Tammany Trace in yo FACE

Jimmy Krebs, my good friend/father-in-law/life coach, invited me on a 56-mile bike ride with his friend Kay today. The two of them are training for the half-ironman in Panama City in two weeks. What's nice about being new to a sport is that I have no idea what I'm capable or incapable of- so I said, sure why not?!

I woke up at 5:30 and drove to Pascagoula, MS (very, very hungover from good times at O'Daly's Irish Pub last night) and Jimmy, Kay, and I headed over to Tammany Trace- a rail-trail from Slidell to Abita Springs, LA. It was a gorgeous ride through parks and wetlands with plenty of watering holes along the way.

May 7th, 2011- These two will swim 1.2mi, bike 56mi, and run 13.1mi.
WATCH OUT P-CITY!

The first 35 miles were amazing- I was really enjoying myself and my company. Something happened though, in the last stretch before we got back to the truck. The switch was flipped; the wall was hit. My hands were sore, my left knee started clicking (ITBS- can't seem to shake it), I couldn't find a comfortable spot in my seat, and I could feel the knots start to form in my back. And this was all I could think about. It suddenly didn't matter how beautiful it was out, or how nice the breeze felt in my face, or how much progress I had made in my cycling. I just wanted off this damn bike.

We are not friends.

We finally make it back to the truck and it appeared that our ride was "only" 52 miles long, not the 56 miles that Jimmy and Kay were planning on. So as I collapsed in the parking lot next to the truck, these two crazies went out to finish up the last four miles. And when they were done, they ditched their bikes and went for a two mile "transition run". WHAT IN THE WORLD?! 

The good thing about riding for 3 1/2 hrs is that I burned 2,000+ calories. So I ate a cheeseburger and peanut butter quake at Quakes Ice Creamery on the way back. Then I ate a mess of honey barbeque BWW at home in 'Goula and had the classic pulled pork plate at The Shed for dinner. And lots of sweet tea in between. 

I still can't imagine 188 miles of this though.