The last time I witnessed 4:00 a.m., I was sneaking back into Taylor Hall over at Kent State University to finish up my fifth year architecture project. Today it was to get up in time to meet some of my closest buddies to head south to Boone, North Carolina for four days of cycling in the Appalachian Mountains. The goal was to get into town in time for a 40 mile warm up. I should have been a little less motivated to get in some miles and gotten a little more sleep as I would definitely need it after the draining 8 hour drive while still suffering from a sinus infection.
After making our way to the cabin and getting kitted off, we were off on our way to do some riding in what appears to be some of the most beautiful country in the world. Due to the late start (5:00), we needed to cut the route short so we could get back before sunset.
I knew I was going to be hurting when I woke up in the morning, weighed myself and realized I lost 5 pounds in 4 days. No weight loss secrets here, it came from being sick, having zero appetite and not being able to drink much. There was just no way I could get myself re-hydrated in such a short period of time. In no time, I found the effects of my sickness caught up to me as I slowly began to go off the back of the group. Finding a comfortable rhythm, the miles began to tick away and I found myself gaining some riding partners while taking in some great scenery but secretly praying that we would be back at the cabin as I wasn’t feeling well at all. All I could hope for was a decent dinner and a good night’s sleep to get me back into shape for tomorrow’s big ride. At the end of the day, we finished up at 38 miles, not that much shorter than what were originally planned but at least there were a few miles saved on my tired body.
brian
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