Just finished my first 100K ride

100K, or, No Country For Old Men Wearing Fleece

I was up and out the door by 7:30 a.m. I reached Hawkestone and was feeling pretty good -- 30K down, and now I just need to turn around for a nice 60K ride and set a new personal best for total distance. That's when these two older guys -- probably in their 60s -- roll up on the trail and we start chatting about the weather. Turns out they're headed for Orillia from Barrie.

I'm like, WTF? These guys don't look like they're in shape. Jesus, one of them's wearing tennis shoes and a fleece pullover and the last of the fog burned off an hour ago.

So then I get the bright idea, hell, if they can do it, so can I. Never mind that my longest ride up until this point was just short of 60K. Never mind I only started cycling seriously less than a month ago. Ego trumps smarts.

So they take off on the trail and I head back to the road. I eventually roll into Orillia and catch up with them (the trail's a more direct route.) We get to talking again and I say to them, "So, are you guys going to grab something to eat or a coffee before you head back?"

"Head back? We live here. My wife drove us and our bikes down to Barrie this morning. We'd never be able to make that trip!"

And I think, "You've...got...to...be...kidding...me."

So I grabbed a bagel and a coffee at a Tim Hortons in the *ahem* 'interesting' section of Orilllia and pondered my next move. It's blasting Gregorian chants out of a bunch of speakers outside to deter loitering. I could have sat there all day. After trying to determine for 10 minutes which there were more of in that particular Tims, tattoos or missing teeth, I give up and hit the road again.

I started talking to myself around K70.

"No big deal, you've got this. Just watch your pace and you'll be fine."

I ride back into Barrie and I'm only at K88 and I'm thinking, there's no way in hell I'm going to be able to go another 12.

No...freaking...way.

But I keep going. I get close to my house and I'm only at K93 and I hit the proverbial wall. My bike starts wobbling and I'm getting lightheaded.

Keep in mind I have two 750ml Camelback bottles. I drained both on the way up, refilled them and drained both on the way back but ran out at about K80. That's 3 litres of water. I also had oatmeal, a banana and a bagel with peanut butter for breakfast AND had a bagel with butter in Orillia just to be on the safe side.

AND a nectarine, granola bar and gel pack.

But I still hit the wall. I staggered into a Petro-Canada and grabbed a Gatorade. I go up to pay for it -- keep in mind I can't feel my legs, my eyesight's a little sketchy and I'm probably in an altered state -- and this is what I get.
"Oh, do you know if you buy to of those, they're only $2 each? Would you like that deal?"
"No, just this."
"Are you sure? It's a great deal!"
"No."
"Do you have a Petro Points card?"
"No."
"Would you like to apply for one?"
"No. I need to drink this in the next few seconds if I'm going to stay on my feet."
"Fine!" he says, a little huffily.

I guzzled it and within 2 minutes, I kid you not, I felt much better. Back on the bike and pedaled around my neighbourhood to knock off the last 7K to make 100. There was no way I was going to quit when I was that close. Although I'm sure my neighbours were probably thinking, "Look how out of shape this guy is! He's wobbling around a subdivision!"

As I pulled in to the driveway, the tripometre read 100.04k.

I ate some carbs and protein and I actually feel fine. Tired and a bit sore, but fine. I put compression and ice on the knees and am taking it easy for the rest of the day.
Heart rate monitor says I torched 4,848 calories!

Despite being proud of my ride, I've got to say those 12K from about 74 to 86 were the toughest physical challenge I've ever faced. Made my 15K tun feel like a walk in the park.

Which reminds me......I have to get some insoles for my next run.

Here's a picture of me with my number 1 fan, my daughter Claire, helping me make the number 100 after the ride.