I'm No Hero

Let's see, what day is it?
Wednesday already? Doesn't seem possible.

So I guess it was four days ago, the 2010 Seattle-to-Portland.

I was ready. As ready as I had ever felt in the past. I had figured out a way to prepare by riding various loops and routes out here on the peninsula. And I had been riding them. I had figured out how to mix my bottles. And I found the dry mixes in premeasured tubes. Then I'd been able to break it down into one small traveling pack. I had a Ray-Romano optimism about the event. But that's the way I've always been. I know that if I can start it I can finish it. So when I felt a little bit tired Friday evening it really didn't concern me. I thought it was just nervous energy catching up with me and I took a nap. So when I woke up I made final adjustments on everything - or as much as possible - and went to bed.

The next morning was a different story. I discovered that I had a UTI. Early Sunday morning, the doctor would ask me, "How did that happen?" It really didn't matter much, did it? I felt like a steam plant. So I made my usual breakfast. And I started my pre-hydration. By the time I was about ready to leave things seemed quite a bit better. So without mentioning anything to Katherine, I started STP2010. If I started, I could finish.

It's strange how that when I ride on a route I've done several times before, I remember various parts of it. I don't mean the memory of the route itself. I mean, the sensations associated with riding particular sections of the route. It's more like a memory in my legs. My legs felt great. I felt more confident than I had ever felt before. And I felt stronger than I had before. The only hint of what was to come occurred at the 25 mile REI stop. It seemed like a long time was wasted waiting in line to use a Porta-Potty. Something that I didn't think I could avoid.

By the time I got to Puyallup. The situation had become a bit more critical. There were a very limited number of Porta-Potties. (Hint: When you choose a line, choose the one with the least number of women.) I had to jump out of line get on my bike and ride another mile, maybe two, up to where the underpass is by the WSU farm. No lines. At this point I felt I did have to give Kathy a call to alert her.

"The Hill" was a surprise. I'd decided to go to the middle ring and I was passing people. Was it because it had been newly paved? I glanced down and my GPS told me 8%. I'd remembered it as 6%. But I felt good - one of my best rides up "the Hill." After the light at the top I started passing people and continued to do so until just past Spanaway. This in spite of what had become an increasing discomfort sitting on the saddle. As I made the turn toward Roy it seemed to get a lot colder and I started shivering despite the effort I was making. As the saddle got sharper and the temperature got colder, I increasingly looked forward to seeing Kathy at the Fort Lewis East Gate. I don't know what I expected of her.

Originally Kathy wanted me to immediately go to Madigan but we talked and it was decided that I would keep going to Centralia and make a decision there. However, the closer I got to Centralia, the harder it became to sit on the saddle and continue to ride. I'm not like Rob. I'm no hero. I can't put pain away. So somewhere between McKenna and Tenino I sent Chris a text telling him that I would probably abandon at Centralia. But I didn't even make it that far. Kathy picked me up just before Bucoda.

We drove to Centralia for the picnic Kathy had planned. I changed. And we drove to Portland to keep our promise to Chris to drive him home. On the way to Portland we explored several options. Whether to return to Tacoma the next day or that evening. And if we should go directly to the doctor or wait until I had rested. It was decided that we should go directly to the doctor.

So my 2010STP ended at 2 a.m. Sunday morning with me lying half-asleep on a couch in the Acute Care area of Madigan Army Medical Center. And the last three days have been spent dealing with the effects of the infection, the medications, and the cross-reactivity's with the medication that I'm already taking.

On the plus side, everything seems brighter and clearer now. And the end of the peninsula seems as inviting as ever.