This is the only race (or in this case "ride") I've registered for where a lottery system determines if you're in. And I really wanted this one. I grew up in Mt. Horeb and the area is heavily used by Ironman Madison. If I can do HHH, I'm well on my way to Moo.

On February 10th the lottery took place and I was in. Registration transfer requests began on the 11th from desperate non-selected riders but come hell or high water I wasn't giving up this one. I began planning training rides I never would've dreamed of even last year, including a day of biking to work and back and a 3-hour Saturday morning ride. I consulted with friends about things like nutrition (thanks Amy for the Payday tip!) and neck pain (time to get a new fitting). I began to think of little else (sorry wife and kids).

As it would turn out, our brutal winter translated into extra days of school. The new Last Day was the day before HHH. I never thought this would happen, but I cut my stay at Champ's to one beverage so I could hightail it to Mt. Horeb for packet pickup.

After a relaxing evening at Marc and Peg's house, I awoke at the crack of dawn and drove the short distance to Blue Mounds State Park and the start of the ride. (I always referred to it as a race even though it's not timed and there was no set start anyway but I've never done a ride before so it's all new here.) I'd studied the route map the night before to get an idea of the hills (frequency and intensity). I noticed the rest stops but didn't plan on utilizing them much (back to the "race" mentality). I was alone with no one to make small talk, and since it's a ride most people knew some others so they stuck to their own crowd. I got ready and headed to the start. It was casual, so when I learned we could take off whenever we liked I just did.

At 6 1/2 miles I thought I remembered the first hill beginning, but this was nothing much at all. I figured if this is what they're like then today shouldn't be so bad.

At 7-ish miles the hill really started and then I started to wonder if I was screwed. All this time I thought I knew hills but I didn't know hills like these. Over a dozen times on this ride I encountered "get your bike in the lowest gear possible and then get out of the saddle and then maybe you'll make it up or maybe you'll stop and walk it like so many around you".

Never once did I stop and walk on a hill.

But I did stop at Rest Stops. I took a gel, packed some pretzels, checked out the map, and chatted a little about (what else?) hills. I didn't stay long, but after all it was only a ride.

The last two and a half miles of the ride were the most awful and grueling incline on the planet. I knew it was coming and had fully accepted the very real possibility that I would need to dismount and walk. I still don't know how I managed to stay on my bike up that thing.

After the ride I racked my bike next to a couple making cracks about how idiotic it is to do this. I ended up sitting with them for lunch and a beer (or two). One of them had done Ironman and said HHH is much worse.

That makes it all worth it.