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