So, the results were posted today, and I didn't finish dead last. There were two people behind me. In one of the all-time great scoring travesties, though, they had me listed as finishing in 3 hours even. Incorrect - it was 2:54. Imagine that...this was a ride that benefited the cops, and they stole 6 minutes from me! Those snakes. Worse - they had the two people that finished behind me, finishing in the same time! Gasp! They hadn't even finished by the time I got my bike in my car! I would guess they were about ten minutes behind me.
All joking aside...I looked up the time of the guy that won...2:05 (assuming it was accurate). He beat me by 50 minutes. Yikes. A guy named Jon Kameen, who, of course, was a skinny little thin mint. I want to say it's my goal to win this thing next year, but I have to be honest with myself...that would be a real tall order, and would take a ton of work. Hill repeats, intervals, diet...can I do all that for a year? One wonders...
Ok, Jon Kameen, you're on my radar, punk.
The (semi)Official List of Things Rog is Better than Jon Kameen At:
Playing them drums, or any other kind of percussion,
Boxing,
Jiu-jitsu,
Pizza eating contests,
Lollygagging,
Self-loathing
Just wait til next year.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Tour de Lake Hopatcong
I had no idea yesterday, whether I'd be riding in the Tour de Lake Hopatcong today. I had no idea last night. I had no idea if I was even going to go, the first and second time I hit snooze this morning. I could hear rain. Rain was forecast for today since last week. It rained last night, it was raining this morning. Hell, I'm up, right? It's either drive out there, or clean my apartment. And besides, since I pre-registered, I was to receive a free pint glass...and I'm almost out of glasses, so that was a pretty serious enticement. So I load up the car, feed the bird, feed myself, and I'm off. It's raining a little bit down by me, but it stopped by the time I got to 287. By the time I got to Arlington, where the ride started, the streets were pretty much dry, for the most part, so that settles that, I'm riding. And hoping it doesn't rain. The skies were very overcast, some might even say threatening, but I'm not going home just because of a cloud.
So I go in the building where we register, sign in, get my pint glass, change, blah blah blah, and we're off. Probably about 35-40 riders, and man, did they get to dropping me quick. Right off the bat, there was a steep grade, between a quarter and a half mile long, and the conversation I was having with the guy next to me ended right there. I like to keep my pulse rate under 150 for the first 3 miles or so, generally, but that went right out the door. Steep climb, steep descent, and now I'm trailing everyone except for a couple that were clearly just out for a cruise. I'm not a great descender, and although I'm getting better, I'm really not a great descender when I don't know the roads. So, ok, time to get to work. The next few miles weren't bad...some short, semi-steep rollers, but I deal with that all the time down here on the Jersey Shore, so not a problem. I get warmed up, and I can see the pack off in front of me, and I try to bridge up to them, but it just ain't happening, and I set my sights on picking off a straggler or two.
This ride went clockwise around Lake Hopatcong, which is funny, because a good friend of mine lives right on the lake, so I passed right in front of his house. Is he there to wave? Hell no, he has a family, and a life. Good on him. Anyways, long story short, the hills quickly started getting out of hand, and I started getting gassed. Thank god that when you go up, you have to come back down. I was actually kind of worried about my knee throughout a lot of this ride, as I've been dealing with some pain in it in longer rides, and I (perhaps foolishly) did a 63 mile ride with 4800 feet of climbing, in small, but potent doses, and my knee was still hurting from that. Somehow, I managed to keep it at bay - something Edison Road, in Ogdensburg, did not help with.
Edison Road. I pre-drove the course, a few weeks ago, so I knew about Edison Road. In fact, looking at the cue sheet, when it says to turn onto Edison Road, it said "Get ready to climb". Huh? I though we had been climbing. Shows what I know. Edison Road is about 4 miles long, and it's got a couple of pretty relentless sections. I had kind of been dreading getting there, but I had dealt with most of the climbs up to that point ok, dropping down into low gear, which in my case was 39-27, and grinding it out. A couple times I had to just roll the pedals over, but I handled everything, so Edison Road would just be the same, but longer, right?
Let me put it this way - ouch.
Now, it's great, because I did want to challenge myself, but that road had me on the limit a couple times...I hate to say it, but I even had to stop at one point, and recover for a minute. I couldn't help wondering how much easier it would have been if I'd been good about the diet for the whole 6 weeks leading up to this...maybe I'd have been 10-15 lbs lighter, maybe I'd have made it the whole way up. But I digress.
