27th
That’ll put hair on your chest
My day started with my inside voice calling out to me “Paul it’s time to wake up”…”Paul it’s time to wake up”…..”PAUL YOU ARE LATE!!!”. I nearly leaped from the bed! It’s nearly 5am… ahhhhhh.
Ever had one of those wake ups where it’s you waking yourself up because you need to be somewhere important and you have mysteriously oversleep, by nearly 45 minutes. Ya, that’s right the left hemisphere of my brain did a good job of waking me up before the day was blown. Well at least before my chances of getting to the Hairshirt starting line by 5:45am. Made it there with 10 minutes to spare. I won’t go into the incriminating details on how I managed to get from Acton to downtown Mississauga in under 45 minutes. All I can say is no animals were harmed during this magical feat.
To my inside voice I give a big thank-you as I had a fantastic day today and completed my first Hairshirt, all in 11:51min including stops.
Now some of you may have read my blogs from earlier in the week where I was suffering from immense indecision. With the help, a.k.a. kick in the pants from my darling wife I made a good decision and choose to stick to the Hairshirt plans I set out for myself this past spring.
The Hairshirt starts and finishes at Square one, just beside the spot where we use to start and finish Tour For Kids. From there we headed westward eventually through Burlington, Waterdown, Hamilton, Binbrook, Caistor Center, Welland… All the time working our way towards Niagara Falls. All the time with a very small tail-wind.
Eventually the miles just started to melt away. 50km, 100km, 145km, 160km. Hitting the half-way point is always a relief as you are half done. It’s also a confirmation that you are so committed and have absolutely no choice but to finish.
Over the last few years I’ve done more centuries than I can recall and on every one there is some odd ache or pain that starts to creep in as you are hitting the 160km mark. For me it’s my right knee gets a little sore from the repeated pedal strokes. Like today sometimes its your back-side that aches, even the best chamois lube only goes so far. It’s at times like these that you start going through the mental checklist:
- Feet still moving - check
- Legs still working - check
- Heart not racing too fast - check
- Still sitting on bike [upright] - check
- Can think straight [as much as Mongo can] - check
- Chamois lube still working - check
- Pace good - check 33.2 kph
- Drinking - check.
Every now and then I go through this ever so sophisticated check list just to make sure that all systems are working - “zero defects”. I know it sounds silly but hey it works. I normally keep this list under 10 items as it takes more mental effort to count with both hands and feet while riding.
One of the main limiters on rides like this is where you can get something to drink. Fortunately I was carrying 3 bottles (one in my back pocket) so I was able to comfortably reach out to 100km before needing to replenish. Even so we ended up stopping in Brisbane at the 89km mark. The point of each of our stops was to keep it very short. Just enough time to fill the bottles and empty the bladder. Even with 3 bottles I found it hard to go more than 90km before refilling.
Rolling into Niagara Falls at the 165km mark was nice, so was the mist coming off the falls. Coating everything is a cool layer of water that too quickly evaporated.
From there we started to head north again towards Port Dalhousie and St Catherines. I had arranged for Lori to meet me at a Tim Hortons in Dalhousie to re-stock my Cliff Bars, that and it is always nice to see the face of someone who encourages you so much.
From there we headed west to Jordan. Riding up into Jordan is a bit of work as you are climbing back up the escarpment. Fortunately we must have done something right as the wind had turned around - 2 tail winds in 1 day. Spectacular.
With 240km on your legs you begin to see what your will power is made of. Time for a systems check.
- Feet still moving - check
- Legs still working - is that bacon I smell??? Na not crispy enough
- Heart not racing too fast - pretty much a check
- Still sitting on bike [upright] - check
- Can think straight [as much as Mongo can] - check
- Chamois lube still working - not so good. It’s Motrin time
- Pace - good but a little lower at 32kph
- Drinking - yes but having to force myself - not a good sign.
By the 250km mark my back-side was killing me. Sometimes it is just the luck of the drawn I guess.
At the 275km point we pulled in for the last water stop of the day in Winona. By this point I was getting sick of Gatorade and switched to water. It’s always better to pick hydration over an energy drink. Especially if you are not going to drink the later.
Coming into the Grimsby area was a relief as it marked about 40km to go. And it looked like we would make it in under 12hrs.
