i decided to chronicle my bike rides, races, training... you name it. i want to be able to look back and see my progress, be inspired and remember all my hard work!
after almost a month since my run in with a car i got back on my bike for a team ride this last week. that ride, with isaac, chipp and mark tipped the scales. i couldn't stop smiling. i feel like myself again.
yesterday myself, mark a, my friend amanda, justin, chris and veronica took off at 11am for council crest/fairmount loop. i still get dropped every ride through downtown when we turn left on 6th. is that the turn we make? either way- it's the gradual up hill that makes me suck air and i get stuck at red lights. one day this won't be the case.
mark pushed me up the terwilliger hills- heck, basically all the hills. my heart rate reached 180 at one point, my max being 188 (which i've never gotten to). we took the 'off road' route to get to council crest and after a breathtaking view and pit stop we carried on around the corner in which i faced the hardest climb. ever. SO STEEP. chris and mark talked me through it as they climbed ahead of me. i was riding back and forth across the road in an attempt to catch my breathe. i was out of my saddle almost the whole time- totally sucking wind and was ready to give up after 10 pedal strokes. but, i didn't. if they hadn't been there, i totally would have stopped. i would have walked up. no doubt.
i am improving. i feel like i'm getting stronger and my recovery time is less and less. after that killer climb when i reached 180 HR i was back to 130 in about 2 minutes, which is good for me! also, after long/hard rides i don't need to nap or take days to recover. that is encouraging. i remember when i first started riding with crank... i was useless for days.
i've been working on staying in my small chainring in front and averaging a cadence of 80-90. this is SUPER HARD. spinning is very difficult for me, but i am learning.
i think i will try to post some stats from my rides too- like distance, length, average speed, route. the usual. and of course a picture!
in two weeks i will start back with jeff tedder, training two mornings a week at PACE. i look forward to that! i just don't want to jump back into everything all at once. in my old age (ha!) i have learned the beauty of moderation. i've also learned that not many cyclists know what that word means. alas, it is critical for my mental/emotional health to allow balance to drive me rather than obsession. i tried it the other way around for years and got in trouble.
i am so grateful i found cycling. i owe it all largely to my ex, miguel. it was because of him i got a fixie wheel on my commuter, then started track clinic, then met the guys at crank... the rest is history! just one of the many good things that came out of that relationship.
tomorrow i start commuting again! i can't believe i'm actually looking forward to it! what a load off!
