NukiWaza

I have completed the 45 mile course earlier today and it went better than I was expecting.

Long version:
I arrived early enough to get one of the pros to look my bike over and they pronounced it good to go so I guess my own work on the bike has been solid. I saw a general procession towards the street and joined it. Turned out I was at the front, looking back I could not see a single bike in the price range of my bike. It was a little intimidating.

Once we took off I only had a few people pass me in the first half mile but my legs were getting tired. I looked down and found I was in the big ring and it did not even feel like it. I guess that's adrenalin for you. I move off the big ring before the first hill. On that hill the masses started blowing past me, I think I will be hearing "on your left" in my sleep.

By mile 7 we hit a town and I was able to fall in with a group that I could keep up with for a while. By the first stop at mile 15 I had completed it at what was for me a blistering pace, I had not managed to pass anyone and I was feeling quite tired and getting worried about completing. Worse the faster guys had eaten all the food and all I could get was one granola bar.


Well so be it, I watered up and hit the road. I fell in behind two riders and stayed with them for a while, even managed to pass two people but they dropped me at a long hill. One of the riders, an older guy, passed me and I picked up my pace to stay with him for a good chunk of the distance. On a hill we started getting caught behind two other riders. I was unwilling to give up momentum gained and hammered down. Left the little group behind.

Hit the next stop with many of the riders still there. I don't know if they went slower or rested longer but my pace for the first two legs were almost identical. I grabbed a banana and some water, talked to a couple of people and then mounted up.

The last leg is my regular training run, I live on that road and know it well. I felt inexplicably strong. I set a much faster pace than normal and just felt great. I did not feel tired again until about 5 miles into that leg. It was strange, no euphoria like runners describe, but rather just a feeling that faster felt better and I could do faster.

I finished in 3:27 with only about 11 minutes of breaks. While I was not at the front I was no where near last and finished with plenty of food still available.

TLDR, started with a slow pace but kept that pace all along with few breaks to finish strong.