This morning I finished the Becel Ride for Heart for the third year in a row. After my first ride in 2003, I vowed to ride the 75km leg, but never followed through with that promise until this year, and only as a last minute decision.

Having never rode 75km before, I think I did fairly well. My time was just over two and a half hours, which isn’t bad considering that I haven’t ridden much this year, that the 75km repeats the most difficult part of the 50km leg, and that the smog levels on this hazy day affected my breathing. However, that’s still not a great time considering last year’s time of 90 minutes for 50km. Still, even after 50km I managed to pass pretty much everyone I saw, even those I passed the first time up the DVP.

Aside from the heat and smog, my biggest drawbacks were that I stopped for water before the 75km turnoff, thereby losing my momentum, and ran out of water about 20 minutes from the finish line. Next year, I think a camel pack is in order.