On October 10, 2015 I attended the NTI Bicycle Rally in Trophy Club, TX. It was a 50 mile ride through some amazing scenic routes, up and down hills, with the benefit of a mobilized support team. Last year I did 25 miles and had a blast. Some of my thoughts after the fact.

Mind Over Matter - So often in life, I hear people say all the reasons why they can't do something. I'm too <fill in the blank>, I can't <fill in the blank>. With practice and preparation, many of these seemingly insurmountable obstacles become little more than a temporary setback.
Comparison to others - I had a vision of the typical biker, someone with 5% body fat, who can run twice as fast as I can and has a bike completely made of carbon fiber. In fact, I saw guys and gals who were carrying a lot more than me, giving it their all up steep hills and never giving up. As for bikes, I saw some vintage ones and even mountain bikes! Anyone familiar with biking knows that road bikes are lighter weight and have way way lower rolling resistance.
Fuel - Biking is a physically demanding activity. Without the right fuel your body won't operate at peak efficiency. Lots of carbs, lots of water, I mixed a raspberry ketone / amino acid powder to give me just a little extra boost.
Importance of breaks - The human body has limits. When you drink that much a restroom is handy. Also a couple minutes to get your heartrate down to normal and let muscles cool down is critical. Without it halfway through the ride I'd be ready to quit.
Padding - Two items, padded shorts and a padded seat. Don't try to look cute with that narrow racing seat. If you're a muscular guy like me the stock seat will cause back pain after an hour.
Water - Drink it before the event, during the event and after the event. Just don't drink it after an hour before you start. You will regret it. Our bodies are 65% water, dehydration in these events is a recipe for disaster.
Racing - I attended a rally, not a race. My personal goal was to finish as quickly as possible within my own limits. I missed a sign and took a 15 minute detour, but realized my error, turned around and got back to where I needed to be. I now look back and laugh about it, but at the moment a little bit of disappointment set in.

Last but not least, live with passion and gratitude. Push to be better. Ride for life.