It’s hard to believe, but it has already been two weeks since my friends and I joined over 8,800 women worldwide to ride 62.13 miles as part of the Rapha Women’s 100.

Given that my training had been thrown off track by my recent accident and rib injury, I was more than a little nervous about the ride. After a successful test ride in Duxbury, we decided it would be smart to avoid the hills and ride near the coast.

I can honestly say that I would never have gotten this ride done without the support of my badass girlfriends. Alex hosted and planned the route, and Nancy led our trio, ensuring we didn’t get lost and cutting through a fairly aggressive headwind. Both provided me with moral support, as well as lots of laughs – critical during the last 10 miles when my mood and my energy tanked.

Even as we sat on the deck, considering where we would put our “limited edition roundel” (aka badge), we were talking about doing it again next year.