About halfway up, there's a nice little park, which is only open to Ogdensburg residents - which, I gotta tell ya, I find kind of annoying. But it was pretty, so I stopped to take a couple pictures. While I was doing so, this guy, who I'd caught and passed, caught back up to me and passed me back.
The nerve. However, since it's easy to beat someone in a race, when they have no idea you're racing them, I knew I'd have my say in how things went, so I let him go while I snapped a couple more pics of the park that outsiders aren't allowed at.
My mind must have decided to block out the rest of that climb, when I drove it, cause I thought I was pretty much at the top when I was at the xenophobic park. Nope, only about halfway. Ouch, ouch, and ouch. Catch the guy, pass him again, ouch ouch ouch. Finally get to the top, and then get to do some nice, chilly descending. It was a chilly day, mid-fifties, and although I brought arm and leg warmers, I should have brought a wind vest for the descents. Cause I sweated up a storm on the climbs...and sweaty climb + long descent - wind vest = brrr!
The rest of the ride went pretty much the same...lots of fairly difficult rollers, one more long, hard climb (at the top of which I must have looked pretty shot, as a roadie going the other way asked if I was ok, and let me know I was at the top). I had to stop one more time, within a mile or so of the finish, on a half mile long, very steep climb...which annoyed me to no end. But, at long last, I got there.
All in all, I'm slow as all git out, but I was really happy I made the effort...and really, really, really happy I set out to get myself into shape over the last six weeks. I never would have made those climbs otherwise. And on that note, my friend Garrett was supposed to come, but got derailed by family obligations. Had he come, it might have gotten ugly. His cassette is an 8 speed, 13-23, and I was going to go with my 11-23, just to show a little solidarity. Thank god I didn't have to do that. I definitely would have had to stop a couple more times if I did...the extra 4 teeth in back was oh, so necessary.
But I've been needing a challenge like this, to force myself to get it together...and I feel like I'm going to keep the ball rolling. I love riding - and the more weight I lose, and the stronger I get, the more I love it. Next year...well, I might not compete for the win, but I'll represent much better on the big hills. And mark my words, I'll do it with that 11-23.
This coming Saturday, the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge. Bring it on.
So I go in the building where we register, sign in, get my pint glass, change, blah blah blah, and we're off. Probably about 35-40 riders, and man, did they get to dropping me quick. Right off the bat, there was a steep grade, between a quarter and a half mile long, and the conversation I was having with the guy next to me ended right there. I like to keep my pulse rate under 150 for the first 3 miles or so, generally, but that went right out the door. Steep climb, steep descent, and now I'm trailing everyone except for a couple that were clearly just out for a cruise. I'm not a great descender, and although I'm getting better, I'm really not a great descender when I don't know the roads. So, ok, time to get to work. The next few miles weren't bad...some short, semi-steep rollers, but I deal with that all the time down here on the Jersey Shore, so not a problem. I get warmed up, and I can see the pack off in front of me, and I try to bridge up to them, but it just ain't happening, and I set my sights on picking off a straggler or two.
This ride went clockwise around Lake Hopatcong, which is funny, because a good friend of mine lives right on the lake, so I passed right in front of his house. Is he there to wave? Hell no, he has a family, and a life. Good on him. Anyways, long story short, the hills quickly started getting out of hand, and I started getting gassed. Thank god that when you go up, you have to come back down. I was actually kind of worried about my knee throughout a lot of this ride, as I've been dealing with some pain in it in longer rides, and I (perhaps foolishly) did a 63 mile ride with 4800 feet of climbing, in small, but potent doses, and my knee was still hurting from that. Somehow, I managed to keep it at bay - something Edison Road, in Ogdensburg, did not help with.
Edison Road. I pre-drove the course, a few weeks ago, so I knew about Edison Road. In fact, looking at the cue sheet, when it says to turn onto Edison Road, it said "Get ready to climb". Huh? I though we had been climbing. Shows what I know. Edison Road is about 4 miles long, and it's got a couple of pretty relentless sections. I had kind of been dreading getting there, but I had dealt with most of the climbs up to that point ok, dropping down into low gear, which in my case was 39-27, and grinding it out. A couple times I had to just roll the pedals over, but I handled everything, so Edison Road would just be the same, but longer, right?
