I failed

Some good advice here.

I think my own objection to the language "I failed" is that it doesn't contain the lesson. It's not that there's anything wrong with failure. But there's something wrong with the attitude that failure is or was inevitable. To me, connotationally, there's a world of difference between "I failed" and "I made a mistake" (or two mistakes).

Training for the heat may not have been possible - I'm not sure what the weather has been in your area, but around here the temperature has been really variable this year. Right now it's about 55 degrees outside. We've had some hot days, but never three in a row yet this year, so none of us, even the ones who ride 40+ hard miles daily and at least one century every weekend (which I'm not one of those! :rolleyes:), is really acclimated to heat yet.

Training for the distance was possible. Acknowledging that you were undertrained and selecting a shorter distance for the event was also possible. To me, that wasn't a "failure," it was a "mistake," and it's important for you to identify that to yourself. "Failure" focuses on the past, self-blame and disappointment. "Mistake" focuses on planning for the future, and taking steps to be sure that if you fail again, it won't be for the same reasons.

I agree with Oakleaf. The temps and humidity here were unseasonably low until last Monday and then we were hit with temps we usually don't see until August, and the humidity was about as high as it goes. No chance to acclimate yourself. To suggest that you should have persevered is just plain dangerous. Maybe if you just gave up because you didn't feel like doing it anymore it would have been a failure, but you were smart to stop when you did and apparently others were concerned about you too. How many people say they are just fine when they aren't?

As a teacher, I also see another side of the "failure" spectrum. Parents and coaches who are on their kids 24-7 to do better. The kids never feel like a success. My own son had that problem with his father, and because I didn't know anything about basketball and cross country, he disregarded any "good jobs" I gave him. He wanted his dad's approval and to this day has never gotten it.

So, if the members of TE want to assure you that you did not fail, that 50 miles was a terrific achievement, I'm afraid I'm going to have to go along with it. Better than hearing from you a couple of days later with a thread entitled "I had heat stroke at the Tour de Corn".

Enjoy your ride today, and maybe I'll see you at that Dam Bridge!

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Originally Posted by uforgot

Better than hearing from you a couple of days later with a thread entitled "I had heat stroke at the Tour de Corn".

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Absolutely!

I think Oakleaf said it quite well too.

Thanks advice taken. I have signed up for the 30 at BDB. I will only ride about 15-20 tonight and at a easy pace. Just wanting to get back in the saddle.

Sounds like there will be a big TE turn out for the Bridge ride. I want a Dam shirt :D

I guess the only way I'm going to get one is to go on the dam ride. I'll see you there.

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Originally Posted by uforgot

I guess the only way I'm going to get one is to go on the dam ride. I'll see you there.

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When is the bridge ride? In July? I searched and only found one in Sept...

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Originally Posted by kenyonchris

When is the bridge ride? In July? I searched and only found one in Sept...

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That's it. Sept. 26th. Here is the link. Everyone can head down after the Tour of Missouri.

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Originally Posted by babynoahsmom

How could I have trained to have been able to tolerate the heat?

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Here is my experience.

I just attended a hilly race of 63 km to the top last Saturday. The race started around 8 am but it's over 38 C (100+ F) after 9 am (by the time I finished it's a little over 11:30 am). Many people were dehydrated and had muscle cramps before the last steep 6.3km climb (to 700 m in altitude). Some of them couldn't even continue. Being a female cyclist to finish the race is already a big achievement for me.

I'm not a fast rider. In order to finish before the closing time, I did practice the route -- especially the last climb -- twice before the race (two Saturdays). From the first experience, I learned that the two factors were important to finish the race: heat & water.

Heat:
Besides the hot weather, to make it worst, the organization even gave us number hats to cover our helmets. :mad: (see that yellow thing?)
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_O8pum8JiUxw/Sk...627-072859.jpg
I just had to learn to deal with the heat. Keeping myself hydrated helped.

I took the arm covers off before the climb. I even took off the sun glasses so that I could wipe out the sweat easily. I also unzipped my top a little bit.

Water:
The organization didn't supply any water or food along the route, nor could the teams. It's a 2-2.25hr for the pros so it's all right, but for amateurs it's 3-4hr. I knew this so I already planned to stop in the middle to get two bottles of lemon water from a convenience store. Some people didn't check and ran out of water before that long, steep climb.

Another important thing to finish the race is
Power conservation:
In my case, before the 6.3km climb, it's 57km of ups and downs, which could consume your energy a lot during a hot weather. It's a difficult climb so conserving some energy for that would help. Some people who arrived the hill before me couldn't ride any more, not even walking, because they ran out of their energy (as well as experiencing serious dehydration, muscle cramps etc).

Even though I wasn't fast at all, I finished the race (holding the certificate).
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_O8pum8JiUxw/Sk...627-114902.jpg

This is my personal birthday gift on my birthday. :D (and it's my first race and my first three century trips in km -- I had to ride back. :o , unlike those with the teams who had a ride home)

babynoahsmom, practice & planning ahead help. Next time you can also finish your race.

Thanks for even more advice. I hope to see some of you guys at the BDB. We should all wear something to identify us? Any ideas.....I WILL NOT be the one splayed on the side of the rode being chasing by the Ambulance. Hos ironic is it that a Lawyer's wife was chased by an ambulance? LOL!

Boy my typing sucked on that last post. I swear I have not been drinking. Just using a friend's laptop. I did by the way ride 15 miles tonight. I went by myself so that if I had to stop I wouldn't mess up someone else's ride. I just needed to prove something to myself by getting back in the saddle.