War and Peace. Or: my 600k ride report

[sundial]

After talking to some of the people on the ride, it became clear that I happened to choose the most difficult 600k in Northern California to test myself out.

Sarah, you simply amaze me.

[kenyonchris]

OMG!!! YOU ROCK! After riding and training in Texas, I was reduced to a panting, barely moving baby on the hills in California when we were there at the beginning of the month...600k of them is AMAZING! GO GIRL!

[Catrin]

You ROCK, thank you for sharing your amazing tale! I've been interested in brevets since first learning about them, but this year my goal is a metric century.

I look forward to hearing tales from everyone else tackling amazing rides this year as well.

[andtckrtoo]

Sarah - you are simply amazing. Incredible tale! Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed every word, seriously! I have done some endurance events - nothing like your 600k at all, but some, and two lines really stood out for me:

- Things that hurt now may not hurt later. Keep riding.

- It is ALMOST all mental. Your body can keep going (granted not at its highest level) for a very long time. It's your mind that it going to talk you out of or into it.

I TOTALLY agree!! I think the only caveat I would add is that we can do so much more than we think we can - and that goes for anyone - not just us cyclists. I learned this the hard way when I first start cycling. I'd do out and back trips. One day I ended up going out a lot further than I thought I would and had to get back. Well, the only way to get back was to ride it. I did. And learned an invaluable lesson.

[Susan Otcenas]

- It is ALMOST all mental. Your body can keep going (granted not at its highest level) for a very long time. It's your mind that it going to talk you out of or into it.

I TOTALLY agree!! I think the only caveat I would add is that we can do so much more than we think we can.

This reminds me - has anyone heard the radiolabs podcast about limits? They talk about the limits of the human body & mind. Most of the broadcast is spent on RAAM and Ironman Kona. It's a fantastic listen!

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2010/04/16

[maillotpois]

Susan - glad you were able to find the report. I would suggest as much cushion as possible for the last 100 miles. it really was amazing to me how hard it was given how easy a 100 mile route it would have been in isolation.

this report brings back some memories. I think I was really thinking I would do more long brevets, but I have not done another 600k since I wrote it, though I have done a 400 k and a double century that was almost harder than the 600k (DMD). one day I will do another 600 and perhaps a 1200.

good luck Susan!! i will look forward to reading your report.

[Tri Girl]

and perhaps a 1200.

THERE'S A 1200K????? Holy cow!!
I think a 600 is super amazing. I can't imagine a 1200.

Is that the longest one?

WOW! I mean WOW!!!!

[jobob]

- Things that hurt now may not hurt later. Keep riding.

- It is ALMOST all mental. Your body can keep going (granted not at its highest level) for a very long time. It's your mind that it going to talk you out of or into it.

I need to print this on my arm for my big training ride today. Over a route mapped out by coach maillotpois, no less.

[redrhodie]

Wow. I read that report last night, and couldn't fall asleep thinking about it. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I don't have the kind of relationship with my body that I can get it to do anything even a little painful. Lucky for me, riding is never painful at the distances I ride . I think we all have our strengths, but overcoming the voice in my head that tells me "this sucks" is not mine. Maybe I wasn't as much like that when I was younger, but now, I definitely like things cushy.

But, I'm really curious. What makes you want to do this? Is it just the feeling of accomplishment at the end? I would need some huge reward a part of the goal, to have a chance of completing anything even a quarter as hard. Did you do that (give yourself something amazing)?

[maillotpois]

But, I'm really curious. What makes you want to do this? Is it just the feeling of accomplishment at the end? I would need some huge reward a part of the goal, to have a chance of completing anything even a quarter as hard. Did you do that (give yourself something amazing)?

You guys are all so great - thanks for the comments. As V pointed out, I did that ride in 2006, and Susan O bumped the thread because she has her own 600k going on - right now probably. (We eagerly await the report!!)

But to get to your question, redrhodie - I really just love long distance cycling and the type of people who do it. I did my first Death Ride in 2002 and my first double century in 2005 and was pretty well hooked. That's not to say that I do it all the time. I've done 9 doubles and several brevets over the 200 mile distance, but I haven't done a double since 2008, because I simply don't have the time. For the last several years, I have been putting most of my cycling time and energy into the Death Ride training program I run for TNT (which melissam and Dachsund did last year and in which jobob is kicking butt this year). And since I have a 14 year old daughter and a new business, I have to really work to balance it all and not let cycling just take over.

But that's the great thing about this sport, and ultra distance in particular. Once Em is off to college, I can start doing those long rides and not feel bad for being away all day. There was a guy on some of my doubles who was in his 80's and most of the double century crowd is in their 50's. This is a sport we can do for a LONG time.

I'm also pretty type A and ambitious overall.