Left it All...

Cliffs missive to me Friday about my Sunday 4 hour ride, kept going through my mind, especially during the last ten miles. he wrote, "...Take it slow. Make sure your butt is sore before your legs are sore."

It was a beautiful ride, following the last half of the original Ironman Arizona course, before they moved to the new 'metro-centric' 156 turn course through downtown Tempe. The course had headwinds and hills combined which made for a slow ride out. Coming back I missed a turn in downtown Fountain Hills and instead of a slightly rolly course through town I ended up with four massive rollers that only added five miles but took probably 15% of my total effort to accomplish. I hope I can get the altitude off the Polar to show those. No downhill was worth the uphill.

By the 55 mile mark lactic acid was swelling the ol' quads. I ended up limping in. Let me rephrase that, on the last mile, (66) I made it back to the truck on my last gear. Yes, the "Oh-God-this-is-flat-residental-and-I-am-in-my-steep-hill" gear.

Only two of us actually rode the whole course. I was the only one who actually had four hours of pedal time, my Cateye only records time when the wheel rolls. I left every ounce of energy out there on the course. Which I suppose is the best way to start the year the year off.

Lets do it again!