The riding was fabulous at PJ today. After feeling heavy-legged the last few rides, my legs finally started coming alive about halfway through the ride. I even felt a few racing sensations, which I normally don’t feel in my training until closer to race season. On the way down to Helgin I caught a glimpse of an unusual skull in the ditch. I reluctantly decided to break my non-stop-riding streak to have a closer look. It definitely was a meat-eating animal, but the skull looked much bigger than a household cat. Thinking I had discovered the skull of a bobcat or small cougar, I did something I’ve never done on a ride and I stuck something I found in my pocket to take home.
Later as I was coming into Imbler I began feeling very strong, as if the presence of another had entered my body. My legs were turning effortlessly and the bike was moving very fast. The sensation lasted for some time. As I turned onto Summerville Road the feeling left me. Instead of the supernatural, it turns out it was a slight tailwind combined with the gel I had a few minutes before encountering the wind. Shortly thereafter I felt the sharp teeth of the skull poking into my hip. I knew this feeling oh so intimately which, in turn, led to a wave of disappointment. I was carrying a dog’s skull. Was this perhaps one of my beloved dogs, back to haunt me? I almost removed the head and jettisoned it like an empty water bottle. Well, skull made it back home for further inspection. I’m not sure what it is yet. Perhaps it is a fox, or coyote, or bear cub, or lynx, or anything but a dog I hope.
Yesterday was a good ride too. About 50 minutes into the ride, when I usually dig into my pockets for food, I found them empty. This was the first time I had ever been out on a ride and realized I had forgotten food. I proceeded to turn it into an opportunity to test the fortitude of my 2 liters of the latest manifestation of Juekendrink. How long could I go on liquid energy alone? I lasted about 2.25 hours before I began feeling empty. So, the drink lasts fairly well but I found out that drinking the extra liquid for energy had me pulling out the sprinkler quite often. This is something I definitely won’t want to do that often in a race. Perhaps on hotter days this won’t be quite as problematic.
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