To Bike or Not to Bike

How I spent my breakfast time this week-end

Friday 1/18/08 - 9:15

I walked into the restaurant and my dear friend from high school was reading the paper waiting for me. I gave her a big hug, well as big as I could while she was sitting in the booth and then found my spot on the other side of the table.

Our conversation was filled with catching up from the last time we saw each other. And then she asked .....

"So you only have your blog calendar filled until June. What's up?"

Me - Well, I've been thinking about that. I really think I'm afraid to get on my bike again. I loved last year and spent a lot of time on the bike. I haven't been on it since October. I'm thinking I'm avoiding it all together. Does that sound weird?

Cin - No. She said with her reassuring smile, shaking her head.

Then the conversation moved on to something else. But my words started to haunt me. Later that day I got email of what my tri pals were doing this week-end. I had a lite running schedule so I decided to bite the bullet and use one of those mornings to ride. I picked Saturday.

Saturday 1/19/08 - 7:22 a.m.

Cell phone rings. It's my tri mate. "Hey, where are you?" - "I see you," I tell him. He was meeting me at the main intersection of a different mountain bike riding place. "Great, oh I see you, ok follow me" he said. "Hey, should we wait for Jim?" I ask. "Nope, he's there!" so off we go.
We zig zag up this small incline and then sharp left into the parking area. I'm excited because the sun is coming out and the snow is sparkling, the scenery is amazing. The lake is frozen but you can tell it still has spots that might not be completely trust worthy, even if it was -2 outside. We all stay in our cars and finish getting dress. Scott I. lends me goggle to wear, which were great. Off we ride into the woods. The ruts to follow are covered in snow so I just do my best to stay with the group. Your mind can not wander while riding here. Your attention must stay completely focused on the ride. I'm trying to focus on staying up right, avoiding trees and sticks and tree trunks. Swerving and spinning. It's hard to concentration because everything looks so pretty. Then my thoughts start taking me back to when I was a kid and we would ride our bikes thru the forest area behind Trinity College. There was never any fear back then. We would just go. Then I was brought back to the present. Some how I'm on the ground and my bike is on top of me. UGH! Hope no one saw that. I struggle to get the bike off. Catch up to the guys. It's a great morning. End up walking up a lot of the hills. That's ok. I really like this. How can I fit this into the runs. Jim is managing the ride effortlessly as he shows us which way to go. I ask him how long he's been riding "Only about 2 years". Great I'm thinking this is going to take me 2 years. It's as if Scott I. reads my mind and tells me that I'll catch on in no time. Rick's words continue to ring true - the only way to become a good rider is to get on the bike as often as possible.

Get back to the car. My phone rings, Scott is having trouble with getting me into the Horribly Hilly Hundreds. I told him not to worry about it. It wasn't meant to be. "Oh no" he tells me. He's determined to get me in. Then Rick calls me. He's frozen on the computer, he can't get into HHH. I tell him Scott's trying and he will try for Rick too. Here's a pic of Ken comforting me as I get the news that registration is a big pain in the butt just like last year. I get home. Scott's still trying. He has 3 windows open all of them frozen at the registration place. We sit there and watch the screen for about 20 minutes and then get the message that our time has expired on that website. I don't get in, neither does Rick. We're going to get in, I know we both want to get back there. I have a final hill to conquer :)

Sunday 1/20/08 - 7:30 a.m.

It's just a small group out running this morning. Scott starts out fast. I'm hoping it's the cold weather that has him moving at this pace and things will slow down. Nope, we're still moving quickly by mile 2. I tell Tom that I need to slow it down. He said he'll stay with me. Ken and Scott slowly pull away from us. It is another amazing morning. The 9 1/2 miles went by quick. I feel bad for Tom tho, he feels blisters forming on his foot. OUCH! That's the worst, once that feeling starts miles can pass at a snails pace. We were actually moving pretty good for it being as cold as it was and for the blisters. I made plans on Saturday to ride Sunday too but had to change the plans when I never made it to mass Saturday night. It was hard to leave the guys as they got their bikes ready. Told them I would pray for them like I always do.


Looked at my running schedule last night. I was so excited to start riding - "I'm gonna do this type attitude" until I looked at the time I need to put in this week-end. I have to sit down and make some choices here. Something I'm never good at. To bike or not to bike? That is the question. :)