.  She was determined to ride the first day, the second day would be decided at the end of the first day. I'm glad I decided to start from Wellesley to be able to talk with her at the team dinner.

Of all the years I've known Diane we never had a picture together, of course I got one this year and have a goofy look, oh well.  She looks nice!  OH and the daisy's in my helmet are in support of Team Daisy who lost one of their riders and his daughter in a plane crash the Wednesday before the ride.

Unlike my first PMC it was warm and sunny, a bit to warm and a bit to sunny, one extreme to the other.  Kinda like cancer, eh?

Unlike last year I put my bike in the room and had a plan to get what needed to stay into the car and be able to ride with the team to the start.  Like last year I had a roommate I had never met before.  My roomie was Carrieann a friend of Diane's, one of each of their boys went to school together and they had developed a friendship over the years.  Even going to France because both the boys really wanted to see the Louvre after taking a class on French artists.  Diane knew her other sons and husband would be bored out of their minds and Carrieann knew her other son and daughter and husband would feel the same way so the four of them went!  Very cool!  Always great to see how each of the 63 team members on LUNGStrong connect through Diane!

So the ride - Day One



Last year: 83.2 miles / 5:27:52 time / 1.7800 elevation gain

Same route, I think, and there's that elevation mystery!! 

Collected a few PRs besting my 2014 time, and in some cases not.

The ride was different because not as many people bailed because of the rain so it was very crowded till the first water stop, and everyone was getting themselves adjusted to riding in a big pack.  I hung with a few LUNGStrong folks for a while and either they broke away or I did.    The PMC riders really take up the whole lane, and these were the Wellesley starters, not the whole crew!  Fortunately it was early and there wasn't much traffic we were snarling up, plus I think everyone along the PMC routes are pretty well aware the first weekend in August is much like a college town on a football Saturday - you aren't going to move fast. It's been that way from Sturbridge for the last 36 years and I can't find out how long from Wellesley, I'd imagine not that long.

The Wellesley and Sturbrige riders meet up just before the Rehoboth.  Sturbridge is 69 miles into their day and we are 44.  The Sturbridge Day 1 ride is 110 miles.  A few of our folks who start from Sturbridge do Day 0 to get a true Pan-Mass in, they start from the NY/MA border, adding on 91 miles and 4.497 elevation gain.

Like last year I managed to meet up with my co-worker Lisa and her husband Jerry.  They were having a good day, and happy to take a break for lunch!  Once I started up again I noticed a bit of a tangle of bikers in the ditch going up a hill and around a curve.  It was Jerry!  Lisa was no where to be found.  About 5 miles down the road there she was pedaling merrily away, clueless.  We chatted and I asked if she often left her husband in a ditch.  She didn't grasp what I was saying and I said he looked fine after the crash, still she didn't get it, chattered on about how she can beat him up hill and he catches up on the flats and it was odd he hadn't caught up.  We were clipping along about 20 mph, it is so hard to have a conversation on a bicycle, I dropped it.

The next water stop was the pedal partners.  Lisa and I pulled in and she went off to meet up with her group and her pedal partner.  I can't remember who she rides for, they have orange safety cones on their helmets and I did a look through the PMC website and can't find a listing of teams.  Suppose I should google it?   I filled up my water bottles with ice, slogged down a couple Del's (it was in the 90's) chatted with a LUNGStrong team mate I met up with and sat on the ground, often being encouraged to take a chair. I assured them I was fine on the grass gave me a chance to stretch out my hips.    As I was leaving there was Jerry and Lisa, Jerry documenting this water stop and I chimed in "You are still talking to her after she ditched you in the ditch?"  Lisa said "I though you said I ditched him and I always do on hills, now I get it!!!"  Ah...  he was fine, slightly bruised ego, and no one else had any damage.

And then we were off to our final waterstop and Bourne.  It seems so silly to stop with 9 miles left.  For the Sturbridge folks, it seems perfect, they have already ridden a century.  Not that I'm down playing the 84 miles I did, no not in the least.  Just saying I feel silly stopping.  I was glad I did, I ran into three team mates and we mostly pedaled into Bourne together, one got a cramp and had to back off the other two, a father and son clipped merrily along to the finish.

The finish was very different, probably because it wasn't raining and the sun was shining.  I had a hard time getting my bearings as to where I needed to go.  The PMC app wouldn't load and I couldn't remember which dorm I was in.  So I went to the one I was in last year and eventually things started coming back to me with which room I was in last year and figured well I'd be in the same one?  or the same floor?  I was, and just then the app loaded and told me where I was staying.  Thought that was weird.  It wasn't until the last day that I realized all this information was on the handy bracelet on my arm!  Name / emergency contact / dorm at the Mass Maritime Academy / transportation back to Wellesley.  HA!  The logistics are so well done and the volunteers so knowledgeable and helpful I didn't really give thinking and remembering a second thought.    Next year I'll remember?

Beautiful sunset over Buzzards Bay to end the day

Volunteers

3,000 volunteers.  Each and everyone of them, they wore purple shirts this year, were helpful.  If I got confused, just find someone in a purple shirt and say HI and ask the question, they were happy and helpful, and had the answer and if they didn't they knew who to go to!  Amazing, no AMAZING, I can't even find the right words.

