Over the mountains and through the...mountains

As you may know, I'm not what you call a goal oriented person. I'm more of an imagineer. I think of really big things with no idea how to go about getting them done. Well, I might have an idea about getting it done but then I'm probably going about solving the issue completely the wrong way. Amazingly, it turns out that I am goal oriented person when it comes to exercise related things. I like having a reason for the sweat I'm pouring out all over the place. I like having a reason during this drought to water plants along the trails I run on.

Every summer my training (a phrase I use very loosely) ramps up for the Country Roads ride that benefits the National MS Society. The ride is really well run with frequent aid stations that are well stocked with eats, treats, and fluids galore. They have fantastic road support and a sag wagon (that I'll hopefully never have to use). The ride begins at the famous Greenbrier Resort and winds through the valleys up to Cass at the base of Snowshoe Mountain. You can, of course, ride up to the top from Cass but that seems downright crazy to me. My wife is always waiting at the bottom with a perfectly good car that has a passenger seat with my name on it. I suppose that some day I'll give it a try...yeah right.

 The charity ride helps to give me focus for the rides during the long, hot summer. On those days when I really, really don't want to do anything that will make me sweat anymore than I already have I think of those last few climbs on Day 1. The ride is 67.75 miles long with a total of four category 5 climbs. Two of these come after mile 54. One is only 1.2 miles long at a 2.3% grade. The other is a mere 1.68 miles long at a grade of 3.5%. That may not sound like much but at that point in my day you might as well ask me to climb Mt Everest in the dark, naked, carrying my bike. The worst part is the one hill that is too short to be categorized. It has a sharp turn to the right at the top which makes it look much longer than it really is. Last year I couldn't push the pedals down any more and walked to the top. This year I will conquer that climb like my own personal demon!

I always pretend that I'm a real athlete after I finish my ride and go soak in a cold water bath that supposedly helps my muscles recover by constricting blood flow, flushing out lactic acid, and reducing swelling (shrinking them, along with other things). Then I take a long, tear-filled hot shower to stop all the shivering and shrinking. 

What I'd look like if I had muscles...and was a woman...

Day 2 only has one categorized climb which is a 4. It's 2.24 miles long at a 2.7% grade. That's a short version of a local climb I do frequently so it's not too bad. Except for that whole having ridden 68 miles the day before thing. And, on top of that we take a slightly different route back, which is longer. Yeah, longer. It's all for charity so it must be worth it. It's all in your perception. I remember last year when I hit the last aid station for a banana and a refill on Gatorade. One of the workers told me not to worry because there were only 3 hills level then I'd roll into the town of Cass. As I climbed the 7^th hill after the aid station I remember choosing some choice words to describe him and realized that one person's perception of a hill who had been driving around in a car all day can be so radically different from someone who has spent five hours in the saddle of a road bike on the same roads.

So, it's Friday night the packing is almost done and I leave at 5:30 am for the drive to White Sulphur Springs. I've picked my favorite jerseys, packed my favorite vegetarian foods for breakfast on Sunday, and tossed some Ibebrokens in my bag just in case. Wish me luck and think good thoughts Saturday and Sunday morning as I cycle my way through the mountains of West Virginia!

Have you ever run a charity ride or run?

What did you think of the experience?