A friend of mine is letting me borrow her super-fast Fuji road bike....along with all the gear you need to ride (helmet, sweat band, gloves, shoes...and, heretofore unused butt balm!). She brought it over Saturday; I spent an hour on it just learning how to clip-in and out. ((This was the day after an hour long spin class.)) I didn't go very far because she told me I would certainly fall so I didn't want to be far from home when it happened. It didn't!
Yesterday, I decided I would take a "real" bike ride. I had a little trouble shifting gears-I haven't quite figured out when to shift and what gears to use. But, I didn't fall, and I didn't get hit by a car (which was a little bit of a miracle--Sunday afternoon is not the best time to go for a bike ride!). The worst part-it was really WINDY.
I started out with the idea I would go about 10 miles. I thought I was being fairly conservative because the day before, when I was practicing clipping in and out, I was on the bike for an hour and my legs felt fine. There were three things I didn't count on...one-I wasn't actually RIDING on Saturday. Propelling a bike forward takes a bit more force than puttering around the neighborhood clipping in and out of the pedals-especially being out on a road that is mostly one long no-passing zone with no shoulder. (Read, cars will still pass, but by just barely going over the center line....meaning I wanted to try to go as fast as I could to make for the least inconvenience to the cars. I don't know if that was the best philosophy or not...I'm going to have to look up rules of the road for bikers!)
I also didn't count on the fact that I would be EXTREMELY nervous and feel like I was going to throw up the whole time. My stomach was in knots. I think I want to get a rear view mirror thing to put on
I also didn't count on the gale force wind! Riding into the wind up a hill is NOT easy at all. Although my heart rate didn't get up as high as it does when I run, and my legs didn't feel as spent as they do when I'm running...at one point I was wondering how I'd get the bike home if I gave up and called Hubs to come get me. I decided that wasn't an option and kept going...and by the time I got off the bike I decided I LOVE IT. Maybe not as much as running, but I think when I get more comfortable with it, I think I will love it that much.
Yes...I will be trying Tris next year. I just have to learn to swim better!
Thanks for stopping in, come again soon!
:D
(Don't laugh...here's my data from this first ride.)
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