Logistics

The logistics are amazing, you get a set of tags, see picture.  They are all so people can see names and people can be called by name, that is very nice.  The one on the back of your bike is so people approaching can say "on your left Beth" or "Beth, on your left" so you know they are passing on the left.  Don't pass on the right, please (more later). One goes on your jersey so people can see your name.  Two for your bags, I guess you could have two bags, I put both on one bag.  All of them and the jersey come in a bag with all this information repeated, you put that IN the bag in the event the bag gets lost (more on that later). All have bar codes to check you in, check in your bike, check in your bag.  Truly amazing.

Top goes on the top bar of your bike
Second - on your bag (you get two)
Third - on your wrist
Fourth - one on your jersey and one on the back of your bike

The "more on that" - Lost Bag

One of the team never got his bag upon arriving in Provincetown last year.  The staff were able to rustle up some clothes for him to change into once she showered and found a pair of flip flops.  The bag remained lost until three weeks ago, someone found it in a box truck!  I can't even imagine how disgusting that bag was, at least it was found. He was a little concerned this year, however his bag did show up in Provincetown on Day 2!

I overheard a conversation on the ferry ride back to Boston.  The guy's bag had been lost he explained this was why he had on clothes he wouldn't normally wear.  And this seems to be a thing for him it's the second year they lost his bag.  I had to butt in, I said, "I am totally eaves dropping, here, how long till you got your bag back?"  He said it was at his house the next day.  I went on to say what had happened to one of the LUNGStrong guys and everyone had the same reaction as me, gak what sort of disgusting mess was in the bag after a year of wet sweaty clothes.  Last years Day 1 ride rained the whole day, nothing was dry when it was put into the bag to go to it's next stop.

Yes, my bag was there in Boston waiting for me and when we got to Provincetown, John's bag was there.  So at least he had it in Ptown, once in Boston I have no idea, it's a madhouse getting off the boat and finding bikes and bags and the right bus.

The "more on that" - Passing on the Right

On Day 2 we round a couple sharp turns to get on to the Cape Cod Canal bike path after crossing the Bourne Bridge.  It is early, I left on the ride at 5:15 a.m. after a whopping 3 hours and 9 minutes of broken sleep (no I wasn't partying, it was hard for me to sleep) and no coffee.  Maybe some people are alert and nice, me, alert and grouchy.  There was one turn, and knowing that I should have a wide berth on the right to make a left turn some jackwagon gets in the two feet between me and the curb on this left where, yes, I am going a little right, to make a sweeping turn.  I swore a blue streak, I still don't think I was in the wrong, pass left, stay right, just like driving.  Oh wait, maybe he drive's like that too...  That could have really messed up Day 2 for both of us considering we were only a few miles in to the journey.

The ride - Day 2



Last year:  78.5 miles / 5:16:03 time / 1,773 feet elevation gain  (I did turn around at the finish and pedal back to see if I missed meeting up with team mates so that's the extra mile and time - I could crop the ride the 1.5 miles, but that seems silly)  and again with the elevation.

Diane wouldn't be riding Day 2 with the team. After discussions with her oncologist, who really didn't want her riding Day 1 and probably her husband cautioning her and her listening to her body, she would be meeting us at the finish.   One of the other super things is the good care the PMC takes with its Living Proof riders, they kept in contact with her during the ride and she with them.

The day started early, reveille at 4 a.m., I was out for less than two hours, and ended up tossing and turning for nearly 3 hours, not liking facing the wall when I was on my right and not liking sleeping on my left.  It finally dawned on me to switch to my feet at the 'head' of the bed and my feet at the 'foot' and I was out like a light for nearly 90 minutes.  Sum total of 3 hours and 9 minutes per my FitBit.  I let the other three gals in the room do their getting ready while I kicked myself for not thinking and flipping over and glad I thought to bring a fan, it did help when I did sleep.

So I mentioned about the near miss after the Bourne bridge.  We won't re-hash that.

The Cape Cod Canal Bike Path was nice for a few miles then we were off it at mile 8 and it would be a couple miles till our first climb of the day.  This was met with groans from people who remembered and not really welcome to my ears.  Did these people actually know what a hill was?  It was a mile and a half with 200 feet of elevation, yes a little steep for 6 in the a.m. For being coastal Cape Cod has more than it's fair share of 'hills', many are nice rollers, get up a good head of steam on the first one and you can easily go for miles pushing a bit and then coasting.  So, Much. Fun.

Ran in to some of the LUNGStrong Ladies, found out that one of us took a fall before the Bourne Bridge and would be meeting us at the end.  Another gal volunteered to go with her so she wouldn't be alone, awwww, that would have been her first Ptown finish too....  Kris said she tipped over, got herself righted, noticed her handle bar was bent and clipped back in and started to pedal and could feel her knee expand.  BOOM 3 times the size and some nice bruises to boot.  A couple transfers and she and a couple other injured riders were shuttled from the first water stop to the finish in Provincetown.  She will be back next year, no doubt.

