Rapha Women's 100

(I wrote this thinking I did a century ride as women all over the world were celebrating the Rapha Women's 100. It was only after some research that I realized I did this ride two weeks too late.)

My knee was in pain after several consecutive Saturdays of playing floorball. I desperately wanted to ride the weekend before but my knee could barely make it up the gentle hills of our village. It would be very painful trying to make it up Antipolo. 

As is always the case, every time I say "No" to a ride, I always wish I said yes. If there's anything that biking has taught me, it can make anything better, even throbbing knee pain. It might seem counter-intuitive to give your knee more pain by subjecting it to a 100km ride.

So this Sunday, I resolved not to say no again, despite the nagging knee pain and despite not putting enough mileage the previous weeks.

A 6:30 call time turned into an a 7:15 ride as LA and I couldn't wait for our friends any longer. My lack of training showed as I felt the familiar discomfort of going up Antipolo--

I could write all day about how physically unprepared I was for this ride. But the truth was, I was excited to be there. Just feeling that familiar discomfort and welcoming the heavy breathing, the hot sun, the sweat streaming down, and the burning pain in your legs were like old friends. Friends that you haven't seen in a long time and there is that initial awkwardness of strange hi's and hello's, then you relax and hit that familiar stride of meaningful conversation.

We hit Pisong Kape in about 2 hours. The flats that I dreaded after the Teresa downhill were surprisingly tolerable, helped in part by the tailwind. Shortly after, Cess, Dennis, Luis and Morris arrived, after setting a blistering pace from Masinag to Pisong Kape. Lugaw and egg will always be the best post-race reward.

Waiting for our post-ride meal

Bike friends, old and new.

The backs of friends

As we headed back, our group started to dwindle little by little. Morris forgot the turn to Teresa, Luis took a wrong turn from Antipolo and LA got a flat somewhere between Antiplo and Masinag. By then, midday was approaching and the sun was out in full force. It seemed as if every time I tried to get into a good rhythm during the ride, there was always an interruption. I headed back home solo just in time for lunch with the family. And just like that, another century experience in the bag.