Training for A Century

Good Morning!  The weather is absolutely beautiful this morning.  I met a cycling friend and we logged 40 miles, average speed about 15mph.  Not very fast, but not turtle-pace either.  My goal is to ride consistently at 16-18 mph average.  Last weekend I hit my top speed EVER on my bike which was 38.8 mph!  It was right before one of the biggest climbs I've ever done.  I was with The Bike Store group, so I was following along and don't know where in the world we were.  This particular climb is nicknamed "Ammo Hill."  It nearly shot me down!!

Heather, Me and Jenn, ready to head out!

I'm training for my second Century.  In the cycling world, a Century is a 100-mile bike ride.  My first was back in September.  Two of my best cycling pals and I rode together.  It was the first for all three of us.  We rode out of Albany, GA then to Plains (where President Jimmy Carter lives) and back.  At the 50, I walked into the Plains, GA Welcome Center which was a scheduled lunch break.  I grabbed a sandwich and Coke, then went inside to look around.  There was a life-size poster of President Carter so I asked my friend to take a picture of me beside it.    

"President Carter" and Me

I was standing there, smiling toward the camera and out of the corner of my eye I noticed that a couple of women were watching.  I wondered, "What are they doing?  Do they think this cardboard thing is real?  Why are they smiling at me?"  All of these thoughts flashed through my mind simultaneously and a split second later I recognized two of my girlfriends' faces!  Jan and Monique drove all the way to Plains and "just happened" to find me at the halfway point.  I was in shock.  I could not believe they were there.  They had no idea when exactly I would be there; they just tried to figure it out and God worked it out so that we were all there at exactly the right time.  They held up a poster "Go Joan Falldine!"  I don't think I've ever been so completely and pleasantly surprised!  

I finished that Century in 6 hours and 50 minutes.  Not bad for my first go!  I felt like I had conquered the world when it was over.  That is, until I went to my van and it had a flat tire!  I don't know what the purpose was in the flat tire, but I thanked God for it anyway.

I'm training now for a Century in Claxton, GA on November 14th.  I'd like to ride it in 6 hours or less.  That's a do-able goal; it all depends on the wind.  I'm hoping for about 60 degrees and calm with some sunshine.  To be ready I will need to ride another 40 on Friday and Saturday.  I'll try to get a ride in on Sunday, but it will be short 20 or 25.  Monday I'll be teaching aerobics at Second Baptist.  Tuesday and Wednesday will be my last training rides.  Starting on Thursday I will rest and eat, eat, eat!  That's probably the best part of a Century, except for the end.

You know what the Bible says, "The end of a matter is better than its beginning."  Ecclesiastes 7:8a! 
Joan