After a week when I found it hard to ride—time constraints and fatigue—and every ride was interrupted with at least one mechanical failure, it was finally Saturday, my one day off. I ran some errands, dropped my car off at the shop, and headed out from the dealership on my bike.

As soon as I swung into that 20 mph headwind, I knew what I was in for.

I had barely eaten all day, I hadn’t slept enough ... but if I didn’t ride at least some miles today, I would be facing a second week of too-short rides squeezed into too little time.

To what I choose to call my credit, I didn’t quit—I didn’t take the first several cut-off back to my home. I only managed 20 miles—at 1.5 mph less than my monthly average. All in all it was a miserable time—except for the part about me riding my bicycle, which makes almost everything at least okay.

I know most of you did 20-mile warm-ups before you centuries and averaged 21 mph because you decided to do the slow instead of the fast group ride. Good for you.

Good for me too. I am exhausted and sore and borderline dehydrated and really glad I got out even for a miserable ride.

If nothing else I have lowered the bar, so my next several rides are bound to be better.