I did it, I biked to Bogus.
And, it wasn’t as hard as I thought at all.
When I first thought about riding 16 miles mostly uphill, I was scared. The more I visited with Mike Cooley from Georges Cycles, Erin Green my nutritionist and trainer and friends who had done it, I felt better. Georges got me the cycle and equipment, my friend Josh Loubek of Oakley my glasses and I was ready. My training was fairly simple, 3 mostly flat rides per week of about 15-30 miles, which is 1:15 to 2:30 hours riding. And, then I started going up Bogus every Saturday morning. I went from 4 miles up to 6 then 8, 13 and then to the top. Erin went with me on the first hill climb and yesterday she basically saved me. I started with a few cruising rides over Memorial Day weekend and then the next weekend. My training started June 17. I was to the top of Bogus by 7.23. I did it again each week , took a week off of rides to the top and finished my fourth trip to the top 8.20 for the Bike to Bogus race. I trained mostly early weekday mornings and occasionally took a bike to places rather than a car. The chip seal work on our roads really slowed me down for a few weeks and forced me to find different paths. That was a good thing. I listened to KTIK, some sports podcasts, I am a huge Colin Cowherd fan, and really liked that time for myself. I started riding with my wife 1x a week and we can now add biking to our list of hobbies with watching football and playing tennis.
I had never ridden in a bike race before the Bike to Bogus. About 206 riders, mostly serious bikers, gathered and we naturally let the riders who were trying to win go first. I stayed back with my friend Ken Wilson and we noticed that we were the two heaviest riders. We both played college football and it shows. I was about 276 and Ken 256. He wore his Eastern Washington race jersey with pride and despite not training much for the ride, finished the climb. He hung with me for about 5 miles until somebody told me that a 90 year man was ahead of us. I couldn’t have that and chased Charley French down and spoke with him. That was inspiring.
He was celebrating his 90th birthday and is a legend. He doesn’t look a day over 70!
I also met a retired swim coach and ref from Manual Arts High School in LA and we had a good time talking while we pedaled. I moved on and spent mostly miles 6-11 on my own and started struggling with lower back tightness and some fatigue. I was going faster than I ever had and it caught up with me. I went for my first stop of the day and then Erin Green showed up. She promised she would do the race and then COME BACK to help me finish. It didn’t matter to her that it was an extra 5 miles uphill and down! Erin talked to me the entire time from 11-16 and, before I knew it, we were done.
Mission accomplished. I beat my personal record by 24 minutes, finished 197th out of 206 and now can shoot for breaking 2 hours next year! Never mind a 78 year old retired swim coach caught me and passed me at the Finish Line!
The race concluded with food, beer, bikers, and live music. I hope more of you will take the chance to ride with me next year. If you are in decent shape, and want a new challenge, this is for you.
