My husband told me that he, BFF's husband, and neighbor wanted to start the year off right and go for a New Years Day ride. It's really kind of bugging me lately that I feel like I'm not welcome to come anymore. I decided last year that I was going to train for the STP with our without my husband… and it took me forever to talk him into doing it with me. Now it's turned into his thing, or a thing he does with the guys, and I feel like I'm not invited. Maybe it's because I started running with my BFF, and the guys don't really have any interest in that. But just because I'm running, and I don't have any ambition to do any longer distance than the STP again, doesn't mean I don't want to be included in some rides. My husband thinks I'm nuts and he said when he says he's going for a ride, or down to the basement to get on the trainer, that it's just implied that I'm invited. He thinks it's crazy to think I'm not.
Well, after I made a big deal about it, and got a sitter, and wanted to come along… I started feeling really nervous about it. I really hadn't been on a ride since Cycle the Wave in September (besides maybe two rides on the trainer.) I'm always the slowest in the pack, but what if I was so slow and out of practice that I annoyed them? Even BFF had concerns. She said, "Well if you go with the boys, you'll have to remember you're going with the boys. They want to get a good ride in." I said, "Are you calling me a wuss? You think I can't keep up with the boys?" She said, "No but you know how the boys can get just as much as I do." Well, crap. She's right. I was hoping my cycling wife would come with me, and if I got tired, we could just bail out across the bridge, but she's in Wyoming with family still for the holidays. I went back and forth about going, not going. And finally decided, screw it, I'm going. I'm the only one that has done this route before, and I can at least make sure these boys don't get lost!
Well, I'm happy to say that even though I haven't been on a ride in almost 4 months, that it was just like "riding a bike" and it was totally fine. It was cold but I'm so much better prepared with gear than I was at the start of the season last year. New jacket, wool socks, shoe covers, glove liners…etc. I wasn't out of breath or anything, but my legs were definitely on fire. It was a good burn though. It was sunny, the lake was gorgeous, and we even saw bald eagles soaring. It was so fun to pass other cyclists and runners yelling "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" all day. Reminded me how much I love the camaraderie.
I'm looking forward to a 4 mile run this Saturday with BFF. The guys are going for a ride in the morning while we have the kiddos, and then it's our turn to run.
Here's some pics from our ride…
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| Before we took off. You can see how thrilled and cold I look compared to these guys! |
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| Icy patches. Brr! |
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| Ice on the pavement, and frost in the grass. |
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| Bathroom break at Coulon Beach Park |
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| Lunch stop at Lunchbox Laboratory in Bellevue |
