DNF'd on the 600K AZ Brevet over the weekend.
22.5 hours in the saddle brought another CA2 rider and I into Bisbee (230 miles and 12,000 ft of climbing) at 3:40AM. I don't know for sure but the SSW winds gusting to 30+mph probably forced half of the riders to miss the cutoff times at control points well before 100 miles.
Had I continued on I would have had to get only 2 hours sleep and then pushed straight into a growing (25-30 mph) wind for another 145 miles. I've been exhausted after a cycling event before but this one is among the top five. It was a smart move to pack it in.
In terms of `suffering' it was a 3 out of 10. In terms of what it would have taken out of me to finish (exhaustion) it would have been a 12 out of 10. In my book, at this time, the exhaustion would not have been worth it, i.e., wise.
You wee wise, indeed. One of the gifts of age is that our identity no longer need to measured solely in our competence. Our heart, our character is way enough.
ReplyDeleteGood for you.