Mile 40 we meet up with the Cape Cod Rail Trail.  Very awesome, and also where I started losing my patience.  There is a reason people aren't big fans of bikers, and mostly it has to do with not yielding to the right of way.  The set up:  There was a big glom (I can't call it a peleton, it wasn't it was a glom a heard a mass not a peleton) of bikers, it is narrow, maybe three bikes across if you ride with them regularly and trust them,  so two really. People were riding double or hanging on the left when they should have hung on the right.  I can't remember the guys name or the team he rode with, he had a wine glass on his helmet, though.  He hung to the left and pedaled at 15/16.  I was fine, it's a ride not a race.  It wasn't until no one was getting over for the bikers coming towards us. Especially this guy, it seemed he owned the bike path?  The lead woman in the group was animated, well she was loosing her shit, frankly.  Maybe didn't need to be that crazy, however the glom of bikers should get right with on coming traffic or when there is a car back. Crap people are always yelling "car back" "car up" on the road and not moving so why would "biker up" "runner up" elicit a different response?   Anyhoodles, he had a lot not very nice to say about this woman and finally I edged my front wheel in and called him by name and said "Name, On Your Left"  I pushed him right rather indelicately and got past that glom of bikers.  Yes, I wasn't any better than him with how I handled myself, I'm not proud, I'm not sorry.

When the signs say share, they don't mean everyone shares with you, it means everyone shares with everyone.  Gahhhhhhhh  I'll admit I ride left of the white line when there is no traffic, I pull as far right as is safe when there is traffic.  As a rule I don't trust people, this is enhanced especially reading about motorcyclists and motorist trying to tip over cyclists.  Really?  Can't we all just get along, how is that so hard?  It's like we are all reverting back to being siblings stuck in the back seat of the car on a long trip.  "she touched me" "he's on my side" "she's breathing on me" and whatever other issues there were to whine about meanwhile dad is saying "Be quite or I'll tan all three of your hides".  We all did because he never made an idle threat, ever.    As adults we do have fun when we get together and all three sit on the couch and argue about who gets the window seat and who has to sit in the middle to entertain our parents.

Then we were back on some regular roads and busy roads all with amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean or the Bay.  Eventually having to slog along on US 6 where we meet with the Welcome to Provincetown sign and a choice, straight for a quick finish at 0.8 miles or right for another 5 miles of rollers, views of the ocean and the dunes and less people.  Oh yeah, I picked right, I picked that way last year.  It was beautiful, a couple of climbs and nice coasts, and then the turn off for the finish.  Met by a couple hundred people cheering you in.  Glorious.



Done, complete with my self satisfied smile!

Found my bag, a few team mates, the girl's room to shower and stretch and then food and beer.  Two hot dogs, please!!  I love them and this is the only time I get them, and no I don't care that they are filled with junk, they are yummy!

We all took the slow ferry back, the party ferry.  Yours truly napped, I may review my options for next year, especially if, again, I'm not taking advantage of the live band and partying...

Sincerely,
Beth, another year done and about $1,500 left for fundraising! A shameless plug for my donation page.

Pan Mass Challenge - Recap

Where does one start to recap a 164 miles and just under 11 (10:53 of moving time to be exact) hour amazing moving bike ride?

Let’s start at the beginning  

Once upon a time…  ok not that far back…

In January I was flipping through the Christmas cards and spied one from Diane Legg  I love this picture and the emotion it shows and it brings to me. 

I re-read her personal message on the back if she could get me to ride with LUNGstrong in the Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) for 2014. I looked up the ride dates, and did a double take on the date.  August 2nd?  That is the 7 year anniversary of when my mom called to tell me she had lung cancer.  This is kismet, I must do this.  

I met Diane through Team Lung Love, my first ½ in May 2011 (3:18) and I still remember the conversation I had with her at the team dinner.  She was a bit dubious on my even finishing the ½, she never said this, her face did. It was at that point I knew she was someone I would admire and aspire to be like.  I did finish that ½ and paid the price for being completely untrained.  Lung cancer wasn't going to best my mother and this ½ marathon business wasn't going to best me:  2012 was my comeback year and I finished in 2:17 and signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon and finished in 5:09.  Vowed to do better in 2013… 

Well that didn't go so well for a variety of reasons. I loved running for Team Lung Love but that marathon experience was going to be my last, and I am sticking to that.  The Ultra isn't a Marathon it is a whole different experience, so quiet.  It was also time to do something different, and the PMC had been lingering in my head since I stalked LUNGstrong over the last few years.

Diane and I talked in January and I signed up, scoped out the training plans and clearly I could continue to focus on my Ultra training, plus the Ultra (is that even supposed to be capitalized?) and the PMC were all about endurance.  Keep up with my spin classes and Sufferfest when I missed spin and I’d be OK.  I was SO chomping at the bit to get out on the bike as soon as I could.  Nearly accomplished my goal of riding once a month, I missed (Feb and Mar).

