WOW!

As you can see I am excited! I completed Rouge Roubaix and got 8th! I rode 106.42 miles, the logest ride I have ever done(the closest I had done before was just less than 80 miles)! It was so hard, but so fun. I would not give it up for anything. Like Lee said I would, I have learn so much about myself. The race started at about 8:30 and was freezing! I was just glad to get moving, and warmed up a bit. I stayed in th main group until about mile 30, about 1 mile into the first dirt section. Just could not keep my speed up like they could. So I got on the end a little "train" of three guys, and I actually was starting to make the time back up, I even saw jenny towards the end of that dirt section, I counted, and was about 15 seconds off.. so close to getting back in. I could not hang on the guys any longer, it was sad when I saw the guys I was with catch the end of the lead group, in was in my sight! But I kept going, eating and drinking as much aas I could to keep as much energy going. But for some reason, I could not get the food to stay down until after mile 55 or so. Kind of wierd and gross! anyways so got in a group of about 10 and just took turns pulling, got to the second gravel/dirt section and actually dropped most of them up the climbs. I felt like i was going faster up the dirt sections than the paved! crazy.. yes.. I will definatly say the third dirt section was the hardest, had the loosest gravel and the steepest section, that was the one time I got off for a second. But i got going again pretty quickly. Oh yea, so I rode with austin from about mile 75 i think it was. WHen I hit mile 100 I did a little wooooowhhhooo noise, got a wierd look from the guys riding next to us. But the last 3 miles of the race was the longest three miles ever! wow... But when I crossed the line I had the biggest grin on my face. So proud of myself for doing it! and even better, getting 8th! But it all hit me about 9pm that night, I was dead, and in pain. We were driving home and I felt like complete crap. Hot, cold, palms sweatting head ache, body ache, body freaking out, felt like my muscles were spazzing out, thirsty yet couldnt drink a bottle of watter without having to pee the second I drank it.. so wierd, felt noting like it before... Thats when I realized what Lee was saying when he told me I'd learn a lot about myself. .. Iam feeling better today, but it definatly carried over to yesterday. I had so much fun this weekend! And a special thank you to Lee and Terry for making our weekend so much easier! You guys are awesome!