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Thread: I failed!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Davis, CA
    Posts
    158

    I failed!

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    Oh for shame...my husband signed us up for the Tour of the Unknown Coast - "California's toughest century" - months ago and I completely let myself go with my cycling (well, everything) this last month. We went to Belize for a couple of weeks in April and when we came back I only rode *once* - a flat, 30 mile ride - and did no yoga, only went running twice. What was I thinking, trying a century with almost 10,000 feet of climbing? I had somehow assumed that because I completed a 300k with a lot of climbing 5 weeks ago, I would somehow whip myself back into shape with one ride in the last week. So I took my brand new bike (Volagi Viaje) and set out on this ride...and it was terrible. I had been kind of sick for the past month as well (acquired some digestive issues in Belize that still had not resolved), had not slept well for weeks...I started feeling bonky before lunch. I just had no energy, could not move. And my husband had a little crash, and he was mostly okay but bloody (ended up needing stitches) and I have a blood/injury phobia so I got sick and nearly fainted/threw up, so I felt even worse. I pushed myself to complete 80 miles and then we came to The Wall, and I took one look and said nope. Had to SAG in. Have never had to do that before After doing a 300k, I could not finish a century! And I am supposed to a double century this coming weekend (a lot of it is flat; I think I'll be able to get myself ready, I *hope*). A miserable point in my cycling career.
    2013 Volagi Viaje
    2002 LeMond Tete de Course rebuild/"The Chimaera"
    2012 Scott Contessa Foil with Dura-Ace
    2011? budget "Takara Kabuto" Single Speed/Fixie "The Bumblebee"
    1999 Santana Team Ti 700 tandem/"Silver Streak"

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    You did 80 miles with tons of climbing even though you were sick and have not been sleeping well. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

    Learn what you can from the experience and focus on the next ride.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Whitmore Lake, Michigan
    Posts
    920
    I don't know what to say except I feel bad for you. If it's any consolation your performance today was a rock star by me. All things considered what you accomplished was amazing. I'm sure you can't imagine that right now because you sound brokenhearted over it but maybe in a day or two you will see this in a different light like others will.

    I hope your hubby is okay and on the mend soon!
    Bike Writer

    http://pedaltohealth.blogspot.com/

    Schwinn Gateway unknown year
    Specalized Expedition Sport Low-Entry 2011

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    What nybiker said.

    I'm betting your bonk had a WHOLE lot more to do with your illness and lack of sleep. I think you're right that if you'd been healthy, you wouldn't have lost that much fitness in 5 weeks, only some sharpness.

    Focus this week on building yourself back up nutritionally. Are you getting plenty of protein and iron? Whenever I've been sick I crave red meat like CRAZY as soon as I'm well. Your body needs a ton of protein to make all those white blood cells to fight off infection. And water, and electrolytes.

    You might get yourself checked out for parasites too ... let your doctor know you've been traveling.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    452
    Ditto what everyone else has said. Eighty miles with everything else you had going on is remarkable. I wouldn't call it a failure at all, but more along the lines of accepting being human.
    2013 Kirk Frameworks JK Special/Selle Anatomica
    2012 Gunnar Sport/Brooks B17
    2001 Calfee Tetra Pro/Selle Anatomica
    1984 Raleigh Sport/Brooks B66

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    10,889

    Re: I failed!

    I think you did GREAT! You were sick the week before and still did 80 miles? Don't be so hard on yourself and celebrate what you did

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Central Indiana
    Posts
    6,034
    Quote Originally Posted by Catrin View Post
    I think you did GREAT! You were sick the week before and still did 80 miles? Don't be so hard on yourself and celebrate what you did
    I'll second that.
    Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.

    --Mary Anne Radmacher

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Davis, CA
    Posts
    158
    Thanks, all :/ I did manage to get 5600 feet of climbing (on a new, heavier bike) which isn't too shabby, I guess. And like Murielalex said, I was listening to my body for a change and accepting that I just wasn't in shape for the rest of that ride. For reference, this is where I gave up - a climb with 22% grade - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=3&theater - the picture doesn't even show how terrible it is. I went for a 40-mile ride today so I feel a little better. I do need to eat more protein and I got some dietary supplements today that I think might help with the digestive problems - they don't really feel like a parasitic infection but more like the inflammatory colitis kind of stuff I had after I got my gallbladder out a few years ago, so I'm going to treat it the way the internet (ha ha) recommends treating post-gallbladder removal problem. If it doesn't get better within a few weeks I'll go to the doctor.
    Last edited by MojoGrrl; 05-13-2013 at 07:26 PM.
    2013 Volagi Viaje
    2002 LeMond Tete de Course rebuild/"The Chimaera"
    2012 Scott Contessa Foil with Dura-Ace
    2011? budget "Takara Kabuto" Single Speed/Fixie "The Bumblebee"
    1999 Santana Team Ti 700 tandem/"Silver Streak"

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Rowland Hts, CA
    Posts
    461
    I'm impressed, even though you did not finish. You did all that uphill climbing!
    2014 Liv Lust
    2013 Specialized Fate Expert with carbon wheelset (sold)
    2012 Specialized Amira Elite
    2010 Santa Cruz Juliana with R kit and Crampon pedals (sold)

    2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle (sold)

 

 

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