FW Training Ride 48.8 miles in the WIND by randel@cox.net at Garmin Connect - Details

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/34175797

3 weeks until FreeWheel!!!

I did 48.8 miles in the wind today.  Wind and Hills, OMG.  It was rough, really rough, but I feel so pumped that I did it.  I really think I can handle this bike trip now....at least the biking part.

Someone mentioned about having to squat in the cornfield during FW.  I about fell off my bike.  It never occurred to me that a convenience store restroom wouldn't always be around if you needed one.  I have never used anything but a potty when I have to pee.  I've apparently led a sheltered life.  ewwww....

4 Weeks

My ride Saturday did wonders for me!  It was AWESOME!  We rode from Lake Stanley Draper to Lake Thunderbird and back.  I met more people and actually kept up with the group.  We were supposed to ride 45 miles but actually did 48 because --yes--we took a wrong turn AGAIN!  Even with my new fancy GPS I still got lost.  We had to cut down a street that ended up being gravel for a mile but it was all part of the adventure so its all good.

It was very scenic and a couple of the hills had me breathing so bad the guy near me thought I was having a heart attack.  My bike started wobbling because I was going so slow and the guy started chanting "I think I can, I think I can" at me! LOL

So, my mojo or whatever you call it is back!  No more self doubt, I can do this.  I was very very tired and my butt hurting after the 48 miles but I still have 4 more weeks so I feel more confident that I will build up stronger before the big ride.

Best part - I burned 2,500 calories so it made up for my "sins" from Friday and let me eat good on Saturday.  Tomorrow I am actually doing 50 miles from Britton/Hefner to Arcadia and back.  I can't believe I am taking a day off from work to ride FIFTY miles!  Whoa!  Life is good.

Self Doubt

What am I thinking?  Who do I think I am that I can bike 70 miles a day with a ton of hills?  I'm not sure.  Some days I think I am still the 350 lb girl and other times I think I am some 110 lb athlete.  But, I'm neither.  I am a 169 lb middle aged woman.

Tomorrow I am supposed to ride 45 miles from Lake Stanley Draper to Norman and back.  It is filled with major hills.  My sister can't go so I will be going it alone with other strangers that show up for this training ride.  What if I get lost again or what if I can't keep up and fall behind.  What if we have a thunder storm?  I am really scared of lightening.  It is supposed to rain all day with a chance of storms.

Somehow I have to muster up the confidence to do this ride.  I have to dig down deep and make it up those hills to prove to myself that I can do this.  Why?  I'm really not sure but I have a need to conquer this.  Maybe I have some sort of sick need for approval.  Maybe life is tough sometimes and doing this kind of stuff is like running away temporarily and the pain numbs me in some weird way.

5 weeks

I am starting to get a bit nervous. I am starting to question my decision to ride 438 miles on a bike.  I am doing training rides on Saturday and this last one kicked my butt.  I rode 33 miles, was supposed to ride 40 but I'll get to that in a minute.  The ride was "hill training" which meant one freaking hill after the next.  I thought I was going to die. 

I was following this girl in front of me who was following my sister who was following a random guy that was not part of our group so we ended up 2 miles off the route.  In order to catch up with the group we ended up shaving 7 miles off the entire ride.  Honestly, I don't think I had the 7 miles left in me so it was probably a good thing.  This coming Saturday we ride 45 miles of hills. YIKES!  I am really worried.