Back In The Saddle
It’s been almost 4 months to the day since I was last on a bicycle. There’s 14 days till me next official ride. I can say right now that I’m not in the best of shape for it, can I ride the 22 miles, yeah, I can, but not at the speed that I’d like to. But that doesn’t matter does it, what matters is that I’m going to ride and I’m going to complete it, even if it does take me 2 hours at 12mph.
It was a beautiful 58 degrees F out in Albuquerque, NM today and I was determined to go for a ride, so was everyone else. Weather in Albuquerque has been nasty since November (and that’s nasty for us, not nasty compared to like some state up north who’s high is like 3 degrees F on a good day). Since it was sunny and warm (shorts weather) and there was only a slight breeze, everyone decided that a trip to the trail head was in order. It was so packed that finding a place to park was impossible unless you waited around at least a half hour for people to leave so that you could zip into their spot before someone else did.
I waited my 30 minutes, parked and got on my bike. I knew full well that I should’ve taken it easier than I did when I zipped off out of the parking lot and onto the trail, but I was just so excited to be back in the saddle again. For 4 miles, I rode at just a little above 16 mph, I was so proud of this speed, but then my lungs started to burn and my muscles in my legs started burning and if I hadn’t been clipped into my pedals, I would’ve been kicking myself for not taking it easier. At the end of that four miles I had pushed myself so hard that I thought I was going to vomit.
On my way back I was far slower than on my way to the 4 mile mark. I was just plain worn out. I hadn’t bothered to check my blood because 20 minutes prior I had dumped a cheetahbar into my belly and a box of juice (yes, I started riding while I was low, a big no-no, but I need to ride).
When I got back to my car, my blood sugar was 148 and it turns out that my piddly ride wasn’t as bad as I thought. I went 8.5 miles in 39 min 59 seconds at an average pace of 12.8 mph (which is about where I left off last year when I stopped riding, maybe even a smidgen faster), I had a max speed of 21.8 mph.
I may not be in prime shape for my ride in the Orlando, FL Tour de Cure, but I will be able to ride, and that’s all that matters.
3 Responses to “Back In The Saddle”
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February 11th, 2008 at 5:54 am
Just reading about you getting out there kicks my butt. I am such a exercise slug. Good for you to get out and do it.
February 11th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Drew Drew Drew…we need to put some salt on that exercise slug that you are…exercise is some good stuff, it just makes you feel good all over
March 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
[...] like my last training ride, I took off a little quickly and quickly tired. I think that how quickly I tired had something to [...]