History of LUNGstrong provided by Diane 

“When I was diagnosed with lung cancer almost 10 years ago, I remembered that our friend Ira Hart had ridden in the PMC in the early ‘90’s and thought that this would be a great thing for Dave (my husband) to get involved with since he liked to mountain bike (I thought all bike riding was the same…ha!)   Dave wanted no part of it.  He loved mountain biking, didn’t have a road bike & had no intention of getting one…I dropped the notion.  Summer of 2007, Ira called to tell us that his sister was diagnosed with lung cancer, she died a mere 18 months later, she was only 42 years old and left a devoted husband and three young children.  The day of Arielle’s funeral, Ira asked Dave if he would ride with him in the PMC that summer (it was 2009) and of course Dave said yes.  Dave still didn't have a road bike but Ira lent him one of his bikes; Dave figured it would be one and done.  It was the two of them that year, there was no “Team LUNGstrong” but 100% of what they raised went to lung cancer research at Dana Farber and they raised $13,761.  Dave was hooked after his first PMC by the thrill of the ride, the cause, the volunteers & the overall experience…by the end of the 2009, Dave would have his own road bike.

While Dave was riding his first PMC & Ira’s second, the boys and I were with my friend Maura Chapman and her family in Falmouth and met them at the finish in P-town….Maura had just lost her dad to lung cancer that Spring.  Maura’s husband, Cory, decided he didn’t want to be on the side lines and committed to ride in the PMC the following year and suggested we put a team together.  It was Maura & Cory who came up with the name LUNGstrong!!  Team LUNGstrong was born!

In 2010 we had 5 riders, Dave, Ira, Cory, Chris Vossler (my brother in law), and Carolyn Hodges (who was riding in her 9th PMC & a childhood friend).  At the end of the PMC we met up with Tom Leblanc, who had just finished his 12th PMC, we gave him a LUNGstrong t-shirt and he joined our team!  The team raised over $36,000 that year!

In 2011 we grew to 15 strong and raised over $110,000.  In 2012, I joined the team along with 32 other riders….we raised over $210,000!!  And last year we had 61 riders and raised just over $300,000.

All of us have a reason to ride in the PMC this year.  Many of us have been personally touched by lung cancer, which may have drawn you to this team; but regardless of the type we ALL have been affected by cancer….whether it is a wife, husband, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter or friend…whether we are riding in memory of or in honor of…we all ride to make a change…And we all will be changed this year AND we all will make a difference!

Dave and I wanted to let you know how much it means to us that you are riding with Team LUNGstrong this year.  We appreciate it and look forward to seeing you all on the road or at least in Bourne!!

Thanks again!!

Diane & Dave”

NB: 2014 61 riders and $170,00 raised towards a goal of $350,000, that will mean Team LUNGstrong has raised over $1,000,000 for lung cancer research at Dana Farber in 5 years. 

Show time

I drove up to Wellesley on Friday afternoon, super quick drive and easy to park and get my stuff, although the volunteer handing out the package was all excite this was my first one and rang the cow bell and handed me my bag.  Um, what do I do with all this stuff???  She was on to the next person.  No worries, I unloaded my bike and set it up and talked to a few other riders and got it straight what tags went where and racked my bike.  Off to find the Babson Conference Center where we were all staying.  I noticed my roommate, Traci, had her bike in the room.  I remembered reading no bikes in the room (well that was for the Mass Maritime Academy – doh).  I hemmed and hawed about going back to get my bike or not or what and decided well we all had to leave from where the bikes were racked, it would be OK. 

The team leaving from Wellesley met for dinner at 6:30. Diane gave all the gals an Alex and Ani bicycle bracelet!  Goes very nicely with my winged foot!  (no comments about swimming, ok?)  Good to meet a few of the gals and finally meet my roommate for the night!  I felt a little more comfortable, especially knowing some of the people I would be spending the next two days with.

There are a total of 61 members of Team LUNGstrong 2014, 7 started at the NY border riding from NY to PTown (through Sturbridge) to do a true Pan Mass, 13 started in Sturbridge, 40 started in Wellesley, and 2 started in Bourne.  I chose Wellesley because I prefer to ease myself into things, wade into the water versus jump in and all. I don’t have a lot of hills locally.  I've heard how tough the ride from Sturbridge is and was concerned.  A friend who rides out of Sturbridge assured me if I can ride the hills here and especially the Tour de Lyme, I’ll be fine for Sturbridge next year. Now that I've seen the Strava elevation profile I think I will be ok with a Sturbridge 2015 start.

Day 1 Wellesley to Bourne 84 Miles

Strava info:  http://www.strava.com/activities/175124165

Up and on the road by 7 a.m. on Saturday.  I was a wreck for the first 21 miles until the first water stop.  The rain was not going to hold off or be kind, this was going to be a wet ride was part of my anxiety and the other part was just riding in a group.  Fortunately, everyone was very cautious and courteous and that helped put me at ease.  I hooked up with a group of LUNGstrong at the stop and we all checked in with each other 

Smug smile = apprehension

I lost the team before we got on the road because yep, I needed my rain jacket thing.  I picked it up on a whim when I first started riding and hadn't used it.  It worked great!  Kept the chill off my arms and chest which was what I was most concerned about. Took about 6 weeks for that horrible cough to finally disappear and I didn't want is coming back!

