Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Mark Twain.
13 is said to be an unlucky number. Not so however. According to some the number 13 is the number of fate. So it was then that I found myself sitting on 49,999.58kms after my Thursday commute home. The next planned ride was on Sunday 13 June, and there was no better way to surpass 50,000kms than a loop of the Aka's.
The weather decided (appropriately enough) that this would be a wet, windy, and unaccompanied trip around the 96km circuit. These factors seemed fitting, as the Aka's Double (and Triple) loops had all been done alone, with often the elements seemingly adding to the distance and gradient.
So it was that I surpassed 50,000kms of cycling before I even reached SH1. I completed the circuit and while doing so thought of the many training rides (and events) that had occured since my first ride on Saturday 31 January 2005. That first ride was in preperation for the innugeral Graperide event. A 101km ride into the unknown. Since then I had also completed random outings such as Te Anau to Milford Sound (in pouring rain), rides to Masterton, Wellington, all around Marlborough, and almost everywhere in the Kapiti region.
Additionally, other rides include...
- 59 Aka's loops (including 5 Double loops and 2 Triple loops).
- 11 laps of the Graperide circuit. (During the offical event - Most laps ridden by any rider!!).
- 7 laps of the Taupo Challenge circuit. (During the official event).
- A timed ride of 45:12 for the 30kms from work to home.
- 3 circuits of the 320km Wairarapa Loop.
- 471 trips commuting either to or from work by bike. (Kapiti to Porirua).
- 20 rides over 200kms.
- 46 rides over 150kms.
- 85 rides over 100kms.
- 257 rides over 50kms.
Of all of the rides there are three which stand out clearly above all others.
Firstly, on the ride that would take me past 10,000kms I would find myself setting off from Blenheim towards the Queen Charlotte Sound. I had an uneventful journey, with the exception of the ride being one magical moment. Reaching the highest point at the end of the Queen Charlotte Sound I stopped and looked back down towards the ocean. The day was perfect. No wind. No movement on the ocean. No one to comment about the moment...which inveriably ends the wonder. I stood there and said nothing, and not knowing what lay ahead for my cycling I silently got back on my bike and continued on towards Havelock.
Secondly, the 80km mark of the 2007 Taupo Enduro. I was 100% sure that I wouldn't finish. How could I?? Then, at around 4:30am I neared Kuratau, and it dawned on me that I could possibly do this. I was now a quarter of the way through the event and felt good. At that moment a small boy looked at me from the side of the road. His (I assume) father was loading port-a-loos, and his curious gaze was one of, "What the hell are you doing riding at this time of the day??". Up until that very moment I would have thought the same of anyone I saw out on a bike in the middle of the night...but no longer.
Lastly, after 620kms of cycling I neared the top of Hatepe on the Maxi Enduro. I had full intentions of getting to the top without stopping, so my one and only focus was the top of the hill. With many distractions up that final climb I passed relay (and Solo) riders, overcame tiring legs, and eventually made it to the false flat near the top. Then, in one clear moment it dawned on me that I could finally see the road off in the distance and highest point was indeed behind me. I hit the handlebars and said, "I bloody did it!!". And so I had.
A few days after the Maxi Enduro a work colleague asked me how I felt about finishing. "Pretty relieved", I said. "But how do you really feel about the event...and finishing it??", he responded. I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "I can die now". 'Relief' would be an understatement of proportions nearing the event itself.
I often found it interesting that those who criticised and undermined my goals were amongst the first to publically praise my efforts. All actions are noticed, and those who support you when times are difficult are those you remember as being worth knowing. The others are merely there to make up the numbers. Thank you to those who supported me when I didn't believe I couldn't make it, when I was a pain in the arse to be about, and when I put my commitment to finish ahead of them. You were truly there with me. Even in the loneliest hours.
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