I did it. Yesterday I cycled a stage of the Tour de France. Or close to it anyway -- it's not quite the same route, and admittedly, it wasn't mountain stage, but still... I rode 120 miles (192km) in 8 hours 22 minutes and 7 seconds.
And the important thing is that I achieved my goal. Or rather I achieved one of my downgraded goals.
I started out kind of optimistic. "Top 50%". That lasted until I showed up at the start and saw my competition. Then I thought, "Okay, let's try to be somewhere above the bottom third". Going up the first big hill I had the first of many woman zoom past me. At that point, I thought, "Okay, I can't let her beat me." A bit sexist I admit. Not to mention stupid. I gave up after about five minutes. Then I thought "Okay, but maybe I can be in the top half of the women." After all, I quite like the top half of most women. But sadly, nope. Pretty close though. If I pretend I'm a woman, I would have finished 102nd out of 191.
Towards the end all the illusions dropped away and I remember thinking, "please don't let me be in the bottom 10%". And HA! I trashed that goal. My placing means I finished in the top 75% of everyone who finished. So put that in your pipe and smoke it, Mr. Lance Fancy-pants Armstrong!
Congratulations Chrissy-Boo or rather Chris the wonder rider!!! I myself have gotten back on my bike in recent months, and just now returned from riding to my mother's house with a bit of BBQ chicken for her dinner. I'm pretty sure you would have left me in the dust, but it was a lovely day here today ~ the Canada Day holiday Monday ~ and I quite enjoyed the ride. Keep up the good work my dear and I'm sure you'll be surpassing all your goals.
Love, YFA Wendilicious
Chris, you are a complete comic genius! You make me laugh. You brighten my day. Not only that, but I stand in awe of your cycling prowess. Did I spell that right? Oh well. Why don't you come home to Canada and be the prime minister or something?
Congratulations! That's an amazing result! Well done, you. And I second your nomination to Canadian public office...