Countdown to Triathlon – 128 Days, 18.2 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 87 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – There are no thoughts when it's 3 am and I am waiting for water to boil to sterilize breast pump parts. 

The Journey - Installment Eighty-Seven

        The second hill was higher than the first.  Even though I had pedaled fast at the top and down the other side of the first hill, about one third of the way up I slowed down, down, down until again I had to click out of the pedals and jump off the bike to avoiding falling over.  I continued up the hill on foot, pushing my bike beside me. Tom and Terri were already at the top, as was Bob.  From my vantage point I couldn’t see them; they were just over the crest of the hill.  I later learned from Terri that she had suggested to Bob that he at least go down with the truck and get my bike so I didn’t have to push it up.  I remember seeing Bob drive down toward me, make and U-turn and pull up beside me.  Rolling his window down, he told me that after this hill there were only two more and then it was downhill all the way to Napa.  He said he had driven to Napa and that he promised that there were only two more hills.  He then drove back to the top, leaving me to walk up the rest of the way.  Terri told me later that she was surprised when Bob drove back up the hill without my bike.

        Here’s where a miracle occurred. I called Terri the other day just to confirm that she remembers the same thing as I.  I wouldn’t want to make up any part of this story.  She believes also that what I am going to write next is fact.  The next thing I remember is riding up over the top of the hill.  I had been walking and was probably half way up when Bob came alongside of me in the pickup.  It is impossible for me and perhaps most riders, although I don’t presume to speak for them, to start up riding in the middle of a hill – not even to start up at the bottom of the hill. I don’t have enough strength to pedal from a stopped position to climb a hill.  I know that is true beyond a shadow of a doubt.  But here I was, riding up over the crest.  How did that happen?  There is no human explanation. It certainly wasn’t a matter of adrenaline taking over. I had no adrenaline left at this point.  There is only one explanation as to how I got up that hill.  That was the Lord’s doing.  Remember, He had told me to complete this ride and He assisted many times in helping me to complete it.  I would swear on my life that I could not have ridden up that hill on my own power.  The interesting thing is I have no recollection of anything from the time I last saw Bob while I was walking the bike until I crested the hill. This miracle was to occur again before the ride was over two days later.