Columbia River Run 400K ride report

[crazycanuck]

Susan, although you were out by a few km's, the ones you did complete are amazing enough! I know that many people might not understand the "i've just ridden xxxx km's and am physically unable go on..but i really want to agagghhhh" but it's not hard to comprehend in your report.

Good thing you had that space blanket!!!

Sorry to be rude whilst your're still pondering over this one...but do you mind if I ask if you have another one planned...???

[Becky]

Wow. That's just incredible....

Good job, Susan

[OakLeaf]

Wow. Susan, you are amazing.

No need to be so apologetic here, either. I think everyone here understands being at that point where you just don't have anything. more. left. - even if we've never been all the way there ourselves, we've been close enough not to question your experience. And anyway ... YOU DID IT, with "a little help from your friends" you DID pull yourself out of that hole.

Good reminder, too - one of the things I took out of my seat pack before the triathlon in July was my mylar blanket, and given the temperatures at that time of year and how little room I have in my seat pack, I hadn't put it back in. It's going back before my next ride!

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan, although you were out by a few km's, the ones you did complete are amazing enough! ....

but do you mind if I ask if you have another one planned...???

Truly, I'm so glad that Jeff was smart enough not to take me back to the start. I guess he knows me better than I know myself. Or his head was on straighter at that moment. And, it's funny, but once I *was* back on, those last 5 didn't feel so awful. I expected my quads to scream, or my stomach to revolt, but neither of those things happened. So,it all turned out OK!

As for future rides: Well, I'm most of the way through an R-12 (where you are required to ride at least one ride of 200K or longer every month for 12 months), so I will ride one 200K Nov, Dec & Jan. But nothing longer. I need a break, and I want to work on core strength and cross train alot over the winter.

After that, I'll start building alot more miles and progressively longer distances during the spring, with a 200-300-400-600 series completed by the first weekend in May. Paris-Brest-Paris (1200k) is in August, and I want to qualify for that with the spring series.

[maillotpois]

Congrats! Well done - and well written.

Thanks for the reminder on the space blanket. I use done in my 600k and it was great to have (for virtually no weight).

I will be interested in tracking your progress toward PBP. I plan to do a series next year up to 600 again, but no PBP for me. We're planning a family trip to Europe that will take that time - and that's fine. I can do PBP, perhaps next time around when my daughter is in college. Maybe one of the local 1000 - 1200 rides is a good option.

[jobob]

OMG Susan, I didn't realize you've gone over the deep end, Rando - style !

Congrats, and great report.

I'm in pathetic self-indulgent kickback mode at the moment. I was in a very stressful job situation this spring & summer, culminating in an even more stressful and distressing 'separation' several weeks ago. So, although I have all the time in the world now to train, I'm basically kicking back and licking my wounds right now. Maybe my motivation will return, but I'm not forcing the issue.

But seeing your posts and reading about mp's plans sure is inspiring!

[Susan Otcenas]

OMG Susan, I didn't realize you've gone over the end, Rando - style !

ACPB 200 2010/03/20
ACPB 300 2010/04/03
ACPB 600 2010/05/22
RUSAT 204 2010/06/12
ACPB 200 2010/07/10
ACPB 300 2010/07/24
ACPB 600 2010/08/28
RUSAT 204 2010/09/18
ACPB 200 2010/10/02
RUSAB 400 2010/10/23

Grand Total 3208 kms

Is that over the edge? Pales in comparison to alot of randos I know....

[maillotpois]

ACPB 200 2010/03/20
ACPB 300 2010/04/03
ACPB 600 2010/05/22
RUSAT 204 2010/06/12
ACPB 200 2010/07/10
ACPB 300 2010/07/24
ACPB 600 2010/08/28
RUSAT 204 2010/09/18
ACPB 200 2010/10/02
RUSAB 400 2010/10/23

Grand Total 3208 kms

Is that over the edge? Pales in comparison to alot of randos I know....

What I like is that you got your 600s out of the way before the 400. That's cool.

[gnat23]

Holysnot. I think this experience qualifies as "epic", and I don't throw that around lightly.

Be well, take care of yourself, and big congrats!

-- gnat!

[Susan Otcenas]

What I like is that you got your 600s out of the way before the 400. That's cool.

I didn't mean for it to work out that way. But I was unable to do the spring 400 due to a scheduling conflict, and the summer ones usually found me elsewhere too. I didn't want to finish the year without one. Seemed incomplete to me. Plus, I wanted to KNOW I could get through one, prior to *having* to get through one for the PBP qualification! (Of course, given how it turned out, it wasn't exactly a confidence booster. )