Let me put it this way - ouch.
Now, it's great, because I did want to challenge myself, but that road had me on the limit a couple times...I hate to say it, but I even had to stop at one point, and recover for a minute. I couldn't help wondering how much easier it would have been if I'd been good about the diet for the whole 6 weeks leading up to this...maybe I'd have been 10-15 lbs lighter, maybe I'd have made it the whole way up. But I digress.
About halfway up, there's a nice little park, which is only open to Ogdensburg residents - which, I gotta tell ya, I find kind of annoying. But it was pretty, so I stopped to take a couple pictures. While I was doing so, this guy, who I'd caught and passed, caught back up to me and passed me back.
The nerve. However, since it's easy to beat someone in a race, when they have no idea you're racing them, I knew I'd have my say in how things went, so I let him go while I snapped a couple more pics of the park that outsiders aren't allowed at.
My mind must have decided to block out the rest of that climb, when I drove it, cause I thought I was pretty much at the top when I was at the xenophobic park. Nope, only about halfway. Ouch, ouch, and ouch. Catch the guy, pass him again, ouch ouch ouch. Finally get to the top, and then get to do some nice, chilly descending. It was a chilly day, mid-fifties, and although I brought arm and leg warmers, I should have brought a wind vest for the descents. Cause I sweated up a storm on the climbs...and sweaty climb + long descent - wind vest = brrr!
The rest of the ride went pretty much the same...lots of fairly difficult rollers, one more long, hard climb (at the top of which I must have looked pretty shot, as a roadie going the other way asked if I was ok, and let me know I was at the top). I had to stop one more time, within a mile or so of the finish, on a half mile long, very steep climb...which annoyed me to no end. But, at long last, I got there.
All in all, I'm slow as all git out, but I was really happy I made the effort...and really, really, really happy I set out to get myself into shape over the last six weeks. I never would have made those climbs otherwise. And on that note, my friend Garrett was supposed to come, but got derailed by family obligations. Had he come, it might have gotten ugly. His cassette is an 8 speed, 13-23, and I was going to go with my 11-23, just to show a little solidarity. Thank god I didn't have to do that. I definitely would have had to stop a couple more times if I did...the extra 4 teeth in back was oh, so necessary.
But I've been needing a challenge like this, to force myself to get it together...and I feel like I'm going to keep the ball rolling. I love riding - and the more weight I lose, and the stronger I get, the more I love it. Next year...well, I might not compete for the win, but I'll represent much better on the big hills. And mark my words, I'll do it with that 11-23.
This coming Saturday, the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge. Bring it on.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Wow
Yeah, I know. It's in some crazy, non-english jibberish. Even the sub-titles make no sense whatsoever. Watch it anyways.
Why can't we have shit like this in the good ole US of freakin A?
Why can't we have shit like this in the good ole US of freakin A?
Friday, April 25, 2008
Things are coming around
Good ride today - the Atlantic Highlands route again. Today I averaged 1.5 mph faster than last time, and was much less thrashed when I got back home. Except for a twinge in my knee, and a bit of neck/shoulder soreness (from holding up my gigantic melon head), a great ride, and definitely got to see some progress.
I have a couple big rides coming up - the Tour de Lake Hopatcong, this Sunday, and then the 3 State, 3 Mountain challenge; both of which are rides which feature challenging climbs. To deal with this more easily, I put a 12-27 cassette on. I never got all the way down to the 27, but I did get to the 24 a couple times. It's remarkable how much of a difference that one tooth makes. I do definitely prefer the 11-23 for around here (probably will more and more as I continue to lose weight), and I'm sure I'll go right back to it after these rides, but it's the right move for these two rides coming up. I almost wish I could switch to a compact crankset for it. Can't though, and really, I should be able to get over anything short of the Dolomites with a 39 - 27.
I feel I've really hit a tipping point with the training I've been doing - I can go longer, harder, and feel much fresher when I get back home. The first time I did the Atlantic Highlands ride really seems to have been the catalyst for that, too. I'm definitely climbing better...I can jump out of the saddle and dance on the pedals now...at least as much as a fat guy can dance on pedals. Overall, I'm really happy with where I'm at right this minute. I haven't been as disciplined as I want to be with my diet, or hit the abs as much as I want, but everything outside of that is going the way I want it to. Hopefully, some good rides this week, starting Sunday (I'm doing a very light recovery ride tomorrow - just an easy spin), and I'll really be motivated and psyched to continue getting leaner, stronger, faster all through the rest of the season.
