After a number of failed attempts, mostly due to my lack of motivation and poor excuses, I finally completed my first milestone on the road bike, a 100 mile ride, or in cycling terms, a ‘century’. Let me recap my day for you: I started the morning feeling a bit under the weather and decided against a big breakfast, instead I opted for a small croissant in hopes of working up an appetite as I eased into my ride. After my less than stellar AM grub, I stretched for 20 minutes, knowing that I’d be in the saddle for roughly six straight hours, this pre-ritual routine was probably the most important as it would determine how I would feel from the start and end of the ride. The first 70 miles, I felt strong and fluid, considering how much riding (or lack therefore) I had done in the last month, I was surprised at my level and continued to press on at a good pace, I gradually gained enough confidence to hit all of the major hills within Hacienda Heights at a reasonable pace. At the time, I was so focused on my pace and designated route, I made an amateur move and rode through lunch, up to that point I was running on practically nothing with the exception of the croissant I ate at the start of the day and 3 GU sugar gel packets that I had consumed up to that point of the ride. Jump to mile 90, I almost called it quits, I was semi-delusional and couldn’t get my mind off of dinner that awaited me along with the liters of gatorade I promised myself from the local 7-Eleven. Eventually I hit the 100th mile, even if my last 10 miles was at a snail’s pace, what I gained from perseverance and mental maturity was monumental, and I can only thank god for the strength he gave me every mile of the way. And thats that, nothing too exciting really, whats next? I guess the only thing to do is to ride another century and take my experience from this presidents day holiday and shoot for a faster and stronger finish, so until then, thanks for reading!