I've spoken many times about my love/hate relationship with my bike.
I LOVE riding my bike
I hate it when it hurts.
On thursday morning Karel talked me into the Penny Farms ride with the Open road cycling group. I've hung on a few times for the 40 mile, saturday morning ride but never a Penny farms ride. The ride goes south from our place, then west over a bridge, then through several windy roads (not hilly, just a lot of turns) and then after a long stretch you go north and then east and then south again home. Yes, it makes no sense unless you live here but even I live here and I have no idea where we went.
Sadly, I wasn't feeling my best for the ride that I looked forward to all week. My pectorial muscle (right) has been giving me a little grief over the past few days and I contribute it to my fall during the marathon. Perhaps I didn't fully recover after the race and it has really been getting on my nerves when I swim. It is fine when I run but the bike also hurts a bit.
For the Penny Farms ride I couldn't tough it up. There was so much wind on Thursday that even with a group of about 50, I still felt like I was going to fall off my bike. After about 30 miles, averaging around 23 mph, about 10 of us took the short route home (72 mile route) and Karel went with everyone else (92 miles).
I suffered as long as I could, using my poor drafting skills, and with 10 of us, we each took turns pulling. Even though it was windy out, I looked forward to the front cause I didn't have to draft and follow a wheel. I am getting much much better but without Karel near me, I often loose my confidence
It was around mile 50 that my chest was killing me and my eyes started watering. I don't know why but I always get emotional on my bike. I can be a bit hard on myself but I blame my "I want to try" attitude. Although I may be one of the slowest ones of the group, I always like to try to keep up. I'm so over getting sad when I get dropped so I've moved on to just getting frustrated if I am about to get dropped. I know Karel is proud of me for trying but I just wish it was easier for me to ride with a group.
The ride got worse around mile 55 and I knew I wasn't even close to being home. Sadly, I had a body of water between the road I was on and my house and there was no short cut in my sight. I had at least 20 more miles home and I knew I wouldn't make it. I had to stop because my chest was hurting me and I'm sure my frustration with the wind was also getting to me.
I wanted the group to keep going but then again, I wasn't sure exactly how to get home on these new roads I was riding on. A few people came back for me and when we got close to our friend's house, I asked if they could drive me home.
I was embarrased to get a ride home. I've heard of people bonking during a ride and not being able to make it home but I was so bummed that I had to be driven home. Although I was sad about the situation, I was so thankful that I was off my bike.
The best part of the whole morning was when James was driving me home and there was the main group who did the 92 miles. As I looked for Karel I see a few guys sprinting up a bridge (one of the sprinting sections of the ride where they "race") and there at the front, winning the sprint...was Karel. I was smiling so big and so proud of Karel. Here I am getting a ride home in the opposite direction (I can't ride home in the direction we were driving because it is over the interstate and water) and I see Karel giving his all. I couldn't wait to see him at home and tell him that I saw him win the sprint.
Karel is feeling super strong right now and all the hard work is really paying off.
I took Friday off and I really needed it. The day went by super fast and I was really glad I didn't go to the Y, get on my bike or go for a run.
Saturday I did my first run since the marathon and it was an easy run/walk for 11 miles. I just enjoyed myself on the treadmill at the Y and I actually watched a movie on the treadmill. I was glad I added in the walks because I wanted to watch the whole movie (it was a corny movie on TBS, but cute). It was just an easy and well-needed run.
Well, it is sunday and I spent a few hours on my bike with Karel and about 70 open road riders. I couldn't believe how many people did the penny farms ride (the ride is normally on sunday but thurs was a special new years day ride). I only wanted to do 40 miles but I figured I would enjoy a draft for a good 20 miles. I stayed confident (even though I hated it) as I tried to stay in the mid pack by drafting closely to the wheel in front of me. It was a nice ride and I felt really good.
So...it is finally here. Jan 5th and my first week of 2009 triathlon season training is here. Shawn uploaded my workouts on Training Peaks for the next 4 weeks and I can't believe I have a 3 hour ride and 30 min run on sat. I can't believe I have to do a brick...ouch!
Actually, I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season and some structured training. I really want to work hard and give my all for every training session. Although I will be having fun (and probably a few tears along the way) I think karel is looking forward to seeing me suffer with my new power tap :(
I LOVE riding my bike
I hate it when it hurts.
