triathamom: bike

(getting ready to bike) So, speaking of the timing chip, I took off on the bike and you cross over this mat where your timing chip is supposed to beep. And mine didn't beep (obviously). But there were lots of other people trying to get across and stuff too, of course. So I went back over it again, and the person said "ok, you're good" and I kept going.

Anyway.

The first 6 miles of this bike ride were supposedly all uphill. I'd driven the course - but I drove it backwards apparently, so I didn't get the full effect of this hill-thing that I was in for. Oh boy. The first 4 miles were kind of gradually uphill - hard but not tooooo bad. Then I see it ahead. The big hill. Ok. I keep telling myself, I can do this, I can do this. It was really tough. And I was being passed like the dickens all along the way and had to focus really hard not to be discouraged by it. But I could do it. I was pretty sure I could do it.

But then. I came up around to a bend and what seemed like must be near the top of the hill, and I went around the turn . . . and it kept going. Steeper. And I just about broke into tears (I also may have come close to saying some choice words I don't normally use). I tried to keep going. But about a few hundred yards from the crest of the hill I had to get off and walk it. I have just never felt such incredible burning exhausting exertion and I couldn't do it.

Good thing was, the last 6 miles were allllll downhill!!! HALLELUJAH!! And that felt soooo goood.:) I can't even tell you.

Here I am, approaching the dismount and transition area:


I made it!

[My timing chip didn't beep again as I crossed the mat - but again I went over it a second time and the people there said "ok you're ok" and I kept going, but this time I looked down and ran my finger around the velcro and lo and behold, there was no chip on there. Um. Well. All I really thought was that there wasn't anything I could do about it at this point. So. Huh.
No choice but to just keep going. . . ]


Only the run left to go! yahoo!