Even though it might seem a bit redundant to climb the same mountain multiple times in one day, each ascent was distinctly different, both physically and mentally. The balance of mind and body must be able to adapt to the current situation, where at the beginning of the ride, an athlete will rely on a well nourished and rested body, but as muscles become more tired over time, the mind must be able to take over (in my case, Irish pigheadedness) and push the athlete through the event. So each ascent requires a different strategy and I found myself breaking up the ride in my mind as I planned how to tackle each part of it, just like I would for a triathlon. It worked!
I checked my log and as of today, I've completed 1,500 miles and over 100,000 feet of vertical distance on my bike since February 1. Lord knows, I've had my share of bad training days, but I am feeling better about being ready for the ride in July and couldn't do it without the support from my family and friends (and my Irish heritage).
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