Let me tell you about last weeks ride….First let me say that
if you thought I had a bit of a moan on the last blog you aint read nothing
yet! Last Saturday I went for my first
training ride for this year’s MS150. I know. I can hear y’all asking “What? You’re
doing it again so soon?” and the answer should be “Why yes friends I am” but
instead I’m thinking stop asking stupid questions of course I’m doing it again
why else would I have dragged my sorry fat ass out of bed on a windy, rainy
miserable and oh, did I say windy, Saturday morning. Yes friends I think I’m doing it again!
Ok let’s get started then.
After work on Friday I had choir practice and for those of you who don’t
know what this is, it’s code at school for happy hour (so the parents don’t
realize the teachers are all alcoholics). I only had 2½ drinks because I knew I
was doing a training ride in the morning and because being the athlete that I
am (not). I know that for me drinking and riding my bike even if it is the next
day doesn’t mix…now if only I would have kept all this in mind when I got home
but no I had to go on and have a few drinks more. Not too many but a few more
and I did not go to bed early enough so ultimately I woke up feeling like shit
and still tired, of course Smug Gut is all happy whistling and getting all the
gear together (seriously I could stick a hot poker in his eye. ) You can tell
I’m not happy right now right? I look in the mirror and it’s as if I haven’t
looked at myself. I look 48, I feel 48
and when did I put all this weight on? So right then and there I decide… No,
not to go on another diet, I decide I’m not wearing cycling clothes looking
like this. Although I do have to wear the shorts (for the padding) so I pull on
the scabbiest t-shirt I can find. I head out to the kitchen and Smug Git just
looks at me but says nothing. Oh except “Do you want a banana for breakfast and
we can go for lunch after the ride?”
Me: “A banana! I’ve
to cycle 16 miles on a banana?”
SG: “Ok! I’ll just put the bacon on” (hot poker in the other
eye)
And off we go with hardly a word spoken between us. When we get there The Don, our riding buddy
from last year, parked right next to us. Smug Git gets out the car and starts
unpacking and I just sit there with my face like thunder and I can hear him say
to The Don “She’s in a mood, she does not want to be here”
Me: “You do know I can hear you?”
SG and The Don just laugh!
Eventually I get out the car and to my right there is this
group of people apparently all using their really loud outside voices. I don’t care if you were a great cyclist when
you were a kid and I don’t care what you got for Christmas and stop laughing I’m
in a mood! Can someone, anyone, please tell me why I’m doing this again because
right now I have no fucking idea.
The ride starts and as always I hate the start with all
those bikes all bunched up together. I feel sick and nervous but I get myself
together and we set off. Well ok this is not too bad. I’m going at quite a good
pace I look down and I’m riding about 15 or 16 miles an hour I guess they are
right when they say it’s just like riding a bike! Pun intended. Before I know it we are at the rest stop, half
way to the ride being over! I do have to say I was very red in the face and a
wee bit out of breath because I did think I had set out too fast but we were
there and the first part was over and it only took 33 minutes. Ok, ok I can do
this, I can do another 33 minutes back to the car. I feel the beginnings of a
smile. Smug Git is looking at me I think he’s not sure if it’s a smile or if I’m
wincing at him so he very smartly says nothing. Back on the bike and off we go
to the end. And then it happens, we turn
onto the road and the wind just hits us, oh where the hell did that come from?
It wasn't just a wee bit windy it was blowing a gale! I was wobbling on the
bike and I can tell you there was not even the hint of a smile. I was wincing
all the way back and I was cycling on the granny gears. The 35 minutes back
ended up being 47, I felt like I was cycling up a hill the whole way and
everything hurt from my head to my toes. You know when you exercise those
endorphins are supposed to kick in and you get that feel good factor? Well my
endorphins must have slept in because they were nowhere to be found. Remember ages ago I asked the question was I
crazy doing this again because I knew what was in front of me? Well today I
know the answer. Hell yes I’m crazy and
I have to be honest I’m not sure I can do it. This year I think my MS 150
contribution may be in the form of volunteering because this is too hard plus
no one has sponsored me yet so I have an easy out.
I will do it because if I don’t then I would have failed
myself and if I could do it last year I sure as hell won’t let it beat me this
year but I have a feeling my blogs may be taking a different route but I hope
you will all have my back with your words of encouragement when I need them and
believe me I need them big time.
Thanks for reading see you next week…Iz
Serious Bit….
Please sponsor me I’m in dire need of the motivation. Here is my link
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