104 Miles!

Sometime in January my girlfriends and I decided to do a century ride, 100 miles on our bikes.  Two of them had done it before, The Red-Bell 100. It raises money for World Bicycle Relief and Cascade Bicycle Club, two amazing organizations.  We also joined an awesome team, Team Nuu Muu (the AWESOME exercise dresses I love).  I have been wanting to do a longer ride since it's sometime I can do with my super fit friends :-)  So I did a little training; 20-50 mile bike rides. I am super slow on hills and still have a ways to go to consider myself fit but moving is always good.  We did a couple of almost 50 milers and then a 55 mile training ride...only half of what was going to be done! I felt like I might not make it.  I also asked my mom to do it with me. I ran a half marathon with my dad, why not bike 100 miles with my mom! 

At the start line in Marymoore Park, Redmond, WA. 

A text I sent Adam along the way. 

The ride was AWESOME. We rode 8 miles on a great trail before heading up one of our only big hills outside of Woodinville.  We stayed with the whole Nuu Muu group until the big hill when we lost them. Then we went along back roads till we go to Snohomish.  In Snohomish we got onto the Centennial Trail. What an amazing trail. Flat, smooth, wide, paved trail that goes for more than 30 miles.  Our first stop was at mile 28 for breakfast.  

Breakfast stop @ mile 28. 

My friends were still at breakfast and had only been there a little bit before us. So we were able to bike the whole rest of the trail with them. It was nice to be a part of the group, and with my mom!

Aimee and Jill @ breakfast stop

Some of the trail was in the forrest and some along roads.  

Outside of Arlington it started to pour down rain. We were wet! We had a snack break in Arlington @ mile 45.  We hopped on our bikes in the rain. The food was so good and the trails were so flat, that I was feeling good even at mile 45. 

Selfie on a bike. 

Outside of Arlington we went off the trail and back onto back roads. I lost the girls again on a few small rolling hills. I am SO slow on hills. My mom stayed with me, she is a power house! We crossed 

I-5 for the first time and rode along it until we dropped down into Skagit Valley. Our lunch stop was in Conway off the freeway @ mile 63.  I ate a bunch and even downed a Pepsi! The sun was trying to come out for us!

The gang of us that rode together for most of it. We lost a few much faster friends with the Nuu Muu group. Vicki, Jill, Aimee, mom, me, and Becky!

We wound our way through the fields of Skagit Valley. Never once was I feeling like I couldn't make it. We pretty much stayed together for most of the Skagit flats. I remember hitting the 75 mile mark and feeling really good! While training, I was thinking if I made it 75 miles, I would be good!

My dad biked down from Bellingham and met us around mile 80. He let us draft off of him, it was a nice welcome break! Aimee's husband met us shortly after. Again, nice to have some fresh legs! 

We had one last stop at the Allen County partk at mile 83 for some coconut water and another Pepsi to get me up the Chuckanut hills! 

@ mile 83. Feeling pretty good!

Chuckanut is @ mile 88...the first hills we have seen in a while. Wow! My legs were feeling it for the first time. I let everyone go ahead of me, even my mom, and my dad stayed with me until the very last hill right into Fairhaven. Never once did I feel like I couldn't make it. The hills were hard. I was tired. But each time you went up, there was a little down after to catch my breath. A couple of times as we neared the end, I caught myself getting a little choked up and a little teary. I couldn't believe I had done this. I had biked over 100 miles in one day! My dad went ahead to see if he could catch my mom and I came into Bham by myself. Ending at Boundary Bay Brewery, just like my half marathon. But I felt better, stronger, and less tired than in my half.  I went across the finish line at 5:13pm . I started the ride at 7:09am. 10 hrs and 4 minutes to go 104 miles! My phone had died at mile 84, so I am not sure of my total riding time vs. my total time but my guess is around 8 hrs. Wow! 

Pretty proud of both of us! My mom is almost 65! She rocks!!!

Glad to have these two amazing role models in my life to keep me going and moving! 

And lucky to have such wonderful women friends who encourage me to do fun things too. You guys are amazing too!!

My bottom was sore. My legs were tired. But I would do it again! The ride was beautiful and the company was GREAT. Thanks everyone who rode with me and who sponsored me to do this charity ride! I appreciate all of you!