Casual Monday Evening Ride -- Thinking of 100 Milers

100 mile mountain bike races were on my mind last night as I rode my 2-hr endurance road ride (24 miles, 135 avg HR. I felt slow and heavy from less-than-quality food over the weekend). Donna and Brett signed up for the Shenandoah 100! Anyone and everyone that does endurance mountain riding says this Virgnia race is of the best. Judging by last year's entries (650!), it's obvious. Of course now I want to do one too, but not the 5+ hr drive to the Shenandoah. I'd do the one in my backyard only 1.5 hrs away -- the Wilderness 101. Brett did it and said its a tough one - especially somewhere around mile 60 when they make you climb a piece of rocky singletrack. I've talked about wanting to do this one for many years with my initial goal being when I turned 50. That 50th birthday has come and gone and I'm still waiting to do it. Hubby so sweetly said to me, "you can do whatever you want Jill -- you will anyway." I'd sign up today if it wasn't for one uncertainty -- my mother. She's thinking about getting shoulder replacements which would mean she'd need some help - a lot of help at first. I'll have to talk to her a little more and see what her plans are. Someday I'm DOING the 101. It's a challenge I can't let slip by and this year would be the best bet since all this training is under my belt. Er, I mean, under our belts -- Donna had the right idea.