Have you ever thought what it is like – to spend a whole night on a bike

Starting Saturday morning at 00:24 I took on a major challenge, when starting the 300km long bicycle race around lake Vättern as part of my journey to accomplish the Swedish classic.
In all the information material sent out form the organizers the general suggestion was to cycle at least 1000km for not so serious riders and at least 2000km for serious riders prior to the race. There have been moments recently when my preparations did not feel up to proposed standards. My previous bike has had a flat tire for at least five years. During the winter training, the 12 intensive minutes during the spinning sessions was enough to make me really tired. I bought my race kit late April and just managed to accomplish 500km of training.
Friday afternoon and it was time to take off for the small town of Motala on the North Western shores of Vättern. Weather reports were signaling rains and cold weather. Uuuh! Started to think about what I would need in addition to my standard outfit - bought an extra cap, warm socks and extra strong lights.
The first experience was about how to ride on a bike in a group. Just behind another ones wheel, expected to understand all the small signs used for dangers and directions change, in darkness, and with a lot of read light around you, 60 new ones every 2 minutes to be specific enabling all 18 000 riders to start the race during the night. I missed the first food stop, since I did not want to loose the group that was running smoothly. Lost the chain ones when missing a gear and were forced to stop and then chase the group in an energy consuming effort.
The second experience was the cold. After having eaten Bananas, Blueberry soup and Sweet Scones (Swedish Bullar) on the food stop and done body stretching, it was time for the third stint to Jönköping. Really cold the whole journey and I was grateful for having bought the extra cap to have under my helmet. A lot of downhill slopes where we were going really fast. Imagine a small road, a slow trail of bikes to the right and faster ones just passing, and a really fast passing the semi-fast. Bikers occupying a complete lane, and when meeting trucks going the other way, you wanted to make sure you had margins to stay in your lane. Beautiful sunrise.
The third experience was the steep hills from Jönköping to Fagerhult, the highest point on the course.. That was when I figured out that the chain was playing games again, I had lost the two lowest gears, that I really needed, so I hand to compensate by standing up. Did then join a group that was going a bit too quick so the first real test for your mind about staying with the group and go fast or slow down and ride o your own. I stayed to the next stop.
The journey from Fagerhult through Hjo and up to Karlsborg was smooth. Heating up a bit and starting to see the road with own eyes, not only trusting the guy up front. I started to feel comfortable that my target of making the trip in 12 hours was within reach. Just fighting against the fourth experience, that is about having your mind to neglect the pain in butt and back. The butt pain is what everybody talks about, but the static position on the steering gear was starting be noticed. Best way to explain how to achieve it is to stand in front of your TV, with your knees and hands to the floor and “stand like that for a couple of hours.
The fifth experience was described at the lasagna break in Hjo, The race does not really start until after Karlsborg. That when the ups and downhill slopes start. I skipped a food stoop believing that I have had too much lasagne on the previous one. Wrong idea! At the turn on the top of the lake it started to get more windy, and with the wind against us. And the route was very much up and down, and still missing the two lowest gears each uphill gave me problems in sticking to the group. Started to run out of energy, and started to see the pace going down.
The sixth experience was after the food stop in Hammar, with 43km to go. I was on a tight schedule to reach the target and when leaving the station, had no one to follow. Finally I saw a jersey that I recognized from a previous group. I followed but did not have any energy to leave. 20km left and I decided to skip the last food stop and give it a good, joined a semi-fast group with a pace that almost could take me to my goal. Left main roads and continued on twisty narrow one lane roads. A fast three main trail approached, and I took the decision to join that group and give it a go to the finish. Full speed pedaling at top gear, and it was really hard just to follow. I managed for 8-9km before we turned out to the main road, 6km left and plenty of time to reach the goal and I continued to pedal at my own pace.
Approaching the finishing line I felt extremely happy and crossed the finishing line with a big smile, a tear in my eye and an arm in the air, and the closk stopped att 11.51!!! We all carry dreams and goals and make smaller or larger efforts in reaching them. For me this race was not so much about bicycling as it was about making a huge deposit in my self confidence account. Deposits where the value gets higher if the efforts are bigger. No I am more ready to take on new goals and challenges in life, and not fear the problems and pains that stand between me and accomplishing what I really want.