If there’s anyone left who was reading this little project back in 2010, you might remember this:
For those new around here, you can click that link and see parts 1 and 2 of my report on the very first century ride I ever did. It was horrible and brutal and I cried and I quit… but I did it. I finished. I rode 109 miles in something like 57 hours. Okay, maybe I was slightly faster than that.
I had been cycling a total of 10.5 months when I did El Tour. 109-mile timed race with something like four thousand feet of climbing and 4000 cyclists. To a newbie (and fat) cyclist, it was daunting. To anyone else, a challenge.
The single worst moment was when I was dropped by a little girl riding with sparkly fringe on her handlebars.
The more removed I was from that ride, the more I realized how I’d let myself down. I did NOT give my best effort. Yes, everyone was telling me how amazing I was for just finishing, and I guess I should take the win from that, and I do to a certain extent. But I also know now (after 3.5 years on the bike) that I could’ve done better. Should have done better.
This year I will do better.
I am returning to El Tour de Tucson.
On November 23rd, I will ride the (now) 110-mile course as fast and as hard as I can. My goal? To simply create as giant a gap between 2010’s finishing time and this year’s.
I weigh approximately 20 pounds less than I did that day in 2010… I have approximately 8000 more miles of experience than I did that day… I have a much better (faster) bike than I did that day… and most importantly, I have a much, much better attitude.
This year has been as life-changing for me as 2010. And so what better year to return to conquer El Tour?
I have lost more weight in the first 7 months of this year than I did in all of 2010 — and 2010 was my biggest weight-lost year… until 2013.
My life has changed in many more ways than just the weight. I changed my diet, my lifestyle, my outlook, my attitude, my surroundings, my relationships, my work-life, and all for the better.
I am going to ride El Tour de Tucson again. And this time, my ride report won’t be about surviving, but about conquering.
Training starts today.
Eat better.
Ride your bike.
Change your life.
Fair winds and following seas, Willy
2K in 2K10 The Unfat Project 
That’s the spirit! You go and get it done. With more miles under your wheels and less weight, you will do much better. Just watch out for little girls with handle bar tassels. They are the ones to humiliate us every time and they do it so innocently.
By: yjeffery2013jeffbike on August 22, 2013
at 1:40 pm
This one has long been on my bucket list. So tempting to make the trip and do it this year, but probably won’t be happening. Good luck out there. I’m sure you’ll do great!
By: aaronwest on August 31, 2013
at 10:41 am