BIKE -As I ran out of the convention center, I had to run up one level of the parking ramp to where our bikes were. I heard a volunteer yell my number down to another who had my bike waiting for me as I ran up to him...are these volunteers great, or what?!?!? I then ran down to the bike-mount area and rode down the "helix" and out on to the bike course. As I was leaving the convention center area I saw my dad on the side of the road and we yelled to each other. Friendly faces are always nice to see.
We headed out of town and started the first of two loops. As you can see from the elevation chart above, the bike course was not only long...but VERY hilly. Jodee and I had heard a wide range of comments about the bike course before the race. Everything from "It's the worst" to "It's not really that bad". Well, all I have to say is that all of those people who said it wasn't "that bad" lied! That's right, they lied! There were three of the most punishing hills I have ever ridden in my life on that course. And not only did we get to ride them once...but twice. The coolest part of them (if there is one) is that it was just like watching the Tour de France on t.v. There were people lined all the way up the hills, sometimes 2-3 people deep and some would run along side of you, yelling encouragement to you as you pumped your way up. That was cool...that was really f---ing cool.
It's hard to recall very much more of the bike...the words "it was hell" just seem to keep popping up in my mind. I did see my dad on my second loop...just before getting to the big hills for the second time. I saw one poor cyclist just run out of gas on one of the big hills. He was standing up, trying to make it up and just couldn't do it. He then proceeded to fall over...ouch. The only other crash I saw was during my first loop. We were riding along this country highway and we saw an ambulance parked facing us in the opposite lane. As we passed it I saw two cyclists, standing with a medic looking at one of them. As we got passed you could see the whole side of his face was scrapped off and bloody along with scraped and tears in his shorts and jersey...double ouch.
I had to make just two bathroom breaks on the course and my eating went well. But by the end of the ride I was tired of almond butter sandwiches and Hammer energy gels. The ride back into Madison seemed much longer than the ride out of town (go figure) and it was only then where we really felt much wind.
As we approached Monona Terrace I happy with my thoughts that the long, hot (85 degrees and humid) and hilly ride was over. But alas...it wasn't. To end the ride we had then ride back up the helix of the parking ramp to dismount our bikes. All I could think was, "Really? One more more? We couldn't dismount down here and take an escalator or something?" Oh well.
Bike Time - 6:45:56 (16.6 mph pace) - about what I figured. I was ahead of the cut-off times and I was a pretty happy camper.
As I dismounted my bike a volunteer took it for me and I ran inside the convention center to get my run bag and change. Again a volunteer helped me with all of my stuff and I changed as quickly as I could. I took a minute to stretch my hips a bit and ran out of the building. I made a pit-stop at the port-a-potties and the sunscreen station before heading out to the run course.
Transition 2 time - 10:46 - better than my first one, even with the potty break.
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