Mind over matter!!!

[LunaB]

I am 55 years old, about 22 pounds overweight, and got my racing bike (a Cannondale) last autumn. Before that I had done no cycling and no other strenous sport. At the same time I signed up for a famous Swedish sportive, Vätternrundan, 300 kilometers (187 miles) around the lake Vättern. I hadn´t trained much this spring, due to work and bad weather, and the race turned out to be the worst in history, with horrible weather - cold and rain and 25% of the participants quitting due to cold and misery.
But - I made it!!! I started cycling at 02.54 in the morning and after some miserable stops, shaking with cold, I finished in Motala at 22.43 the next night, totally euforic! 19 hours and 47 minutes, out of which probably 14 hours cycling, and I was the happiest person of all 23 000 (!!!) starting. I didn´t do it with fitness or physical strength, but with my mind.
It just goes to show - if I could do it, we all can! The sky is the limit -I am still overweight, not in a very good shape, and older than most cyclists - but I did it. Not fast, not in great style - but I did it, and I am SO happy!!!!!

[smittykitty]

Congratulations. You should be so very proud of yourself. You are very inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

And welcome to TE!

[Catrin]

Congratulations, that was an awesome achievement! Thanks for sharing this wonderful accomplishment with us :)

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, that is truly a remarkable achievement. I am sure I could not do that! You should be very proud!!

Keep up the good work!

[murielalex]

Totally impressed and inspirational! I'm almost 52, 25 lbs overweight, and just picked up cycling a few months ago, and am totally addicted. I have a 165-mile, two-day charity ride I'm signed up for in November. I was just starting to doubt myself, but your story just motivated me! Thanks!

[SueDavis]

Congrats!!!!!!! What an accomplishment!!!! I truely believe in mind over matter.

[Owlie]

Wow! Congratulations!

[MGM]

What an achievement, congrats to you! I'm 57, been riding a bit longer, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't do it. But, mind over matter is correct. And perservereance. You've got both, and achieved a remarkable goal. Good for you!

[lovelygamer]

Your story is remarkable, thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your accomplishment!:D

[AppleTree]

LunaB, very inspiring story. For you to have accomplished that after riding for such a short time...incredible. We never know what we can accomplish until we DO. I learned that last summer in my first double century ride (at 54!).

You will remember that happiness for the rest of your life!

[Jo-n-NY]

What a fantastic achievement. You put truth in the saying that we can achieve anything in life when we set up our minds to do so. Thanks for the reminder!!

[maillotpois]

Congratulations - that's fantastic!!

[SadieKate]

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing.

[LunaB]

Thanks everybody! :-) Yes, I am still quite euforic, and very very happy that I didn+t quit, even though it was close. I was sitting at one of the pit stops (where they served coffee, blueberry soup, bananas, buns and gherkins!) shaking with cold. I was totally soaked through and the temperature was only plus 7 Celsius (about 45 F) and I still had 125 miles to go. By chance I found a pile of newspapers in a corner inside a building where people were huddling for warmth, so I took a bunch of them and managed to dry my clothes a little. Then I took newspapers and put under my shirt, both front and back, and around my arms underneith the sleeves. This warmed me up enough to get back on my bike and move on. I still didn´t think I would make it around the lake, but I wanted to try a little bit longer. An hour or so later the sun came out - and I knew I had to go on.
It was a looong ride. At times I sat in the temporary toilets and cried with my face in my hands, then I continued. Towards the end my back was really hurting and I was so out of energy. I had some energy gels to pick me up for the final hills. But as I rode in under the finish-arch I was soooo happy there are no words to describe it!
I would love to do it again (you can read about it on www.vatternrundan.se) but then I will be better prepared - and take along rain gear!
But, all of you girls out there - if there is a will there is a way! Maybe slow, but a way!
Love this forum, must read all the threads and learn and get even more inspired!
Love, Lena!

[smittykitty]

Now I'm even more impressed!

[Tri Girl]

Wow, Lena! Super impressive doesn't even come close to how amazing your story is. Congrats on finishing (what sounds like) a true test of the human spirit!!
I've been riding for years and I don't even know if I could do that. The furthest I've gone is 114 miles, and that was on a sunny day. ;)

You're amazing. You should feel such pride at your accomplishment!
Congrats, and welcome to TE.
Keep coming back!

Oh, and I just went to the website, and although I couldn't understand the words, I could definitley read the pictures. WOW! What beautiful scenery. WOW!! What an adventure!!

[LunaB]

Wow, Lena! Super impressive doesn't even come close to how amazing your story is. Congrats on finishing (what sounds like) a true test of the human spirit!!
I've been riding for years and I don't even know if I could do that. The furthest I've gone is 114 miles, and that was on a sunny day. ;)

You're amazing. You should feel such pride at your accomplishment!
Congrats, and welcome to TE.
Keep coming back!

Oh, and I just went to the website, and although I couldn't understand the words, I could definitley read the pictures. WOW! What beautiful scenery. WOW!! What an adventure!!

Thank You so much!!! If you click on the british flag at the top right of the first page - it magically turns to english and you can read it!

[Tri Girl]

ooooo...magical! Thanks- didn't even see the little British flag up there.
After reading about it- now *I* want to do it (but it's a wee bit far for travel). ;)
Just wow!

Just what is blueberry soup? Sounds lovely!

And holy moly- that is one gigantic lake! But if you look just to the W at Lake Vänern- that lake makes Lake Vättern look like a little pond.

[LunaB]

ooooo...magical! Thanks- didn't even see the little British flag up there.
After reading about it- now *I* want to do it (but it's a wee bit far for travel). ;)
Just wow!

Just what is blueberry soup? Sounds lovely!

And holy moly- that is one gigantic lake! But if you look just to the W at Lake Vänern- that lake makes Lake Vättern look like a little pond.

Blueberry soup is just that - a cold soup made with blueberries, quite thick and sweet. A bit of a tradition among long distance skiers here in Sweden.

The other lake, Vänern, also has a Sportive, but they go for 3 days and not so far each day.

Yes do come over!!! It´s a great adventure and a wonderful experience!