Eventually I caught up with team members here and there and rode and chatted and eventually one of us sped up or slowed down.  I am always curious to know their connection to lung cancer.  

When I caught up with Deb.  She and I matched pretty well for pace, riding and conversation style  we rode together to lunch and rode the last 40 miles together. (I think she Ro and I would be a treacherous trio besides being a blonde, brunette, and ginger) These were also the rainiest of the miles. A great time to have someone with a similar style to you to power through with. At one point we were giggling about someone avoiding a puddle.  We are soaked to the bone, really avoiding a puddle?  What is that going to help?

I found co-worker Lisa at lunch, 5,700 riders and I saw the orange cones and BOOM! There she was in all of her absolute cuteness.

Getting in to Bourne the rain was pelting, all I could think was how much more horrible this would be on a motor cycle.  Oh yeah, and there was beer in Bourne, Harpoon IPA.

After figuring out what to do with bikes and find bags Deb, Cathy?? and I headed to the dorms, I had a room overnight and sure wasn't going to let them stand in the rain or use the portable showers.  We all huffed it to the dorms to find the room I shared with Mary Ellen and two women neither of us knew.  That was a little strange.  At least the LUNGstrong women weren't strangers to me.  One of the gals showed up and we introduced our selves.  No one actually ever met the 4th gal she was asleep by the time the 2nd roommate, and didn't get up at the 4 a.m. reveille.  Guess it was strange all around for everyone? 

Four to a room, bunk beds, or what I thought were bunk beds, the bottom bunk was actually a desk.  There were two pads so I put them on the desk, seemed to make sense. Many people left the pad on the floor.  Ick, the floor was dirty.  Yes, yes, we spent 6 hours riding in the rain and were full of road dirt from the roots of our hair to our toes, but still, we weren't about to sleep in it!!  It was at this point I started regretting not remembering to pack a fan like Paul suggested.  The rooms were a teensy bit stuffy.

The shower was hot and wonderful.  It was hard to not be a total pig about just standing there first getting a good deal of the road grime off of my bike clothes and then to warm up.  Going from cold blue to a warmer pink and that point where your skin starts to itch as it warms up.  Eventually I gave up my shower.  This was a dorm, they weren't going to run out of hot water.  And from what I could tell they didn't. 

Shared what I could of the newspaper I brought to stuff in my shoes to dry them out.  You have to change them every 30 minutes or so, a section of the Sunday paper can soak the water out of a few pair of shoes, ahhhh…. Wish I would have crammed more papers in my bag to help more people. 

We rounded up the female contingent of LUNGstrong and one was missing a bag, eventually an outfit was pieced together for her and her bag was found.  Then off to find beer, food, and meet up for the team picture.  The rain stopped and the sun peeked out a little bit for our picture.  All of us in either the LUNGstrong riding jersey or a LUNGstrong race shirt.  I didn't want to risk getting my jersey wet before Sunday and opted for the race shirt.  

Bedtime, 8 p.m. are you kidding me???

You’d think after 3 beers and two Advil PM I could fall asleep.  Nope.  Usually I can’t get through all my Words With Friends games before I doze off.  Tried some 2048 and nothing.  It was stuffy but I bet the fan would have really helped with some white noise to lull me to sleep.  Mary Ellen said she was the same way.  If either of us got more than 3 hours of sleep it would be amazing.   I didn't have my FitBit and that will tell me how I slept.  I’m kinda glad in the rush of packing in the a.m. I managed to pull it off my wrist.  It may have been more of an annoyance.  I left my wedding et all rings at home, didn't want to lose them or just have them in the way.  It was one less thing to keep track of.

Day 2 - Bourne to Provincetown - 80 Miles

Strava info: http://www.strava.com/activities/175124169

  
4 a.m. reveille and we were groggily up, brushing teeth pulling on our ‘kits’ we had laid out the night before knowing it was going to be tough to get moving, packing up our bedding and trash bags of wet clothes from Saturday.  I had a diet coke with me to have with breakfast, at least a little caffeine, not cold or anything, but something to help.   We were ready to ride by 5 a.m.  

Off by 5:12 according to the Garmin.  Up and over the Bourne Bridge.  

I was so thankful I set aside my favorite bike shorts for the second day.  I am bummed the company no longer makes these and haven’t started selling a replacement yet I only have one pair.  

My butt didn't hurt like it had been in the beginning of July.  Guess things got all sussed out with my week off from everything but drinking?

For some reason I expected the Bourne Bridge to be more of a climb, like the Newport Bridge, it wasn't.  maybe it was different in the saddle from on my feet?  Who knows.  Perhaps it was the fact it was 5:30 in the morning and none of me was fully awake yet?

Up and over the bridge, a couple of slippery wiked hard turns and we were off on the Cape Cod Bike path.  Nice, all these bikers whizzing by guys fishing and biking to their fishing spot on the canal, bikes all tricked out with pole holders, very cool.  

Couple miles of rollers until we hit the rest stop in Barnstable.  Love riding on the rollers.  Always challenge myself to not down shift at all during these sections to get up enough speed to power to the top of the next roller.

Guess who I saw!!!

