Do I really have to?

Tomorrow is the Bikefest Century ride. It's in Hillsborough, NC so it's a local ride put on by a local group. The organizers are really fantastic people and they put together a great ride through some beautiful scenery. Last year I attempted the metric century and put up my only DNF for a mechanical failure. The onsite mechanic was a disaster. Like everything during Ironman training, I must always pick the longest possible distance.

So 100 miles with 5000+ feet of climbing it will be. Blerg.

This will be my second century ride. Most people would look forward to, train for, and celebrate the arrival of the big day. My target is IMFL, where I will have to ride much farther than the 112 miles of tomorrow, and follow it by running a full marathon. Still the century ride deserves it's due respect. If you don't train for it, you'll get mostly what I got my first time riding a century.

That ride in particular shook my core. It disturbed me so badly mentally that it took 6 weeks before I could even clean my bike. I had a real weakness exposed. There are only 85 days until the Ironman, now is not the time to take 6 weeks off from cycling because my ass hurts.

I have to keep telling myself that last year I didn't properly train. No rides over 60 miles, no consistent riding at all, I was 30 lbs heavier and averaged about 5 mph slower then than I do now. Now I'm riding very consistently, much faster, much stronger, have greatly increased my aerobic capacity, and I think I've built up a much higher tolerance in the general "ass" area.

Hey, sitting in that saddle for 5 - 7 hours isn't supposed to be comfortable. Lubrication is my friend.

When I did the Big Deuce a few weeks ago, it was my first time putting 2 miles in open water. I had no idea how I was going to do in the race or how I would feel when I finished and got out of the water. I trusted my training, went out there and gave it my best shot. I finished in the top half overall men, and had plenty of energy left to go get on the bike. Couldn't have asked for a better swim.

Tomorrow could have the same promise or the exact opposite. It's supposed to be 88 degrees and partly cloudy. We start riding at 7:30 am. I will either finish with enough energy to run a marathon or throw my bike in the lake. All I can do today is trust my training and my own strength.