October 1, 2019
44 miles, 2,929 feet, sagged...
M2C Spencer - Asheboro (not Siler City)
I have always looked at sag as a badge of shame. For my non-bicyclist friends, that is when you abandon the ride and are driven to the final destination. Today was the first time I sagged on one of these rides.
My day started very positively. Hills, there were plenty of hills. Before the past few days, I was very bad at climbing hills. That changed in the past two days. I did not walk one and have learned the gearing to climb. I was shocked when I crested the top of long steep hills. I climbed almost 3,000 feet in my 44 miles today. That's a hell of a lot of elevation!
Why did I jump into the sag shame wagon? I wrestled with that question the miles heading into the 44 mile rest stop. I struggled with it at the stop before I walked over and added my name to the shame list. It took a good bit for me to swallow my pride and fail at my attempt to cycle from the mountains to the coast.
I had some pretty good reasons I rationalized in my mind as I walked over to make the decision final. The temp was approaching the mid 90s with high humidity. I was so damn tired of heading downhill only to be met by another MOFO hill. I was getting pretty bitchy behind the handlebars. MOFO MOFO MOFO hill was uttered under my breath! There were 26 miles of the same ahead.
Sitting in the shade in Asheboro, I came to the realization that I was just not having fun anymore. I had the ability without a doubt to get back on the bike. It most likely would have been a slow and uncomfortable end to the ride. I knew I was tossing my challenge under my wheels and leaving it in the dust.
I set aside my inner shame voice and listened to the voice of reason. I came to North Carolina to have fun. I came to challenge myself and expand my cycling abilities and add a new badge to my accomplishments. I did that over the past three days. I came to embrace hills, at least tolerate and live with them. I came to know that I was shaming myself, no one else around me was. Maybe it's convoluted reasoning, but I am ok with my decision.
I have spent my life being a goal oriented person who ALWAYS meets and exceeds my goals. I now know that means something different in retirement. Goals are good to have but must be more fluid. My body is changing. I wish it was for the better, but God has another idea about that. I have not abandoned living by goals. I am now in the early stage of looking at it differently. I wish I could tell you what that is, but I don't know.
I am not abandoning this ride. I am taking tomorrow and the next day off as a mental health days. The Cycle NC folks offer excursions for $20 if you choose not to cycle. The excursion ends at the final ride destination of the day.
Tomorrow was a day with almost identical stats like today and longer mileage. The day after was a little less elevation but long miles. Sitting them out gives me a chance to be a bicycle tourist in another way. I need these two days off the bike. I will rejoin the ride for the last two days. They are at my ability and should be a breeze.
You must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. - Maya Angelou
Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 172 miles (277 km)
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5 years ago
5 years ago
You crossed my path from 2014 when I rode from CT to Atlanta. I stopped at the Evelyn L. Gallimore Pavilion in Denton, NC on a lunch break.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1mr&page_id=370740&v=3l
Jim Katzin
5 years ago