So here's the thing. I am trying to get into my bike a bit more. I have a half ironman to do in less than two months and I should really be riding more...even Coach Justin agrees. The plan was to do a 2 hour ride this morning...for the last several days I have been trying to get myself mentally prepared for this...some of you raise your eyebrows because you are doing many more hours than this..well, training by yourself is not all that much fun and then to do something you are trying to learn to really like (not quite to the love stage yet...) for TWO HOURS...BY MYSELF...is a hard, hard mental struggle. I do get invited out for rides but with family life and the way the weather has been, I can't go or the ride gets cancelled. It's been a real bummer this spring.
Then there is the whole bike maintenance thing. I keep telling myself, I am a human being with a brain, certainly I am smarter than this bike...they can't be THAT hard to figure out. And my back tire has been worriesome for a few weeks as I have no idea if the dang thing has enough air in it. My dear children broke the gauge on my pump and I have not been confident in whether or not it has enough pressure. I am pretty sure the duathlon was done with a really low and flat tire....
I'm a take charge kind of gal so I march into one of the local bike shops last week and buy a WAY too expensive pump...the damn thing has a dust bag for heaven's sake...the kid said it was the "gucci" of bike pumps...i said I really don't care I just want the piece of mind it is going to do the job and not break easily. Last night I fiddle with the tire and the tube and I am now happy with the pressure and the tire and everything was great except that I cut my thumb really bad in the process. I did not notice my thumb was cut until it was dripping blood on my bike and on the floor!!
So today, I head out for my epic two hour bike ride...assuming I am going to have to do this on my own. Driving out to the drive-in I see one of the local tri-guys (let's just say he is not someone I want to spend any time with...so I put the pedal to the metal as I wanted to be good and gone before he got to the drive in...) But the Universe was looking out for me and two of the nicest tri-gals and finest athletes I know showed up!! I knew damn well they would kick my butt all over the prairies but we started out together and they would double back every so often to check up on the slow poke!! My dreaded two hours was actually a nice, chatty affair and I was certainly pleased with how I felt after the ride. Biking is certainly more fun when it is social. What a boost of some bike confidence. Coach Justin keeps telling me I have the "fitness" but I need the "confidence". And that, folks, was double the time I have been on my bike for about 8 months....
4 comments:
that's great that you met up with someone to ride with! i train mostly on my own as well, and am ok with it for the most part, but totally agree there are times when you really just want someone there 'suffering' with you. good on ya for getting out there!
sorry about your thumb, ow!!
An air pump with a dust bag.
Consider me boggled.
If you are willing to spend that kind of money, look around for a shop or someone that gives bike maintenance lessons. It won't be too expensive, and will give you a lot of peace of mind and confidence.
You might think I'm nuts, but I find it much harder to ride with other people. When I ride by myself I decide where and when to go, for how long, at what pace, and can stop or not whenever it pleases me.
When you ride with someone else, you have to agree on a meeting place, a leave time, and where to ride to, ect ect ect. If you're out for a social ride that's all well and good. But when you want to put your head down and train, and push yourself, AND fit it into the tiny window between freezing cold and baking hot, having other people around is a distraction. At least I think so.
I find riding alone peaceful. Maybe because I am surrounded by noise all day long. Birds are a nice diversion, or even the ipod on a nasty song that gets me going... I agree with Keith - my ride, my way. Maybe I am just a bitch? Sometimes a ride with someone else is good, but not if it leaves me with negative feelings.
U have struggled with loving /liking /bonding with your bike for so long and this shit weather does nothing for any of us, let alone someone who needs a few great rides to understand how great it can be. The love will come. If you need a ride partner, try me, you never know I may be able to make it when you go??
Hang in there.
Riding with others can be so much fun! I always train alone just because the number of triathletes in the Crowsnest Pass is very limited. (Go figure! LOL!) But, the times I've hooked up with people it has been a BLAST!!!
I wish I could do more rides with people -- the right people make the workouts all the more enjoyable and the time fly. Sounds like those two gals were perfect for your ride!! You had a bit of alone time, but a bit of company too -- AWESOME!!
Good job on getting through those 2 hours Kelly! :) :) :)
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