That's it for now, hooligans. Get the hell off my porch. ;-)
I have a couple big rides coming up - the Tour de Lake Hopatcong, this Sunday, and then the 3 State, 3 Mountain challenge; both of which are rides which feature challenging climbs. To deal with this more easily, I put a 12-27 cassette on. I never got all the way down to the 27, but I did get to the 24 a couple times. It's remarkable how much of a difference that one tooth makes. I do definitely prefer the 11-23 for around here (probably will more and more as I continue to lose weight), and I'm sure I'll go right back to it after these rides, but it's the right move for these two rides coming up. I almost wish I could switch to a compact crankset for it. Can't though, and really, I should be able to get over anything short of the Dolomites with a 39 - 27.
I feel I've really hit a tipping point with the training I've been doing - I can go longer, harder, and feel much fresher when I get back home. The first time I did the Atlantic Highlands ride really seems to have been the catalyst for that, too. I'm definitely climbing better...I can jump out of the saddle and dance on the pedals now...at least as much as a fat guy can dance on pedals. Overall, I'm really happy with where I'm at right this minute. I haven't been as disciplined as I want to be with my diet, or hit the abs as much as I want, but everything outside of that is going the way I want it to. Hopefully, some good rides this week, starting Sunday (I'm doing a very light recovery ride tomorrow - just an easy spin), and I'll really be motivated and psyched to continue getting leaner, stronger, faster all through the rest of the season.
That's it for now, hooligans. Get the hell off my porch. ;-)
Gearing up
Only about a week and a couple days til the 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge, and two days til the Tour de Lake Hopatcong, which might get rained out. Actually, I've spoken to them, and they say it's a rain or shine ride, but I'm not going to do it in the rain. Sissy? Maybe.
Anyways, I just put a 12-27 on the bike, so I should be ok. Picked up a bug screen for the bike, so it should be ok up on the roof for the ride into Tennessee. Everything is falling into place, including my fitness. Went for a 30 mile ride the other day, felt strong all the way through it. One more training ride today, a 60+ miler, with lots of hills, a recovery ride tomorrow (or the rollers, if it's raining), and I'm good to go for Hopatcong.
I'm getting psyched...time to go for a ride!
Anyways, I just put a 12-27 on the bike, so I should be ok. Picked up a bug screen for the bike, so it should be ok up on the roof for the ride into Tennessee. Everything is falling into place, including my fitness. Went for a 30 mile ride the other day, felt strong all the way through it. One more training ride today, a 60+ miler, with lots of hills, a recovery ride tomorrow (or the rollers, if it's raining), and I'm good to go for Hopatcong.
I'm getting psyched...time to go for a ride!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
I'm giddy!
It's crappy food day! All week long, I've been eating really healthy...the plan was to kill the diet all week long, then Saturday, I get to have one disgusting meal. And then back on the diet again. I'm going to have a cheesesteak from Rudolpho's!!!!! Heeeeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee!!!
Oh god, this is going to be so good. A cheesesteak, a Mountain Dew, and some fritos. I am going to be a worthless lump the rest of the afternoon.
By the way - the scale told me 236 this morning (down from 244 last Sunday). I'm betting it tells me something different tomorrow.
Cheesesteak!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!
Oh god, this is going to be so good. A cheesesteak, a Mountain Dew, and some fritos. I am going to be a worthless lump the rest of the afternoon.
By the way - the scale told me 236 this morning (down from 244 last Sunday). I'm betting it tells me something different tomorrow.
Cheesesteak!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Great ride today
Long, and somewhat slow. I generally keep a somewhat better pace than todays, but I was hampered by a little Garmin confusion at first; I had loaded this route into the Garmin, but it seems the Garmin gets a bit confused when confronted with a route that crosses over itself a couple times...then later in the ride, my stomach was acting up a bit, probably a result of having two root beers at lunch. But, a great ride nonetheless...challenging, and great scenery for the most part. The Jersey Shore - yet another part of NJ that people from other states, who rag on NJ even though they only know it from bad jokes, and an 8 mile stretch of the Turnpike, should be forced to go see. Since they can't, or won't, here's exhibit A:
Here's the stats for the ride http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5430061.
