My first Century

I am so :mad:, I could not finish. The first part of the ride was so beautiful. It had a bit more climbing than I was prepared for, but I was really feeling like I was doing ok. First rest stop was great. Second rest stop was about 25 miles in and I was beginning to feel a funny twinge in my right bum cheek. I really didn't think anything of it and just made sure I took a few min to stretch before I got on my bike. Then about half way through to the 3rd rest stop I was in major pain and it was shooting down the back of my thigh. On the climbs every time I would push down the pain would shoot clear down my leg, think that bite on tinfoil or stick your tongue on a 9 volt battery feeling.

I had brought with me some 800 ibuprofen I had home and took one and made sure I stretched again at the next rest stop. My friend and I came up and hill and I was really feeling this pain and she asked me if I wanted to take the 60 mile turn off that was at the top of the hill. Of course not. I paid the money and had worked so hard all summer to train for this ride that I was going to finish it. I thought once the ibuprofen kicked in I would be ok and I was. That is when the sky went black. So black you could not even see the mountains.

My friend and I decided to try to make it to the next rest stop before the down pour came. We had about 10 miles to go. We rounded the reservoir and ran smack dab into a 37 mph head wind. For every peddle forward we were blown 4 back. I had to granny gear it and it honestly felt like I was in my biggest gear. I had to work so hard. That started the pain again. I just wanted to make it to the rest stop. My dh was there waiting for me and I knew he could help to cheer me through.

Then we rounded the reservoir again. 6 miles out and the wind was now coming at us from the side. I had to really put my whole wait into trying to stay upright in the wind. That sent the pain through my whole leg at every peddle. I was in tears but I made it to the rest stop. I was now 55.9 miles into it and did not want to stop, but knew with that with the next 35 miles straight into the head wind again that I would never make it.

I got a ride back with the sag to the start of the ride and waited for DH and friend to finish my goal ride. I cried the whole way back to the start. I am so mad that my sciatic nerve was so pinched. I am now just really sore and can not walk straight. I knew had the wind not been so bad I could have finished the ride. Now after doing some research I am gonna see if lowering my seat just a little will help. This is the first time I have ever had sciatic nerve pain and hope that it is the last. I don't know if it was from the climbing or what but this ride sucked. I am so mad and sad and frustrated. ugh!!!

that's sad and I know very disappointing for you, especially since you have been training so hard but it sounds to me like you had three strikes against you, your hurting body, the rain and the wind. I think you are amazingly brave to have soldiered on as far as you did, especially against such a nsty head winds- riding aginst the wind can be so disheartening.

There will be other centuries when everything pulls together for you.

marni

You can't get upset. The body does stuff and it isn't your fault. The wind isn't your fault. I used to have sciatica due to two ruptured disks in the lower back, and what you did is phenomenal, cycling with that level of pain, and then battling the wind. Part of cycling is being smart and knowing when to quit or turn back, so that your body can heal and get better so that you can bike another day. I've completed some rides when I should not have done so, when the smart thing would have been to have done the metric or the short-ride, or just not have shown up for the ride; I look back and realize how dumb I was. You will look back on this ride and know how smart you were to have stopped, that you made the right decision.

Vixen - You deserve a HUGE congrats on the training, the enthusiasm, and the incredible effort you put in. You didn't not finish because you ran out of steam or your legs weren't up for it - you were battling weather conditions that MANY riders wouldn't have finished in. Add to it the pain and c'mon ........ you're only human!

I can totally understand where you're coming from - I can only imagine how disappointed you are but why not be more disappointed that the weather was not on your side that day and less disappointed in yourself??

When I trained for my century back in 2008 - the satisfaction came from each little victory and step of the way. I learned so much about cycling and endurance and MYSELF - it was so much more than just the ride I had trained for. Now you're in it - maybe think of another century soon? Or a metric?? After my century I felt like the only way I could be into cycling would be to do centuries all the time - realizing that I can ride 15 miles 2 or 3 times a week on my awesome bike and still love the sport and everything about it was such a revelation for me. This past weekend I did 23 miles and you'd think it was 50 I was so pumped.

Anyway - all of that and I must admit I'd be so upset too - but then I'd listen to others when they say that you did the best you could. And there is always next time!

HUGE CONGRATS ON THE 55 and for being so determined!

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I am finally feeling better about how well I did. I just was beyond frustrated because the last time I set a goal like this something came up, I broke my leg in 3 places floating down a river 3 days before I was to run my first 5k. I will for sure be back to ride that ride again next year and dh wants me to map out another century ride for the 2 of us to do before the cycling season ends so that I can still schieve my goal of riding a century this year. I will do that as soon as this sciatic soreness is gone. I can finally walk normal but by the end of the day it is stiff. I am getting better each day and can't wait to get back on my bike.

How terrible for you. I know how disappointed you must be but my hat's off to you for sticking it out as long as you did. Sciatica pain alone would be enough to make most people stop but you had that and the wind and rain and still hung in there. Chalk this one up to experience--there will be more centuries. You were smart to listen to what your body was telling you even though you didn't like what you were hearing. I hope you get to feeling better. That's a tough one:(

Wow! Under the circumstance, I think you did GREAT and should be very proud of yourself. You'll do even better at your next century.

Gesh, you did do great. Next time, or the next, or whatever, you will finish. The lessons are in trying. Throw your leg back over and keep practicing.