Today, if all goes well, my body, especially my legs, will be exhausted. Happily so.
I'll be recovering from my first full El Tour de Tucson, which took place Saturday. I'll have pedaled 111 miles around Tucson's perimeter, along with about 8,500 other cyclists, including several co-workers from the Arizona Daily Star, who either pedaled the full course or portions of it.
One hundred eleven, in the 11th month of 2011. Has a nice ring, don't you think?
The University of Arizona Medical Center El Tour presented by CenturyLink, now in its 29th year, is one of Tucson's biggest public events. It attracts cyclists from around the country and abroad. Thousands of Tucsonans and visitors line the streets to watch and wave at the colorful parade of cyclists. In addition, El Tour has helped local non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars.
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Despite the many benefits for Tucson, a few locals will again kvetch about the inconvenience of street closures or long waits to accommodate the cyclists. But closing some streets for a few hours once a year is worth the benefits El Tour brings us.
Getting to this year's El Tour has been fun - in an uncomfortable, and at times, painful way.
In 1982, when I left Tucson to begin my newspaper career, there was no El Tour. When I returned home 18 years later, El Tour was a big thing. One year I stood on the street to marvel at the herd of riders, thinking how fun it would be to ride in El Tour.
My road to cycling was a short one. I began to ride, seriously, about 18 months ago.
I took my hand-me-down mountain bike to the Santa Cruz River path and biked several miles. A few weeks later I biked nearly 10 miles. Thought I was gonna die.
However, there was a thrill in reaching goals on the bike. There was great satisfaction in realizing some untapped potential. I wanted to do more.
In last year's El Tour, I biked 40 miles. It gave me the confidence and whetted my desire to go the entire distance this year.
Cycling, done safely and carefully, is a blast. But not when a tire goes flat.
My first flat was while I was biking along the Santa Cruz River. There have been others.
Like the time my trainer and I headed out on a predawn morning for a long ride. Within minutes my rear tire went flat. The trainer fixed the flat.
Later during that same ride my front tire went flat. Trainer fixed that one, too.
My trainer also fixed my attitude on that ride, which was grueling because it was hot and windy. My trainer, in so many words, told me to quit whining and finish the ride.
Someone to ride with, someone to help in the training, is important. I probably would have quit on the long training rides without the encouragement of the trainer.
However, sometimes the trainer was a tad too tough.
Like the time we rode in a 100-mile ride sponsored by the Greater Arizona Bicycling Association. We pedaled from Sahuarita through Green Valley, over Arivaca's hills and toward Tumacácori.
As we approached the mission, a recovery truck carrying a tired cyclist passed us. Without missing a beat the trainer looked at me and said, "Don't you even think you're gonna return in that truck."
Who, me? Well, I didn't take the easy way out, and we finished the ride.
Fortunately, I haven't had any accidents or serious spills. I know they're part of cycling, even if I take every precaution.
But I have fallen off my bike. The first time I got on my bike with clip shoes, which lock onto the pedals, I couldn't remove one foot fast enough before I came to a stop. Down I went. Twice in the same morning.
So if you're reading my column this fine Sunday morning, I will have completed El Tour de Tucson without any problems.
I'll have celebrated a milestone accomplishment in my 55th year, along with thousands of other content cyclists.
Although I'll be sore, I'll be happily thinking about riding next year and reaching a new goal - finishing faster.
On StarNet: Search the multi-year database for El Tour results: azstarnet.com/eltour
Ernesto Portillo Jr. is editor of La Estrella de Tucsón. He can be reached at netopjr@azstarnet.com or at 520-573-4187.