Ran into Dave Legg for a bit, we chatted.  He is usually WAY in the front of the pack and was trying to stick with the pack and having a problem figuring out the pacing.  It was nice to see he and Diane riding together, despite his confusion over this slower pace.  Such a sweet couple.  

Along another bike path section I saw Mike off by the side fixing a tire.  I offered some moral support and he was happy to have the company and he efficiently changed the tube and we discussed the hole in his tire and what to do about it.  It was a pin prick and the tube didn't come through so we figured it was fine.  It was nothing like what happened to my tire during the New Haven Century.  He got everything all put together and we rode along together for a while and I guess I lost him or he lost me...  I'm not much of a talker, more of a listener.

Riding out to PTown was very cool a bit on the bike path a bit on the road.  Made it to the PTown border!!  There were two men trying to do a selfie with the sign.  I pulled over and said, "Hey I'll take your picture if you take mine."  They were game.  They started from the NY border and wanted to document they made it!  Absolutely adorable!!  I think I kind of surprised them tearing off over two lanes of traffic to get to the median.  Brain off, pedals on?

I love the dark shirt WAY better than the white one!

After I got a little further down the road I had a decision, the short way to the finish or the long scenic way.  I stopped here for a bit wondering when I should be meeting up with my LUNGstrong team mates.  Funny for ME to be waiting for team mates -- usually the WTAC guys have collected their prizes and finished their cool down runs by the time I make it across the finish line  --  I hung for a bit and got passed by a LUNGstrong shirt and he went the long way.  OK cool that is the way I wanted to go.   He was stopped just ahead and said the plan was to stop and wait at the turn off for the Provincetown Inn and we could all ride in together.  Well I found that and thought he said it was a left not a right, so I ended up finishing,  oh shit… that was where I was supposed to stop, it was a right not a left and perhaps this is why I get lost? Me and directions always a bit dubious, at least I didn't get lost, or should I start saying ‘confused’?  Hmmm…    I managed to bike back to the turn off point (it was a mile) and waited for a while.  I saw Ann and she said everyone stopped in Truro and they’d be a while she wanted to be done.

I hung for a bit, really just wanting to ditch the bike shoes and helmet and don some Birks and a hat, I went back to the end, ducking out before the actual end.  Finishing twice may confuse the people who scan the riders in.  Got my bike loaded onto a truck heading to Wellesley (totally forgot to take out my phone charger and money, figured that out too late – rats) found my bag, put on sandals and stashed all the gear stored in those super handy three back pockets on bike jerseys in my bag, ahhh…  found Ann who had a key to the room where we could shower and a beer.  The beer was far more important to both of us.

There were many of us taking the slow ferry back to Boston, it was a nice mile walk to the ferry, I enjoy a walk after a long event, helps loosen up the muscles, kinda like a cool down run.  Sadly I had no money for beer, my teammates were more than willing to buy me beer,  I owe you Mary Ellen!  Thank you!  Had a beer on the deck talked to Dennis for a bit, we both snoozed for a while and he disappeared and Mary Ellen came searching for me to join the party and to buy me another beer! Whoop!  I was happy to be with the loud crowd after my little snooze.  I’m an introverted loner, it is important for me to have some down time and that was my first opportunity since I left the house on Friday afternoon.  

After the ferry it was a bus ride to Wellesley where I found my bike and the key for Vinnie (pshew).  Slogged the bike and the bag about ½ mile, up hill, and loaded up Vinnie and we were ready to go home.  Truth:  I got a little ‘confused’ leaving Wellesley – I took the scenic route?

It was nice to be home.  The dogs all had words with me, especially Gizmo who was cheated out of 4 walks by his count, 2 by mine.  Dave eventually was able to worm his way in and welcome me home.

Looking forward to getting to know more members of Team LUNGstrong over the next year and anxiously awaiting for PMC 2015 sign up to open!

Sincerely,
Beth who doesn't think she did this ride justice.  It was amazing!  Looking forward to 2015!

New Haven Century - Recap

The goal was the full 100 miles, I knew my butt was not properly trained for this distance so there might be a struggle, there might be some whining.  The stupid cold/plague/allergies are hanging in there so there might be some coughing and snot rockets.

As I packed up my stuff Saturday night for a early a.m. departure to New Haven, CT, Dave suggested a second tire.  100 miles is a lot of miles, you might need it.  I was hoping to not need either of the tubes.  He also said, "We really should get a good frame pump.  The ones we have suck."  Kinda late to do anything about that now wasn't it?

I left on time, mentally checking my list as I drove away.  I forgot my water and electrolytes bottle.  SOB.  Turned around to get home to find Dave calling me to let me know that I had forgotten these things.  Ah, thanks hon.  No snark, seriously I appreciated the call.   The century riders were asked to leave no later than 8 a.m.  I was going to be right up on top of that with this 30 minutes I just lost.  Oh well...  

The directions from Google were sketchy once I got close to The Devi's Gear Bike Shop, I had it surrounded all the 1 way streets were messing with me!! Eventually figuring out where I could park Ro's SUV.  OH yeah, Vinnie is back into Christine mode, not even a month later and we are back to this "SRS Airbag Failure" complete with the interior flashing lights and rapidly swiping windshield wipers.  Grrrr....  I think I may get a new car sooner than 2017, but we shall see...  

