I'm posting this because I need to focus on what I accomplished, not on what I didn't.

I rode in the 30th Assault on Mount Mitchell on Friday, 115 miles from Spartanburg, SC, to the top of Mt. Mitchell, NC, the highest point east of the Mississippi. We started at 6:30 a.m. in pouring rain. It rained steadily until about noon, I think. This year's route had 11,588 feet of climbing. The final 40 miles or so were nearly all climbing, on the Blue Ridge Parkway. One thousand of us started; 663 finished. Finishing times ranged from 6:11 to 12:42. While I cannot keep up with my husband, who finished in 7:41, or even my training partner, who finished 25 minutes ahead of me (hey, she has 8 years on me), at least I finished, bawling as I crossed the finish line, after 10 hours and 13 minutes. That was the hardest thing I have ever done.

By the way, I highly recommend riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway; it's gorgeous. I just don't recommend riding 70 miles in order to get there.