Stage 11

113.4 miles in 6:12:04 for an average speed of 18.29 mph. Started at 4:55. 77 degrees at the start and 80 at the finish. Drank 3 gallons and ate 2600 calories. Lost 2.5 lbs. Average heart rate 122.

My rule for the tour is that I do the same mileage that the Tour de France riders do on the same day. I do stop, during the ride, but I don't like to, but must to refill my gatorade or water. Today it did not work out that way. After 20 miles I was suffering. The wind was strong from the start and my legs just did not seem to have anything left in them. I gutted out 43 miles and was out of liquid (earlier than usual since it was so hot). When I stopped at home to refill I felt so bad that I could not start right away. So I ate some more food and slept for an hour in an attempt to recover enough to be able to finish today's ride. I still had 70 miles to go and went out and did 30 miles in town on the residential roads. Staying in town allowed me to avoid the wind (it's still windy in town, but probably half as much). I think this is almost cheating, but I was in a desperate survival mode and I either had to abandon or just try to do a few more miles and hope that I would feel better. I refilled my bottles and went out for the last 40 miles. Again I circled around town to avoid the wind. I really didn't think that I was going to be able to complete today's ride. Even when I had 4 miles to go it seemed like I might not make it. But I have survived the toughest stage so far this year which was harder than any of the stages last year (last year I did not have so many days in a row with challenging wind which has not allowed me to recover enough).

Wildlife: 2 rabbits and 11 deer.

Stage 12 tomorrow is 110.92 miles. I can only hope that the wind will ease and that I have a good day.