The climb up to that rest area was definitely a challenge for a big, flatlanding clydesdale like myself. I love the climbing, but I'm built for punching a hole through wind on flat terrain. In fact, several times, I've gone out for a ride while it was windy, and at one point or another realized that some little thin mint, who can climb circles around me, but is afraid of wind on the flats, has been wheelsucking, without announcing his presence. Cheesy barnacles...
Anyways, 4,734 feet of climbing, over a 60 mile course, makes for a tired Rog, so even though I planned on going into more detail about this ride, I think I'm going to bag it, in favor of visiting the wonderful land of nod. Be good, you hooligans.
Here's the stats for the ride http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5430061.
The climb up to that rest area was definitely a challenge for a big, flatlanding clydesdale like myself. I love the climbing, but I'm built for punching a hole through wind on flat terrain. In fact, several times, I've gone out for a ride while it was windy, and at one point or another realized that some little thin mint, who can climb circles around me, but is afraid of wind on the flats, has been wheelsucking, without announcing his presence. Cheesy barnacles...
Anyways, 4,734 feet of climbing, over a 60 mile course, makes for a tired Rog, so even though I planned on going into more detail about this ride, I think I'm going to bag it, in favor of visiting the wonderful land of nod. Be good, you hooligans.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
But weight, there's more
I haven't been talking so much about what I weigh, even though losing weight to make riding in the mountains easier was one of my original goals. Reason being I wasn't doing a very good job of taking it off. I'm definitely getting a lot more exercise, being out on the bike so much, but although I'd started incorporating more healthy food into my diet, I hadn't cut out the shit - the pork roll and cheese sandwiches, the mountain dew, the potato chips... Well, I'm conducting an experiment. I'm eating nothing but an organic vegetarian (not quite vegan - I won't give up honey!) diet for a solid week, drinking only water (ok, a juice glass of orange juice per day), and not eating before I go to bed.
So far, I'm four days into this plan, I feel great, more alert mentally, and I've lost seven pounds.
Seven. In four days. Sunday, I was 246.8, monday I was 244. Tuesday I was 242, Wednesday I was 239, and today I'm 237.6.
I gotta say, I'm impressed.
So, Saturday I reward myself with a big, shitty meal, and then I get back on it. I'm going to see how far I can get, and although I can be a bit willpower-challenged, hopefully I'll just keep going, and going, and going, until I'm at my target weight of 185.
P.S. - if I go spiralling back down the junk food ladder, I give everyone permission to bust my balls, and call me a fat fuck.
So far, I'm four days into this plan, I feel great, more alert mentally, and I've lost seven pounds.
Seven. In four days. Sunday, I was 246.8, monday I was 244. Tuesday I was 242, Wednesday I was 239, and today I'm 237.6.
I gotta say, I'm impressed.
So, Saturday I reward myself with a big, shitty meal, and then I get back on it. I'm going to see how far I can get, and although I can be a bit willpower-challenged, hopefully I'll just keep going, and going, and going, until I'm at my target weight of 185.
P.S. - if I go spiralling back down the junk food ladder, I give everyone permission to bust my balls, and call me a fat fuck.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
A little more than two weeks to go
Last week was frustrating. I got a good ride in on Saturday, was impressed with how much stronger my legs have become. Got another good 30 miles in on Tuesday, but my back started hurting on Saturday, seemed better by Tuesday, but then got a lot worse after the ride. And it's hard to tell with your back what the problem is. Muscle soreness? Muscle imbalance? Need an adjustment (anybody got a good chiropractor?)? Or something worse than that - a disk problem. I kind of think it's a combination of the first three - my abs are pathetic - but I've been hurt but good a few times, and I have a couple permanent reminders. Having a bad lower back for the rest of my life just wouldn't work for me, so I've been off the bike ever since. Stretching constantly - I can almost touch my toes. Hooray.
My last "training" ride before going to Tennessee, will be the Tour de Lake Hopatcong. For anybody that trashes New Jersey, at least driving this route should be a requirement; nothing but scenic mountain lake after scenic state park. Rural living at its best, with less rural settings just minutes away. But I haven't seen the whole ride course, so I decided to take a drive up there, and take a look for myself.
Whoa.
