BRAT: I think I've bitten off more than I can chew

[indysteel]

I signed up several months ago to do the Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee (BRAT). At the time, they offered only a general route description, and it appeared doable. I should mention that this year's BRAT is in Middle Tennessee; it starts in Nashville and does a big loop. Since it is Tennessee, I figured it would be hilly, but I didn't really expect anything too scary.

Wrong. They finally posted the elevation profiles--about a day or two before the last day to request a refund--for each day's route, and I'm now in a panic because there are a few days with a lot of steep climbing. One day in particular has almost 8k feet of climbing in 52 miles. That's a lot for a flatlander like me. I've gotten better at climbing, but I can only do so many hills with grades in excess of 15% before my legs and lungs revolt.

For your viewing pleasure, here are the elevation profiles:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/p...psProfiles.pdf

I'm really torn as to what to do. I'll have to eat about $500 if I back out now. If I go, I'm afraid I'm going to die on the side of a rural Tennessee road. This was supposed to be fun, but it's now feeling like torture, but I hate the thought of just giving up.

I know you can't really tell me what to do, but does anybody have any thoughts? Anybody else doing this ride?

Thanks. Kate

[SouthernBelle]

Well, I do know that Middle Tennessee is a lot more than gently rolling hills. I live there (here). But I also understand that BRAT is well-SAGged and it is no problem to ride with the vehicles some. Email the ride coordinator and ask.

[Tuckervill]

I think you change your outlook on it and go and decide to have fun whatever happens!

Are you doing it by yourself? Maybe you can hook up with someone else via a message board to hang with. Don't be afraid to walk up the hills, either. Or skip that day, huh?

Just think how much fun you'll have just being around other cyclists and all the brouhaha that goes with it. Don't worry about your performance. It's going to be what you make it, so make it fun no matter what.

I didn't know Tennessee had a ride like that. Middle Tennessee, yikes!--i lived in Mt. Juliet (east of Nashville) for a while and our back yard went straight up! My husband rolled over on the riding lawnmower trying to mow it once.

I say do the ride anyway!

Karen

[SouthernBelle]

Karen, used to live in MJ, live in Lebanon now.

[indysteel]

Well, I do know that Middle Tennessee is a lot more than gently rolling hills. I live there (here). But I also understand that BRAT is well-SAGged and it is no problem to ride with the vehicles some. Email the ride coordinator and ask.

I really should have asked you about it, SB. I don't know what the heck I was thinking, and now I feel like a complete idiot. Most days are close to what I was expecting. Good rolling hills with a few steep ones thrown in here and there. It's really just Day 5 that I'm worried about (the one with over 7k in 52 miles). That would be hard on any day, but on the next to last day of riding, it seems even more intimidating. The elevation profile looks like an EKG gone terribly wrong.

I do know a couple of people who are going. I'm driving there with another rider from Indianapolis. He's done BRAT before and even he's pretty scared about this one.

I'll email the ride coordinator to see if you can hitch a ride with a SAG if need be. I'm also signed up for the camping service. The owner has been known to give people rides before.

[SouthernBelle]

Well, at that point, you'll be in my neck of the woods. So before you leave PM me and I'll give you my phone #s. I can always come get you.

[Zen]

Is there an elevator at mile 40?
I can't imagine that!
What were they thinking?

[Beane]

I understand how you're feeling now, but just think what great shape you'll be in when it's over!

[blueskies]

It's really just Day 5 that I'm worried about (the one with over 7k in 52 miles). That would be hard on any day, but on the next to last day of riding, it seems even more intimidating. The elevation profile looks like an EKG gone terribly wrong.

If it's any consolation, the experienced Cycle Oregon riders that I've talked to have all said the same thing about the effects of cumulative riding over a week. They all say that day 3 is always the hardest, and then after that you just feel stronger & stronger with each passing day. I hope it's true!

And remember: you are IndySTEEL!

[TsPoet]

I can't remember who it was, but someone had a tag line that said "I’ve never met a hill to steep to walk". On bike Washington a few weeks ago, I lived by that moto. I calculated how long it would take me to walk up "peaks" that were too steep for me to ride, did a ride/walk thing and only sagged over one.
I had a blast!
Go, have fun, relax, walk when you need to and sag when you need to.

[Tuckervill]

Karen, used to live in MJ, live in Lebanon now.

Went a little further out, huh?

I love the Nashville area, but we lived there during the real estate bust. We ended up in Memphis for 15 years due to job situations, and now we're back in Arkansas where we belong!

I would love to live in other places (Corvallis, OR comes to mind), but I just don't belong there. So I'll just travel a lot!

Karen

[Mr. Bloom]

One day in particular has almost 8k feet of climbing in 52 miles. That's a lot for a flatlander like me.

Hmmm...doesn't that mean there's 8k feet of coasting too?

Kate, I say go for it! If I had first seen the profile of the Horsey Hundred (which you and I did with 5,200 ft of climbing in the first 50 miles), I wouldn't have gone! But we both finished strong and had a great time!

Worse case, you'll be a Central Indiana Flatlander who has to walk a couple of hills...and that's no big deal, with NO shame at all, because finishing BRAT is still quit an accomplishment and you'll be better for the experience.

YOU CAN DO IT!

[Mr. Bloom]

I love the Nashville area, but we lived there during the real estate bust. We ended up in Memphis for 15 years due to job situations,

Did we know that? We lived in Nashville until '93 (Woodmont Blvd) and then moved to Memphis (Germantown). Were we neighbors and didn't know it?

[Veronica]

I have mapping software similar to the Navtek used to calculate the climbing. Mine is DeLorme. Anyway... it always over calculated the climbing by 30 0r 40%. It said my 4 mile commute had 400 feet of climbing! It really has 157.

Don't worry about the profiles. Go and have fun!

V.

[Tuckervill]

Did we know that? We lived in Nashville until '93 (Woodmont Blvd) and then moved to Memphis (Germantown). Were we neighbors and didn't know it?

I knew you lived in Memphis at one time, but I've never mentioned it. Yes, we lived in Mount Juliet from 89-91. We lived in Bartlett the first time we lived in Shelby County. Then we lived in Little Rock for about 2 years and then back to Memphis. We lived in the Raliegh area that time--don't gasp! We had just as fine a house as any in G'town, and a private lake. It was just surrounded by decay. Job changes forced us out to Fayette County for a while, and then we made a permanent change to NW Arkansas.

I was just in Germantown last weekend for a friend's 40th. Took a bike ride. I forgot how dangerous the drivers are in Memphis! I managed to find a MUT but it was only 3/4 of a mile long. I still like Memphis, just not the pace of life there.

Karen