Five
minutes into the ride, I can tell I am in for a struggle. Where is the get up and go? I feel flat. I even have a bit of a headache. I had assumed I would be more on the jittery
side. Despite my sluggishness, I push
myself to go as hard as possible, but I can tell that I am fighting a losing
battle. Even the wild turkeys on the
side of the road seem uninspired today.
I keep waiting for an energy surge to kick in. Maybe a bear will pursue me. Alas, it is not to be. The entire ride is laborious. As I near the half-way point, a rider passes
me so quickly I feel I am going backward.
I attempt to keep him in my sights, but it is impossible on the curvy,
climbing road. Even the open glade with
my dream property provides little respite.
It is probably because I know what lies just beyond: the final, brutal ascent. Amazingly, I finish strong. Despite a strong finish, I am reluctant to
see my final time.
Thirty
five minutes and twelve seconds.
Pitiful. I have gone almost one
and a half minutes slower than my baseline effort and a full three minutes
slower than my personal best. I have a
hard time reconciling these results. I
am well rested, and my legs feel strong (at least they did prior to the
ride). I was well prepared, having done
a couple of good rides during the week, and I had allowed myself the standard
two days of rest. Maybe Trader Joe’s
Dark coffee is to blame. Maybe I should
have chosen Starbucks.
I
still have a headache when I arrive home.
Not a great start to the weekend.
Fortunately, I have my Bioflex magnetic headband (see picture at http://www.explorationofalternativemedicine.com/). After taking three ibuprofen, wearing the
headband, and lying down for an hour. the headache is gone. Could it be the magnets?
Next week . . . the final ride up Elk Mountain powered by
Gatorade G-Series Prime.
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