It’s just 12 days until BRAN and I am so not ready for this. It’s a real struggle to not let myself talk myself out of this mentally. I’m several hundred miles behind in my training because of the cold and wet Spring we have had. Yeah, yeah, I could have gone out in the cold and rain to put on some miles, but I REALLY don’t enjoy that. Besides, that’s not what we usually get on BRAN. Except, this year has me worried. We are now at the end of May and this blasted weather is still here!
The best thing I’ve found to prepare mentally is to work on the details of planning everything for the trip. I’ve spent the last few weeks getting my recumbent bike all tuned up, including replacing the entire drive train and adding a fairing (wow, what a difference that made). I have managed to get in 300 miles this month, but am about 400 miles behind the training I had put in last year.
I am encouraged though by my physical ability this year. Last Spring I had barely any time in as a new bike rider on my newly purchased recumbent bike and it was not just the physical training involved, but getting used to riding differently. The sprained ankle in April last year did not help either. This year everything feels like a well fitting glove and although I’ve not gone more than 50 miles in one outing, I really do feel confident I can manage a 70 mile day. When people ask how I can ride that far in a day I tell them I really just ride several 15 mile rides in one day. Mentally, 70-90 miles in a day is a depressing thing to look forward to so I tell myself all I need to do is ride to the next SAG stop, where I rest, rehydrate and get some nourishment. Then, it’s simply on to the the next SAG stop. And so on and so on. Before you know it you are at the camp site.