I failed!

[MojoGrrl]

Oh for shame...my husband signed us up for the Tour of the Unknown Coast - "California's toughest century" - months ago and I completely let myself go with my cycling (well, everything) this last month. We went to Belize for a couple of weeks in April and when we came back I only rode *once* - a flat, 30 mile ride - and did no yoga, only went running twice. What was I thinking, trying a century with almost 10,000 feet of climbing? I had somehow assumed that because I completed a 300k with a lot of climbing 5 weeks ago, I would somehow whip myself back into shape with one ride in the last week. So I took my brand new bike (Volagi Viaje) and set out on this ride...and it was terrible. I had been kind of sick for the past month as well (acquired some digestive issues in Belize that still had not resolved), had not slept well for weeks...I started feeling bonky before lunch. I just had no energy, could not move. And my husband had a little crash, and he was mostly okay but bloody (ended up needing stitches) and I have a blood/injury phobia so I got sick and nearly fainted/threw up, so I felt even worse. I pushed myself to complete 80 miles and then we came to The Wall, and I took one look and said nope. Had to SAG in. Have never had to do that before After doing a 300k, I could not finish a century! And I am supposed to a double century this coming weekend (a lot of it is flat; I think I'll be able to get myself ready, I *hope*). A miserable point in my cycling career.

[ny biker]

You did 80 miles with tons of climbing even though you were sick and have not been sleeping well. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

Learn what you can from the experience and focus on the next ride.

[Bike Writer]

I don't know what to say except I feel bad for you. If it's any consolation your performance today was a rock star by me. All things considered what you accomplished was amazing. I'm sure you can't imagine that right now because you sound brokenhearted over it but maybe in a day or two you will see this in a different light like others will.

I hope your hubby is okay and on the mend soon!

[OakLeaf]

What nybiker said.

I'm betting your bonk had a WHOLE lot more to do with your illness and lack of sleep. I think you're right that if you'd been healthy, you wouldn't have lost that much fitness in 5 weeks, only some sharpness.

Focus this week on building yourself back up nutritionally. Are you getting plenty of protein and iron? Whenever I've been sick I crave red meat like CRAZY as soon as I'm well. Your body needs a ton of protein to make all those white blood cells to fight off infection. And water, and electrolytes.

You might get yourself checked out for parasites too ... let your doctor know you've been traveling.

[murielalex]

Ditto what everyone else has said. Eighty miles with everything else you had going on is remarkable. I wouldn't call it a failure at all, but more along the lines of accepting being human.

[Catrin]

I think you did GREAT! You were sick the week before and still did 80 miles? Don't be so hard on yourself and celebrate what you did

[indysteel]

I think you did GREAT! You were sick the week before and still did 80 miles? Don't be so hard on yourself and celebrate what you did

I'll second that.

[MojoGrrl]

Thanks, all :/ I did manage to get 5600 feet of climbing (on a new, heavier bike) which isn't too shabby, I guess. And like Murielalex said, I was listening to my body for a change and accepting that I just wasn't in shape for the rest of that ride. For reference, this is where I gave up - a climb with 22% grade - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater - the picture doesn't even show how terrible it is. I went for a 40-mile ride today so I feel a little better. I do need to eat more protein and I got some dietary supplements today that I think might help with the digestive problems - they don't really feel like a parasitic infection but more like the inflammatory colitis kind of stuff I had after I got my gallbladder out a few years ago, so I'm going to treat it the way the internet (ha ha) recommends treating post-gallbladder removal problem. If it doesn't get better within a few weeks I'll go to the doctor.

[TigerMom]

I'm impressed, even though you did not finish. You did all that uphill climbing!