Chuck Norris thinks I'm incredible.

Yep, you read that right. The real live Chuck Norris. 

See:

I can do hard things. That’s what I kept telling myself. Saturday.

Last Saturday {May 7, 2011 for the record keeping of my life} I accomplished something I secretly was not sure I would be able to do.

I finished a 40 mile bike ride.

Now, before you scoff at the length of that race, those of you who are biking majesty’s yourselves, I have a few things you should know.

I only started biking 2 seasons ago and I don't ride at all during the winter, {I'm kind of a wimp in the cold.} So 40 miles is good  for a beginner like me.

Side note: The first summer I had my bike I did 15 miles. Thought I was a hero. Last summer the longest ride I did was 25 miles. {That was also a race I didn’t think I would finish but I did.}

So this summer going to 40 is pretty good for me.

This year because the weather had been so crummy I only took my bike out twice before the big day. Once for a 12 mile ride and the other for a 15 mile ride. I did the 15 mile ride on Thursday and then the 40 mile ride on Saturday so I honestly didn’t train for this baby at all.

I was doing great for the first 30 miles or so, despite the 3 mile hill that took me over an hour to climb. {Oh, and just so you know, the whole entire hill plus a good 60% of the rest of the ride was done against some pretty strong head wind making momentum absolutely impossible.}  

Rest Stop #1

Like I said, the first 30 miles I was doing and feeling pretty good. The last 10 miles though? Hands down the most difficult thing I have ever physically done in my life. My body was pretty done. My elbows and neck were killing me. {I probably don't have the best posture on a bike, or ever for that matter} The blisters on my hands were oh so very real. The sun was burning my arms, legs and face. And let’s not even talk about what was happening with my derriere.

I had to dig deep. But I finished. I realize it’s a small step towards my goal of completing a century {100 miles} but it’s a step none the less. Now I know my minimum is no longer 25 but 40.

I think I am going to register for a 62 mile in September. Wish me luck. I will train better for this one.

At the starting line. Little did we know...

Crossing the finish line some 4 hours {give or take} later.

Oh so proudly displaying our medals. We were shot. I mean Shot. Those smiles are fake. Except that they are smiles of relief so I guess they are not entire impostors. 

See, I told you Chuck Norris thinks I’m incredible.