Well, that was a little dumb. A can-do attitude and willingness to suffer are one thing, but doing damage to a recently surgically repaired body part (I had hip surgery last year and couldn't ride for a good 4 months before the surgery because of the pain) is another. I made it 120 miles in and realized that the persistent hip pain I had been having for the last 40 miles was something I needed to listen to. There's "good" pain and then there's "bad" pain and I know the difference.

So I persuaded my riding companion to proceed without me, turned around and went back to the motel we'd all planned on staying at for a couple of hours.

Headwinds were crazy, and I'm sure that struggling to hold 10 mph in a paceline for 70 miles was more exertion than the hip needed. I just don't have enough solid base training in that hip right now, given the last few months of really inconsistent training. I know I can get back there, and I'm well on my way.

Next year. (Or maybe this fall, who knows?)