The last 40km were as expected, hard, discomforting, incredible! It’s at this point that you really appreciate things. Everything from the effort you are putting in to achieve something, to the mysterious bug that just splat on your face at 40kph. Life is full of many wondrous things. And you just need to open your eyes and see them. Just remember not to run the bug splat with your gloves!
By the time we hit the edge of Mississauga I was so glad as I knew the end was near. 9km to go. The system check at this point was kind of sad but given the remaining distance was rather meaningless.
- Feet still moving - check
- Legs still working - reluctantly at times
- Heart not racing too fast - oddly I was in Zone 1 as a result of mild dehydration
- Still sitting on bike [upright] - painfully so
- Can think straight [as much as Mongo can] - check
- Chamois lube still working - not a chance
- Pace - still moving and happy not to be growing grass - 31.2kph
- Drinking - A ok.
324.5km (we made a few oopsies on the directions), 10:23min riding time with a 11:51min overall time.
And so ends todays journey. Now next year I think I should…..
![Fence Sitter: One who is undecided about something. Hairshirt vs. Ellicottville NY Hill Training weekend??
Ok so I get a call this morning from one of the guys [Peter D] I was going to ride the Hairshirt with… “Are you going to do it”…[followed by me wimping out]…”your training to ride across Canada, whats not ready”.
An hour later I’m in a tailspin wondering if I should reconsider and thinking what a wuss I am. Heck I’m riding across Canada, so what possibly could be the downside of doing a 322km ride? 11hrs or so (less is I ride with the supra fast dudes), 7000-9000 calories burnt and the pleasure of knowing I can do it (which I know already).
So here is what I decided…….
[Update June 22:] I am such a gluton for punishment. Hairshirt it is!](http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l4dckvj4bG1qauksco1_400.jpg)
![Hairshirt: By Paully’s modern dictionary this might mean a few things.
A medieval religious form of punishment/penance for clergy. The shirt was made of course horsehair and was very uncomfortable
What wearing your Aunt Maud’s sweater feels like
What you say to a guy when you are suggesting they do a little upper body “man-scaping” - “Hey is that a hairshirt you got on?”
A 322km double century, unsupported cycling ride that you do in one day.
Hmmm, well despite the interesting options I’ll stick with #4. And so we get to Paully’s next crazy adventure, the Hairshirt hosted by the Toronto Bicycling Network. 322km of unsupported cycling pleasure; and all in one day!
So you ask yourself: Why would someone with any sense want to do such a thing to their body? Cause its there!! And because I’m a glutton for punishment. Not to mention the ultra distance thing blends in with my SNKCR training.
Next on your question list is: Do you really need to do this as SNKCR training? Absolutely! Okay its not so much an “absolutely”, maybe more like a yah only if you like big saddle time. And I like saddle time.
Lastly you ask: And what do you get for doing this? A million dollars… worth of self confidence and the personal satisfaction that you are able to do it.
I heard about this event last year while participating in a 400km Brevet (another 1 day event). And though I finished 309km [in 11hrs including stops] of that 400km Brevet the distance bug had sunken it’s teeth into me. I loved the big miles I was training for and loved trying to do a 400km Brevet.
Fast forward to 2010 and here I am preparing to ride across the country to help kids with cancer, and as part of the training for that I’m planning on doing the 322km Hairshirt.
The really crazy thing about all this is I’m enlisting a few of my buddies to come along with me. I know they can do it, heck I’m not what I’d call an uber cyclist so if I can do it I know they can. Last week I sent a message to Team Amazing Amelia members asking who wanted to join me and I got back some hilarious responses. The best was Christina who noted that she will be doing her hair that day and unfortunately can’t come. Well Christina, save that hair cause I’m going to make a shirt from it [figuratively speaking of course].
On a serious note though, which causes me to put forth great restraint; it’s challenges in life that make one push beyond their comfort zone that help define who you are… who you can be. And in some cases who you can help.
There is a big parallel to the Hairshirt and what the 49 riders for this years Sears National Kids Cancer Ride are doing. They are doing it despite whatever personal adversity it may pose and despite the doubt about if they can do it. Regardless of the multitude of reasons they are doing it whether it’s because it’s there, or its a personal challenge. The net effect is that facing that doubt and adversity will make the lives of kids across Canada better; all the while making them a better person.
So I’ve shown you my Hairshirt, what does yours look like?](http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2zl5ccWC01qauksco1_400.jpg)
