The STP Project team got its first big test Saturday when we pedaled the Flying Wheels Summer Century.
The course is considered an ideal training ride for the 203-mile STP even though it’s only half the distance because it is considerably hillier than the STP.
All five of us have at least two centuries under our belt, so we knew we’d all finish. It was just matter of how we’d feel when we were done. We were pleasantly surprised.
Russ Meyers was strong for the entire ride and reached speeds of 28 mph on the flats in the final five miles. He also pulled the team for five miles in the middle when a 41-mile stretch without a stop left us running low on water and energy.
Kenny Espinoza was also strong after struggling to warm up early. This was particularly surprising because he hadn’t been on his bike for two weeks because of business travel.
Rick Beitelspacher was giddy all day and said he still felt good when the ride was over.
Scott Wagar and I, however, seemed to have the most problems.
Wagar was constricted early because he mistakenly wore his daughter’s undershirt. And at the 70-mile mark he had run squarely into the wall and told us he was on the verge of puking. Always compassionate, Kenny readied his camera phone for the hurl that never happened.
My problem was my left quad, which started cramping at about 55 miles. I guzzled energy drinks and water and stretched when I could. This all worked pretty well, but on occasion my leg would cramp when I stood up and got out of the saddle.
This made me pretty nervous when we approached the 80-mile mark, where the sadistic route designers planted a torturous 3-mile climb up to the Issaquah Plateau.
As Russ pointed out, the tough thing about the hill wasn’t that it was long, but in many places it was also steep.
As I pedaled, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was tempted to get off and push. Especially when I saw several who were doing just that. But Beitelspacher, who’s not shy about setting goals for other people, had informed us our goal was to reach the top the hard way.
So I locked my sites on a group of six cyclists in front of me and pushed myself to reel them in. My cramping thigh didn’t like this, but the mid-hill push rejuvenated me a bit.
When we finished the ride, Rick, Scott, Russ and Kenny felt good enough to down a polish sausage. I couldn’t eat and for about five minutes I was the one who felt like I was going to spew.
But by Saturday night I felt great. Whether or not I could have pedaled another 100 miles, well, let’s just say I’m glad we have another month to train.