Interviewer: How did you prepare for this experience?

Ben:  “I first started taking bike riding seriously about 3 years ago.  First, I became involved in cycling as a form of recreation.  As some time went by, I realized that it was actually a fun way to get from point A to point B.  I began riding to friend’s houses, school, and even to do my shopping.  I rode bikes as a way to relax, and as a means of transportation.  I bought my first dedicated commuter bike in May ’08.  I went to action sports and bought the Giant TranSend DX.  It is a hybrid commuter style bike.  I have logged countless hours and miles on that bike.  I ride throughout the year, and have really changed my mindset.  I am more than a recreational rider.  It has really almost become a lifestyle.  I also don’t do lycra for commuting.  I think a big hurdle for people is that they think that to be a cyclist, you have to wear a silly outfit that makes you look like a Marvel Comic hero.  Me?  I ride in jeans, normal shorts, etc… Only on long training rides do I break out my Superman outfit.” 

Interviewer: Did you have any mental hurdles to do a 100 mile race?

Ben: “I think the biggest hurdle when it comes to riding is mental.  Once you realize that 100 miles is actually doable, you can do it.  When I started out riding, I would ride an 8 mile loop on flat ground.  As I got more comfortable on a bike, the distances grew.  After a while I was doing 50 mile rides without giving it a second thought.  It’s funny how we think we have certain limitations.  Every time you think you’ve hit your limit, if you keep pushing, you usually find that you can accomplish much more than you originally thought possible.

Once I got past the daunting thought of a century, I knew I had to do it.  It’s a milestone, a right of passage for any cyclist.  Besides, I knew that I could do it.  Even though I had never actually ridden a century, I knew I was persistent enough that even if my body wanted to give up, I would push through to the end. I saw the pamphlet for the Tour De Cure in Action Sports and knew it was the perfect opportunity for my first century.  My grandfather died of Diabetes, so this was as much for him as it is for me.  The cause was really a great motivator for me.

Interviewer: How did things go the day of the race?

Ben: “That morning it was absolutely pouring.  The event coordinator actually ended up delaying our start time from 6:30 to 7:30 so that the rain could pass.  The roads were still very wet and the other cyclists remarked on how they wished they had fenders like mine. The other cyclists all showed up with road/race bikes that were worth thousands of dollars.  I was on an entry level hybrid commuter bike.  I knew what would happen and had expected it, but it didn’t make it any easier to see that I was the odd man out and that everyone else had much more suitable equipment than I did.  Of course, that was part of the reason I chose to do the ride on my TranSend.  People have this idea that to be a real cyclist, you need to spend thousands on purpose built bikes.  That’s just not true. The bike  is far secondary to the mental and the physical ability of the rider.  Like the old saying goes, “it’s the Indian, not the arrow.”

Interviewer: What goes through your mind will you wait for the start?

Ben: “The anticipation is really the killer.  Waiting for the ride to start was like being on line for a roller coaster.  There’s always that one moment when you are standing in line and you look up at the roller coaster and doubt your resolve.  But then you push through and you get on and ride the coaster and have a blast.”

One thing I thought was great was the number of couples involved.  It seemed that people really got into riding as something special to do with a loved one.  I had always thought of riding as a solitary venture.  It’s been almost like a form of mediation for me.  It’s kind of an escape from life, from work, from the stress of law school, the stress of family, etc… and a great way to get “me time.”  These people, rode as a large social event.  It was fantastic.  This was as much a social event as a fund raiser and fitness ride. 

I was surprised at the number of women who rode.  Cycling has traditionally been a male dominated sport.  I was glad to see so many women riding, and most of them beat me!!!

Interviewer: What do you think about on a 100 mile race?

Ben: “I got to chatting with a fellow rider when we were about 15 miles into the ride, and he and I stuck together throughout the ride.  He told me his life story about how his recovery from drug and alcohol abuse and what he has made of his life.  We chatted and told each other jokes as we rode 85 miles together.  He even saved me twice when I rode right past a turn marker and would have gotten lost! There is something great about having a riding partner.  You really keep each other going.  Part of it is that unspoken “guy thing” where you don’t want to look weak in front of the other guy so it forced you to push harder.  The other thing is that as a bond of friendship, you stick together.  There were times when I’d make it to the top of a long hill ahead of my partner.  I could have kept going, but I’d stop and wait for him.  Sure it slowed my time down, but honestly, I wasn’t racing.  I wanted to enjoy a nice ride and enjoy the company of my companion.

Interviewer: How does it feel at the finish?

Ben: Even though I said the pain and exhaustion was anti-climactic, I have to say that there is a euphoric feeling as you cross the finish line.  I came in, people cheered, and I knew that I had completed my first century ride.  I rode 110.5 miles that day total.  I had the biggest grin on my face when I finished.  I knew I would, so I wasn’t shocked.  But it was no longer an abstract thought.  It was something I had achieved.  I really want to ride another one.  I’m glad that they painted the turn markers on the road.  I’m thinking of doing that same ride all over again next week.