It's got an awful lot of climbing. In fact, most of the first 10 miles is climbing, then there's a more or less flat section for about 2 miles, then the route sheet says "Get ready to climb". What?!? And that section is pretty crazy...it might not be Alpe de Huez, but it's pretty impressive. If it weren't for the back pain, I'd be raring to go. I'm still looking forward to it...it's going to beat me up, but good.
My last "training" ride before going to Tennessee, will be the Tour de Lake Hopatcong. For anybody that trashes New Jersey, at least driving this route should be a requirement; nothing but scenic mountain lake after scenic state park. Rural living at its best, with less rural settings just minutes away. But I haven't seen the whole ride course, so I decided to take a drive up there, and take a look for myself.
Whoa.
It's got an awful lot of climbing. In fact, most of the first 10 miles is climbing, then there's a more or less flat section for about 2 miles, then the route sheet says "Get ready to climb". What?!? And that section is pretty crazy...it might not be Alpe de Huez, but it's pretty impressive. If it weren't for the back pain, I'd be raring to go. I'm still looking forward to it...it's going to beat me up, but good.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
26 days to go
Er ah...ok, a little good, a little bad last week. I got virtually no riding in before Saturday, the result of rain, and a little bit of laziness. I also started eating a lot healthier, finally...but went flying off the tracks several times. Oreos and the like were eaten.
The bright side, though. Yeah, the bright side. Went for my usual Saturday ride, from my place, to Bike Haven, which is my "LBS", or local bike shop...although it's not really that local to me. But, it's the best shop around, and it's a good ride - 55 miles round trip.
It was supposed to be yet another rainy day, but it turned out to be absolutely beautiful. Sunny, 60 degrees...no need for knee warmers, which makes me happy. Knee/leg warmers, while sometimes necessary, are a pain in the ass...especially if you're riding more than 30 miles or so, and they need to be adjusted. Just a big pain. So, the warm weather was great, although I still almost sissed out, due to the wind. Not just the wind, though...there's something else. This may seem obvious, but for the first couple of weeks that I was training for this ride, I felt terrible, and simply put, I hate feeling like that. Its bad enough I have to lug all this extra body weight up and down hills, but I don't have any legs, either, and that just makes this no fun. Id look at my bike, and it looks fast even sitting still, and I want to ride. I'm dying to ride. But then I get out there, and I just want to go back inside, cause I'm so bad at it...but this week, finally, I hit a bit of a turning point; my legs are coming back.
I actually almost didn't even do this ride - warm as it was, it was windy, and fat + no legs + wind = no fun. And I certainly would have let that be my excuse if I didn't have that ride coming up in May, but I know what that ride will be like if I don't get in the miles now, so I sucked it up and off I went. And I had a great ride down to Bike Haven, albiet a little wind aided. And suprisingly enough, I had a great ride back. Into the wind. That is a great sign, and now I can't wait for the next ride.
Thats it, thats all I got for now.
The bright side, though. Yeah, the bright side. Went for my usual Saturday ride, from my place, to Bike Haven, which is my "LBS", or local bike shop...although it's not really that local to me. But, it's the best shop around, and it's a good ride - 55 miles round trip.
It was supposed to be yet another rainy day, but it turned out to be absolutely beautiful. Sunny, 60 degrees...no need for knee warmers, which makes me happy. Knee/leg warmers, while sometimes necessary, are a pain in the ass...especially if you're riding more than 30 miles or so, and they need to be adjusted. Just a big pain. So, the warm weather was great, although I still almost sissed out, due to the wind. Not just the wind, though...there's something else. This may seem obvious, but for the first couple of weeks that I was training for this ride, I felt terrible, and simply put, I hate feeling like that. Its bad enough I have to lug all this extra body weight up and down hills, but I don't have any legs, either, and that just makes this no fun. Id look at my bike, and it looks fast even sitting still, and I want to ride. I'm dying to ride. But then I get out there, and I just want to go back inside, cause I'm so bad at it...but this week, finally, I hit a bit of a turning point; my legs are coming back.
I actually almost didn't even do this ride - warm as it was, it was windy, and fat + no legs + wind = no fun. And I certainly would have let that be my excuse if I didn't have that ride coming up in May, but I know what that ride will be like if I don't get in the miles now, so I sucked it up and off I went. And I had a great ride down to Bike Haven, albiet a little wind aided. And suprisingly enough, I had a great ride back. Into the wind. That is a great sign, and now I can't wait for the next ride.
Thats it, thats all I got for now.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
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