104 Miles on the Bike is a Long Way, Too Bad Ironman is 112...

Well, last weekend was a weekend of workouts.  It is safe to say that all of the big stuff is over.  I just have a semi long bike ride this weekend and a long run, and this bad boy is in books!

I started my weekend off by running 15 miles on Saturday.  It was humid.  My goodness was it humid.  The run was very uneventful except for the man that I saw on the Tomahawk Creek Trail.  He was wearing a bandana tied around his head, shorts pulled up to his navel, tube socks, and carrying a spear...In Leawood, KS.  I was not quite sure of him.  I wanted to take a picture, but I feared I might get impaled and that is not a story I would want to tell.  Hi, my name is Keri, and four weeks from my ironman I was impaled by a senior citizen on the Tomahawk Creek Trail.  Not the way this thing it going down.

This was also the weekend that I do the dreaded 100 mile bike ride.  Fortunately for me, the Louisburg Cider Mill Century ride was this past weekend.  As much as I dreaded seeing all of the spandex and polyster, I knew that this would be the best way for me to ride 100 miles.  I did not have to worry about fluids, and with Ken being out of town, I did not need to worry about who would come pick me up if something happened.  There was also very little fear of Chester the Molester pulling up in his rapist van and grabbing me.  Men are so lucky they do not have to worry about this!  Although, with the way I small during my long rides, I am sure I would be kicked out of the van quite quickly.

Anyway, back to the ride.  I had registered earlier this week, if I hadn't there is a good chance I would have just slept in and been stuck riding by myself.  I had to stop for gas on the way and for a bottle of water.  Some random man bought my water for me at QT.  I guess I look cute at 6:30 am with my pink skirt.  Score one for the wardrobe choice!

I pulled up to the Cider Mill and swear I have never seen so much spandex in my life.  Wow.  I unload my bike and take off.  There are so many cyclists around that are all "Tour de France" and I am just not that kind of cyclist.  I go at my own pace, by myself, and am totally fine with that. My goal was just to get the ride over so I could go home and eat some ice cream and a brownie. 

The good thing about this ride, the elevation profile is almost spot on for the elevation profile in Louisville.  I now have full confidence that I will be okay in Louisville, pink skirt and all. Toward the end of the ride, people were dropping like flies.  A group that had passed me early was on the side of the rode struggling.  Now, I am not one to judge, but one thing I am good at is pacing myself.  I am not one of those folks to blow past someone early on only to struggle later for them to pass me.  I am usually the person that holds on and can pass people.  We like to call that endurance.  I passed this people and never saw them again.  They were some of those "Tour de France" folks I was speaking of earlier.

One interesting thing that happened was a guy that decided to sag it in 8 miles from the finish.  8 miles from the finish.  Maybe he felt sick, I have no idea.  Maybe he is not training for an ironman.  There was no way that I was going to quit 8 miles from the end.  The best part is that I stopped four miles from the end to text Ken.  The guy that decided to sag it in stopped in the van to ask me if I was okay.  I politely thanked him and told him that I was fine, just texting my husband.  With a surprised look as his face he said, "You mean, you are going to finish, good for you."  Yeah douche bag, this little 4'10, blonde haired, pink skirt wearing, 100 pound girl just kicked your butt.  Have a good day.  Talk about a boost to my ego.  :)

I was about a mile from the finish when I saw one of the emergency response team people.  He gave me lots of encouragement and told me that the emergency folks were calling me pretty in pink.  I laughed and thanked him.  I may not be the fastest, but by golly, I will be one of the cutest and most color coordinated out there.  Score number two for the wardrobe choice.  :)

All in all, I was so happy that I was able to get this ride finished.  It ended up being 104 miles, which is just 8 miles short of the ironman distance.  I was just as scared to ride this ride as I was to swim in the open water, so I suppose I am starting to really get things accomplished.  I am now three short weeks away from Ironman Louisville, I am excited and scared to death all at the same time.  One thing I now for sure, I am certainly going to start the race looking as cute as possible.