Lessons Learned From the Thurmont Thump

I’m pleased to report some progress.

New saddle is comfortable. The Terry Liberator X saddle works great for long rides. A big difference there. I was sore, but not in pain like last time.

New top tube bag= easy access to food. I bought a Detours Slice bag, which makes it easier for me to use while riding. It opens and closes with a zipper, and I was able to fish out Shot Bloks and a Larabar with one gloved hand. Nice.

Fueling up. I had a good dinner the night before. I took small bites of energy bars and Shot Bloks while on the bike, a quick stop for a sandwich, and followed everything with a Tums chaser. My energy (and mental state) was more or less constant throughout, and I managed to keep the heartburn at bay this time. I stayed well hydrated.

Some things to think about:

The Thurmont Thump: 115K Populaire

Thurmont and the Catoctin Mountains- photo by Bill Beck

Some of you may recall that my first brevet of last year was the Urbana 200K, which landed me a trip to the ER. Knowing how ridiculously hilly the route is, and knowing that once again, I would not have had adequate training and riding by this point, this year, I– wanted to do the Wilderness Campaign ride. But I had just come back from my annual out-of-town conference, and I also had a final paper to write for a class, so I bowed out. I did want to get a ride in March, so I signed up for the Thurmont populaire instead.