Got parked found some other riders we all chatted, they were doing the 100 too and the course was nice.  Oh ok, sounds good.  

Found the check in, noted that someone was being told that the streets in Milford, CT were not marked with paint, but with chalk.  This was not noted in the 'welcome to the ride note' other course marking issues were.  Hmmm...  Poked around for more information and where is the bathroom??!!

Off I went just a minute past the latest start time, had a difficult time getting a signal and then a last moment panic about the directions.  

Milford was a problem and I and others did get lost. What a cute little town!!  That got all straightened around after reading the turn by turn directions and eventually finding a heard of bikers (or are they a clouder or a pod?)  Couple bonus miles, no biggie.  

I was cruising along fairly well bummed that I wasn't riding with anyone, or even meeting up with people at the end, ultimately enjoying the beauty of this part of Connecticut (once I got out of Milford).  My next challenge was the arrow pointing left to an obvious bike path, sweet.  I pedaled along there for quite a while, 4 miles, and then began to wonder if I was going the right direction.  Of course I was not, and no one should be surprised by this, especially not me!

Got myself back on the right path, love my iPhone and Google maps!  This caused me to miss a rest stop, which I didn't think would be a problem.  Silly girl.

Landed at the 100 turn left 64 go through.  I hemmed and hawed and my butt voted, through.  Ok then.  The 'hills' were over it was just the next 50 or so (because of my scenic adventures) that I was concerned with and frankly I was tired.  I'd been at it for 4.5 hours and did I have another 4.5 in me?  Wasn't sure and didn't want to find out.

Missing that rest stop was noticed when I drank my last water and electrolyte drink, I was parched, gag.  Found a gas station and stopped, frantically checking on my bike to make sure no one stole it while I was waiting to pay for the water.  Oh sweet water...  Pulled out of there to notice someone flagging me down for a rest stop not 100 feet away!!!  She said I was yelling and waiving.  I said I was so thirsty.  I did stop and top off my water bottle and snack on a few PBJ finger sandwiches jibber jabbered with some bikers.  They too went straight instead of a left at the cut off.   15ish more miles till the end, sweet.

Made it about a mile and hit something, sounded like plastic, then sounded like a mini explosion as my tube went flat.  Oh yippie...  Got that all straightened around, pumped up the tire and checked everything and noticed the tube coming out of a hole in the side of the tire.  Hmmm... OH wait I read something to put a dollar bill in between the tube and the tire.  Feh, what the hell, took it all apart again and slid the dollar bill in there, pumped the tire back up again.

Neatness doesn't count!

The tube with the gash

The tire, after I got home.  Dave was pretty impressed by this!

After I fixed the tire, for the second time, a gang of motor-bikers came zooming by.  Wowza.  The first time I had pulled over into a gas station (my quest for water) which wasn't even open.  As I'm going to get back on the road.  Cop motorcyclists sirens and lights flashing and then what must have been a mile of bikers two by two.

The first time I saw them.
I waved, they waved, wonder what that was all about?
It was VERY loud!

They all appeared again just as I was finishing up fixing my flat.   Had I been on the road that would have scared the crap out of me and who knows what may have happened.  Things happen for a reason, right?  I was off the road and I think that was a good thing!

I stopped a couple times to put more air in the tire but I wasn't getting that sucker up to 110 psi, no way no how.  Riding tired on a low tire sucks, did my best to make the best of it and pedaled forward.  Eventually finding the finish, and then Ro's car which contained an icy diet coke, ahhh.

http://app.strava.com/activities/159718118/overview

Ahhhh.... Nice to get out of the bike shoes, which really are well ventilated, especially when I went down hill I could feel the breeze on my toes, the clean clothes were nice; nothing was as nice as that icy diet coke.  

Sincerely,

Beth, not a century rider, yet!!  

PS Gizzy did get a short walk, we had to cut it short to pick up a pizza for dinner.

Tour de Lyme - recap

This wasn't billed as a race, and when I contacted the organizer asking about the 57 mile ride in the Tour de Lyme, only really concerned if there was there a time limit, he replied with we designed the route to be a 3 - 4 hour ride, this is not a race, no time limit.  Huh... I am not quite clueless on my bike pace, and figured 4 hours would be short, perhaps 4:30?  I can run 20 miles in 4 hours this would be like running 20 miles right?  Don't even ask me how I came up with this logic.   

What the heck, in for a penny in for a pound and why would I bother to drive 40 miles to ride a 26 mile route (remember the rule I set up for 5Ks after last year, if it takes longer to drive there, re-think that plan) when I could just do that at home.    Well I did want the organized biking event experience so there is that.

Parking was chaotic and confusing, but I managed to get it figured out, I swear it looked like the sign said I had to go straight, alas no....  Package pick up was easy.  Got a red band on my wrist as I was doing the red route, a t-shirt (2 actually), a cycling cap, and a water bottle (2 actually).  Dave groaned, we don't need any more water bottles...  well, erm I didn't know it was in the bag(s) till I got home, so stuff it.

