The Century

I got up at 5:15 Saturday morning, got dressed, and tried to eat some breakfast. I managed half a bagel with butter and jam and a cup of milk. Our group met at Utah Lake at 6:30.

 

Camille (Alaska), Anya (Texas), Hannah (NM), Brie (Ohio), Jessica (Utah), me, Meg (Canada), and Jessica (Colorado)

It was about 40 degrees, raining, and definitely not ideal race weather. We had discussed starting at 7:00, but dawdled around and ended up just starting the race at 7:30 with everyone else. Brie and her sister in-law Meg planned on doing the 60 mile ride and were slower than the rest of us, so we didn't see them again after we all took off. There was a police escort for the first six miles as we rode through town, then we were on our own. I kept pace with the group for the first half hour, averaging a little over 16 mph, but I certainly couldn't maintain that speed for the entire race and Camille, Anya, Jessica S., and Hannah dropped me right around mile 10. Jessica G. and I rode together for the next 10 miles, averaging closer to 13 mph. We pulled into the 20 mile rest stop not long after the other four had left. I ate some snacks, refilled my water bottle with Gatorade, and off we went again. 

At around 25 miles we came across the other girls who had stopped because Hannah had to fix a flat tire. We started up together, but the group dropped me again almost immediately. There were rolling hills for the next ten miles as we rode along Utah lake and I did it at about 12 mph, dropping Jessica G. somewhere along the way (she ended up deciding to just ride 60 miles). It stopped raining around 30 miles. There was a steep 3.6% grade climb at 35 miles, then some more rolling hills until the rest stop at 40 miles. I pulled in while the other ladies were still there. I ate some snacks, used the restroom, and shed my leggings and undershirt.

Once again I started up with the group, and once again I was dropped shortly thereafter. There was a long, steep climb not far into this section though and Hannah got dropped as well, so we rode together for about 35 miles through Goshen Canyon and around Lake Mona. There was a lot more climbing than Hannah and I had expected or trained for, so we felt misled and unprepared, but we pounded our way through it. We averaged about 8.5 mph up the canyon, including a 6% grade climb (268 ft in .9 miles). We picked it back up to around 12.5 mph around the Lake and to the 60 mile rest stop. Hannah's bike was feeling sluggish, so she got it oiled up while we ate and refilled water bottles.

There were three more steep, mile long climbs over the next ten miles, but then the rest of the race was predominately down hill, or at least relatively flat. With a freshly oiled chain and no more climbing, Hannah dropped me around mile 75. I averaged about 14 mph and pulled into the 80 mile rest stop as she was getting ready to leave. I wished her the best of luck and hunkered down to finish the race on my own, feeling tired and a bit emotional. I choked down a couple hundred calories and took off to conquer the last 24 miles. 

The battery on my phone died because I had forgotten to put it in airplane mode, so I had no music, no indication of how fast I was going, and no idea how much further I had to ride. Those last 20 miles were long and a bit disheartening, but there was a guy and his daughter in a van who was playing music like Eye of the Tiger and I Will Survive, and would ring a loud bell and shout encouraging words as I passed, then they'd drive past me a couple miles up the road and do it again. I learned later that his wife and other daughter were riding a tandem bike about a mile behind me and they were out there to support them. I'm sure he has no idea how much it also encouraged me, and I'm reminded that it's always worth throwing kindness out into the universe because there is no doubt someone who could use it. 

The race ended at 5:00 pm and even though they weren't going to block off the finish line and refuse to let me pass, I really, really wanted to complete the ride in the time allotted. I asked a pair of missionaries what time it was and learned I had 15 minutes to ride about 14 blocks. I pushed harder than I imagined possible and rode through the big Goldilocks sign with just seconds to spare. I broke down in tears and fear I was rather oblivious to my friends trying to congratulate me. I think Hannah only finished about 20 minutes before me, but I'm pretty sure the other three had been waiting for quite a while. It was kind of them to stick around, but I could tell they were rather anxious to leave. I should have celebrated with them and probably taken a picture, but I was so exhausted and so wrapped up in my accomplishment that nothing at all seemed to exist around me. I'm grateful that Hannah at least had the presence of mind to snap a quick photo.

***

The predominant philosophy in my home growing up seemed to be based around the idea of doing as little work as possible to get by. When challenged by a difficult class, I was counseled that "C's get degree's" and when I didn't like piano lessons or soccer practice got too tiresome, quitting was a completely acceptable response. I don't think I properly understood what hard work was until I had little kids and a husband in grad school and a house in need of repair and I couldn't just go to bed because the job needed to be done. This century race was more than just an impressive physical feat. It was perhaps the first time in my life that I have set a lofty goal, diligently worked towards it for over a year, and accomplished the hard thing I set out to do. I didn't give up when training was difficult, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. I endured and didn't loose hope when others around me were clearly faster and more experienced. I fasted and prayed for strength and discipline, and relied on my Heavenly Father when my efforts alone were not enough. In those 104 miles, I proved to myself that I can do hard things.