STP FINISHER

(L to R: Nader, Deb, Me, Kim, Chani, Michelle, Dave, Coach Coop)

DAY 1 : 112 MILES

The first 25 miles was like cycling on steroids ... ok, maybe that's a bad example since The Tour de France is going on right now. Let's just say it was fast, it was crowded, and the adrenaline was heightened because everyone was so close.  

Maybe this will give you some perspective:  My century ride in Tahoe had around 3,o00 cyclists; this ride - 9,500 cyclists.  It seemed like an endless stream of riders before and behind me.  I prayed I wouldn't have reason to stop early on, as to find a gap to get back in the bunch would have been difficult.

The first day was long ... really long.  Michelle (my ride support) and I started out with Nader, Deb, and the SF team, but we quickly got separated from them with the frenzied pace.  Michelle and I stayed close, helping each other maneuver through many tight situations.  But I felt strong all morning and was even enjoying the terrain.

At mile 53, I rolled into the lunch stop where Andrew and the girls were waiting to greet me. We refueled, I was interviewed for the Tacoma newspaper, and then we headed off for the last 59 miles.  "We're just about half way done with this thing,"  I confidently said to myself.

Then, just 6 miles down the road, I start bouncing.  I thought, "Maybe I need to be in a higher gear." So I shifted accordingly but still felt like something wasn't right.  Then I remembered Jun talking about "bouncing" when his tire pressure was low one time.  So while riding, I asked Michelle to check out my back tire, and sure enough ... I had a flat.

We pulled over, got the wheel off, the tire separated, and the inner tube out in no time. Someone asked if we were alright as they quickly passed.  "Ya!" We replied, determined to fix the flat in a hurry.  (They didn't look like they had any intention of helping us anyway.)  

We got the new inner tube in but had some trouble getting the tire and wheel to cooperate. We'd turned down two offers for help at this point but decided to stop the next person who asked if we're okay.  We got some help from a group of 3 guys who "needed an excuse to stop," and we were back on the course 20 minutes later.

Having to stop so long to fix my flat threw my rhythm off.  Feeling like I had to make up for lost time, I picked up my pace but didn't eat and/or drink as often as I should have which made for a tougher 2nd half ... which was hotter than the first.  We made a couple much needed stops to meet Michelle's old co-worker and parents.  And then finally made it to Centralia (mile 100) at 3:46 pm.

Because it was the finish line for many of the 2-day STP riders, it was a big party atmosphere in Centralia.  Music playing, someone on a megaphone welcoming everyone to mile 100, food and beer booths abound, bikes all parked on the sides, people lying in the grass or standing in line to get their baggage ... oh, and we can't forget the free creamcicles. 

Mile 100 and we were excited!  Though we would not be staying in Centralia, we were excited to have made it this far.  Just another 12 more miles to Chehalis where Team in Training would be camping and we'd be done!  12 miles, that's it!  With all the training we've been doing since February, 12 miles seemed like nothing ... until we left Centralia.

It would take me another hour and fifteen minutes to go the last 12 miles.   In fact I was so hot and so beat that at mile 110.5, on the verge of tears, I told Michelle I had to pull over.  She asked if I wanted her to call for someone to pick me up, and I said, "With just 1.5 miles to go, there is no way I'm not finishing this thing!  Just give me a moment."  So I took more than a few moments to collect myself, got back on the saddle, and finally made it to the finish where Andrew, Coach Coop, and Lisa welcomed me home.

I was exhausted.  I was tearing up (not happy tears.)  But I finished.  I also decided not to camp with the rest of the team as I had originally planned.  Knowing I had another 92 miles the next day, I needed a real bed, a real pillow, a real shower, and a real good night's rest.