There were 4 road rides 57, 26 challenging, 26 easier, 8 mile family ride and 2 mountain bike rides (1 hour and 3 hour), 575 riders.  This was the second year for the race, last year rained so they have NO benchmark for what could happen with the absolutely perfect weather on May 18th.  

The ride benefits the Lyme (Connecticut) Land Trust, what a great way to showcase the land in the land trust!

Before signing up I looked at the route on Strava and really didn't notice the elevation, details...  My focus was on the miles, nearly a metric century and the longest ride I've had is 33 miles, last summer when Dave and I went to Buttonwood Farms for ice cream (1,477 in elevation).  I did just get done training for and running a 50K so I figured my endurance isn't in question.  Well my leg endurance, my butt endurance, well yeah, in a bike saddle for 41/2 to 5 hours, what on earth is that going to feel like?

Looking at Strava afterwards 57 miles and 3, 555 feet of elevation gain.  Holy quivering quads.  They are burning just thinking about some of those "will this ever end" long climbs and the" really, straight up at that angle, is that even possible" hills.   What did I learn about hills? 

1. When petting adorable dog half way up a hill don't try and jump back on the bike and go straight.  You have to weave back and forth across the road to get moving back up the hill again.
2. Just keep pedaling.
3. When sitting hurts, stand and it doesn't hurt so bad.
4. Just keep pedaling.
5. When standing hurts, sit again and it doesn't hurt so bad.
6. Just keep pedaling.
7. Shift forward and pedal more.
8. Just keep pedaling.
9. Shift backward and pedal more.
10. Just keep pedaling.
11. Enjoy the downhill, although it is a bad idea to scream "Wheeeee" like the pig in that Geico commercial, people get concerned that you are hurt (or maybe insane?)

My butt managed, I think it just takes time to get it toughened up.  Getting off the bike at the 'rest areas' was a good idea. The first one was at mile 23.  Walking was an interesting experience, I felt drunk. 

I talked with a few people:

One woman who could only ride 30 miles before she had to pick up her daughter, her husband was also riding and would go ahead and then come back and check on her.  He did say to me, "You and my wife are the only two women in pink.  So if I ride by and call you sweetheart don't get offended."  I said no problem.  Turned out his wife and I are of similar ability and rode together for nearly 15 miles.  When he would come back and check, I'd say "Checking on sweeheart?"  They were cute.  Mary and I rode together and chatted back and forth for a while.  Ever observant me took mental notes on how she navigated the hills, very constant and steady pace and when she would stand to pedal and then sit down. 

Then there was another gal that I managed to pass (not flying by just keeping it consistent as I learned from Mary) on the uphills, and she screamed by me on the down hills.  I don't mean literally screaming at me, she FLEW.  I am terrified of crashing!!!  I'd pass her on the up hill and she would say "See ya on the down side, you need to learn to fly."  HA!!  I'd probably end up a tangled bloody mess at the bottom of the hill.  She was funny, we would always see each other at the rest area.

After passing back and forth, exchanging pleasantries, for 20 miles,  this guy says "We ride similarly."  I said "Yeah, seems like it."  Back and forth about the beauty of the course and the day. Then he said it "I don't think I can finish"  I looked over at him (consider my own burning quads, sore butt, and contemplation of cutting corners) and abruptly said "We are not having THAT conversation, new topic."  I can't even believe I said that (OK I can).  Must be I attract people who need a little pick me up?  I should be helpful and flattered not frustrated? Maybe started with, "Just keep pedaling." and then launched at him?   He was taken aback and quiet for a moment or two then stuttered and said "My wife decided to be a triathlete a few years back and she didn't even know how to swim."  I said, "Perfect, I'm a bit unsure on the swimming part, this is hopeful, go on."  And he did, I think there is something different with an athletic couple, far more pride in each others accomplishments because each of you know what it took to get there.  This man beamed with pride telling me how she learned to swim and not be afraid of the water, she has completed "a handful of sprint tris" and is training for her third 1/2 Ironman (New Bedford).  He does worry that she takes on too much, "You women, you just don't know when to stop."  I had to laugh at that. 

After the ride, still smiling...

The route:

The route was gorgeous, so many places I wanted to stop and take a run in the woods or snap a picture. Had I done that I'd be out there till dark!  The sounds of the rushing streams and the peaceful lakes complimented the ride. Truly this route show cased the best the Lyme CT area has to offer!

It was well marked with some sort of sticker arrows on the hard top and signs at the turns.

There were a couple of lollipopish loops in the course.  It was tempting to take the short cut, it isn't a race right? I would know so there is that, in for a penny in for a pound, right? Burning quads and ouchy butt aside, this was a great experiment for me to really figure out what works and doesn't work for me on long rides and how to push through the mental part of the distance and put into play the helpful suggestions Dave has gifted me and what I was observing from the other riders. 

http://app.strava.com/activities/142774445  - HTML still doesn't load....
And I turned off the space watch for a mile and a half - doh!! 

Sincerely, 
Beth, pleased with her first organized bike 'ride' and doesn't think she violated too many of 'the rules'.