I am planning my rides through the end of the season. This is a process that will change as weather dictates but it gives me something to look forward to.

For those of you who have been around here for awhile and bothered to read my posts you know I have a pension for climbing, not because I love it but because I want to get better at it so I can easily decide where in the group I ride when rideing with strong groups. You also know I have benchmark little hill I have tackled call Whiteface. I still have painful memories of the race I did in June.

I have a choice to make - in Sept they will run a fall race up Whiteface - it benefits the organization that sponsors my daughters ski race team. That same weekend there is a century in Vermont which will be beautiful that time of year. The race is $60, the century $30. The race is 8 miles, the century ...

1.5 hours of pure hell trying to do better than the last time or 6 hours of fun looking at the Vermont country side. Both will leave me waisted for the day.

I really don't know what to do here - this is not a "bragging rights" thread, working hard for the climb is physically more demanding, the challenge of beating my last (miserable) time is there but the anguish still lingers in my mind. I WILL do the race again next June, but the question is, should I do the race for a second time this year? I know it will make me a better rider but the pain it will inflict will not be pleasant. One other data point - the following week I will ride with my bike club up Greylock (with about 60 more miles and four more mountain passes thrown in for good measure!). When I did the Greylock ride last year it ranked as my most challenging ride, I was beat for three days - but that was before I went up Whiteface (twice) this year.