On thursday morning Karel talked me into the Penny Farms ride with the Open road cycling group. I've hung on a few times for the 40 mile, saturday morning ride but never a Penny farms ride. The ride goes south from our place, then west over a bridge, then through several windy roads (not hilly, just a lot of turns) and then after a long stretch you go north and then east and then south again home. Yes, it makes no sense unless you live here but even I live here and I have no idea where we went.
Sadly, I wasn't feeling my best for the ride that I looked forward to all week. My pectorial muscle (right) has been giving me a little grief over the past few days and I contribute it to my fall during the marathon. Perhaps I didn't fully recover after the race and it has really been getting on my nerves when I swim. It is fine when I run but the bike also hurts a bit.
For the Penny Farms ride I couldn't tough it up. There was so much wind on Thursday that even with a group of about 50, I still felt like I was going to fall off my bike. After about 30 miles, averaging around 23 mph, about 10 of us took the short route home (72 mile route) and Karel went with everyone else (92 miles).
I suffered as long as I could, using my poor drafting skills, and with 10 of us, we each took turns pulling. Even though it was windy out, I looked forward to the front cause I didn't have to draft and follow a wheel. I am getting much much better but without Karel near me, I often loose my confidence
It was around mile 50 that my chest was killing me and my eyes started watering. I don't know why but I always get emotional on my bike. I can be a bit hard on myself but I blame my "I want to try" attitude. Although I may be one of the slowest ones of the group, I always like to try to keep up. I'm so over getting sad when I get dropped so I've moved on to just getting frustrated if I am about to get dropped. I know Karel is proud of me for trying but I just wish it was easier for me to ride with a group.
The ride got worse around mile 55 and I knew I wasn't even close to being home. Sadly, I had a body of water between the road I was on and my house and there was no short cut in my sight. I had at least 20 more miles home and I knew I wouldn't make it. I had to stop because my chest was hurting me and I'm sure my frustration with the wind was also getting to me.
I wanted the group to keep going but then again, I wasn't sure exactly how to get home on these new roads I was riding on. A few people came back for me and when we got close to our friend's house, I asked if they could drive me home.
I was embarrased to get a ride home. I've heard of people bonking during a ride and not being able to make it home but I was so bummed that I had to be driven home. Although I was sad about the situation, I was so thankful that I was off my bike.
The best part of the whole morning was when James was driving me home and there was the main group who did the 92 miles. As I looked for Karel I see a few guys sprinting up a bridge (one of the sprinting sections of the ride where they "race") and there at the front, winning the sprint...was Karel. I was smiling so big and so proud of Karel. Here I am getting a ride home in the opposite direction (I can't ride home in the direction we were driving because it is over the interstate and water) and I see Karel giving his all. I couldn't wait to see him at home and tell him that I saw him win the sprint.
Karel is feeling super strong right now and all the hard work is really paying off.
I took Friday off and I really needed it. The day went by super fast and I was really glad I didn't go to the Y, get on my bike or go for a run.
Saturday I did my first run since the marathon and it was an easy run/walk for 11 miles. I just enjoyed myself on the treadmill at the Y and I actually watched a movie on the treadmill. I was glad I added in the walks because I wanted to watch the whole movie (it was a corny movie on TBS, but cute). It was just an easy and well-needed run.
Well, it is sunday and I spent a few hours on my bike with Karel and about 70 open road riders. I couldn't believe how many people did the penny farms ride (the ride is normally on sunday but thurs was a special new years day ride). I only wanted to do 40 miles but I figured I would enjoy a draft for a good 20 miles. I stayed confident (even though I hated it) as I tried to stay in the mid pack by drafting closely to the wheel in front of me. It was a nice ride and I felt really good.
So...it is finally here. Jan 5th and my first week of 2009 triathlon season training is here. Shawn uploaded my workouts on Training Peaks for the next 4 weeks and I can't believe I have a 3 hour ride and 30 min run on sat. I can't believe I have to do a brick...ouch!
Actually, I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season and some structured training. I really want to work hard and give my all for every training session. Although I will be having fun (and probably a few tears along the way) I think karel is looking forward to seeing me suffer with my new power tap :(