cyclefreaks

OK, so the shoulder thing. About a year ago, I fell off the bike and kind of jammed my shoulder. I went to the doc, he said get physical therapy, I didn't.

At work, we have a tradition. If someone quits, they get thrown in the therapy pool at some point on their last day. The first day of my last week, they surprised me and threw me in. I figured I was done. But no. My head didn't go under, they all claimed it didn't count. So all week I sneak out, trying to avoid going in again. Friday rolls around and it's about 5 til 5. I think I'm scott free. I'm sitting up front talking to the girls, and here comes my boss. My friend Glenda says, "Hey, why are you still dry???" and that was it. They proceeded to take off my shoes and belt and my boss dragged me kicking and screaming, literally, to throw me in the pool. I put up a huge fight. So huge in fact that it reinjured my shoulder. Thus, therapy. Not workers' comp though, because it was already an existing condition. Not that I would go that route anyway...

So anyway, my rotator cuff muscles are weak and angry so I'm working on that like I should have done a year ago.

As for the HHH ride. It was indeed hotter than hell. Laura and I rode hard for probably three hours before I started falling apart. Stomach cramps, I still don't know why I got them. Then my water bottle cage came loose (my brand new bike was not assembled well apparently) so I pulled over to tighten it. As Im standing there, Laura flicks a sticker off my front tire. Out goes the air. Flat Number One. I change the tube, can't get the CO2 to go off right so I waste a canister. 20 minutes later... it's finally fixed and we're back off again. It all went downhill from there.

I made it to mile 88 but it was an agonizing last 20 miles. I know it seems ridiculous to stop with only 12 miles to go, but 12 miles is a long way when you don't feel good and haven't felt good in an hour. I had to stop about every 5 miles to rest and drink, and then had another flat and called it good. Laura went on to finish her fastest century to date. I finished the day at 16.4 mph, the fastest I've ever ridden even a short distance, much less 88 miles in 106 degree heat. It was an awesome event, and I will go back next year and hope that it's cooler. Cory was waiting for me at the finish with a really cool necklace... I wish I could have ridden across the finish line to get it, but oh well. I love it. :)

We drove back home a day early and stopped in OKC for mexican at my new favorite place, La Luna. It's a family-owned thing and it was awesome.

So anyway, that's the scoop.