Stage 8

102.53 miles in 5:19:44 for an average speed of 19.24 mph. That was a really fun ride! 69 degrees at the start and 77 at the finish. Drank 1.75 gallons and ate 2200 calories. Lost 3 lbs. Average heart rate 122 bpm.

I felt good today. My legs were less sore so I pushed the pace since tomorrow is a day off. The wind was not quite as strong as it has been the last two days which made it a bit easier. The first 10 miles were into a headwind at an average pace of 16.5 mph so I thought that it was going to be a long slow day, but I then woke up and started to work harder. By the half way point I was at 18.7 mph and just kept increasing the average.

Wildlife: 5 rabbits , 4 deer, and two quail (I don't usually mention birds, but I don't see many quail. Crows and killdeer are common along with quite a few turkey vultures and an occasional wild turkey and red tailed hawk.). A doe and faun were about to cross the road 100 meters ahead as I came around a corner and surprised them. The doe bolted across the road and the faun ran the other way across a field and into some woods.

Note: I realized that I should have known that something was up with my shifter cable before it broke the other day. For about two weeks I was having to adjust it. That was because it was partially broken and thus its length was changing a little at a time as the strands broke.

The real tour was exciting today. Rasmussen is amazing. He can be really tough and he has the guts to just go for it.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I am pleased to have finished 960 miles in the first 8 stages and to get this far feeling pretty good. As happened last year, I have gotten stronger as time goes on, but this time I have gotten stronger earlier which I think is due to the better preparation that I did this time. I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. (Steve- I would run with you tomorrow, but I don't want to set a time and just want to run when I wake up.)