Doing my Anniversay Ride this year solo (or with my 'Bad Self') as I like to call it, gave me some nice quiet time to really think about where I started with cycling and where I am now.
November, 2009. I bought the bike. I got it home, okay now what the heck do I do? While pondering that question (yes, I bought the bike, but I never rode it before the purchase!), a flyer from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society arrived in the mail outlining all the events they were offering for Spring of 2010. So, off I went and signed up for a 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe (still never having ridden the bike). I figured if I made a commitment to this it would be one way to get on this bike. While at the meeting I met a guy named Bill, and we kept in contact and he invited me to ride with himself and a guy named Keith that Saturday.
In the days leading up to the ride, a few things popped into my brain. One, here I was going off with two men I really didn't know, and two, the age old dilemma of all women everywhere, I have nothing to wear. Having nothing to wear was serious, I had no bike clothing. I did have a pair of knickers that were okay for spinning, so I figured they would do. But, I had no jacket, so I headed off to a local bike shop that shall remain nameless (NOT NEWINGTON BIKE). Once there a bunch of guys at the counter barely looked up when I walked into the shop. So I stood there. When one finally looked up, and asked if he could help me, I told him I was looking for a jacket. He promptly told me, "We don't have anything that will fit (throat clearing) you". I half thought he probably said 'a fat chick like you' when he was clearing his throat. Okay, showed up for the ride wearing my spinning knickers, a T shirt, a sweatshirt and a red women's final four windbreaker and weightlifting gloves. Oh yeah, and weightlifting gloves from my days of being a gym rat. And best of all... sneakers. I did not feel confident at all in trying clipless pedals and shoes. See photo below... I was really set up for cycling. Painful for me to even look at.
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| November 2009 |
I was asked by Bill, if I needed to pump my tires. I told him no, they were pumped up at the bike shop when I got the bike. Got instructed very quickly on the value of pumping up ones tires after that statement! I was asked if I had water, no, I didn't, figured I wouldn't need any. I was given water. I had no bag on my bike for an extra tube, heck, I didn't have an extra tube, what would I need an extra tube for? I was told to get a bag, for a tube, tire levers and some CO2 canisters. My response to that was, "If I keep all that junk in my bag where do I put my granola bar?". Another swift educational moment ensued.
While the guys were busy getting ready I was told to go down the bike path to get used to the bike. I did. For about 1/10 mile I weaved and wavered and then I had to turn around. I could get a tippy toe on the ground and that is how I stopped. I wiggled my way off the seat and turned the bike around and went back to the parking area. All set, windbreaker, weightlifting gloves and sneakers!
We ventured out on the road, I tried dismally to keep up. They guys were gracious and waited. We went down Rt 4, to 179 and followed that through Collinsville. We stopped after about 3 miles for tea. So far so good. We continued on 179 and turned left on Rt 44. I have no memory of making the left hand turn, how I stopped the bike, got off or anything else. No memory at all. I think I was frozen with fear. We turned on to 44 and I asked how far we had gone (no bike computer at the time). The answer: oh about 10 miles or so. Not bad I thought (but now that I do this ride daily I know it is only about 5 miles from where we started...). We then came to a hill. My first hill. I shifted the wrong way. I had no idea which hand to use, or how to master this shifting thing. My breath sounded like a southbound Amtrak train. I was barely moving up the hill, and I most definitely was going slower than a girl on the other side of the road running up the hill. Keith was gracious enough to stick with me. We headed out to the Barkhamsted Reservoir and the guys were a bit ahead of me when I came to a funny stop sign and not sure of the traffic pattern and not being able to stop well put me in to a panic. I ended up stopping by going across the road and hitting the curb, and got my little tippy toe down in time to not fall over. Good thing I did that instead of going out in front of the 18 wheeler that was coming along. I stopped to catch my breath and the guys eventually turned around and came back. I really don't recall much else about the ride, we stopped for tea a second time, and I did make it back to the parking area in one piece. I even kind of enjoyed it. A total of 26 miles on flat pedals.
I figured that it would only get easier from there, and I was right. I made up for a lack of physical ability by being stubborn. I am sure the coaches from Team in Training had bets going that I wouldn't make it. But I did. I learned a lot from the various people I rode with. Jim Clark told me to keep pedaling when he noticed that I had a tendency to pedal, pedal, pedal coast, pedal, pedal, pedal, coast. Jim Kimball took me out one day and we practiced getting my butt off the seat when I stopped instead of relying on that one little tippy toe that could touch the ground. He also taught me how to remove my water bottle and actually drink while on the bike (that was a huge help). Little by little I could go into a bike shop and find clothing to fit (I am still in the larger sizes, but heck, a gal has to have some curves, right?). One Century ride turned into another and into another. I could go out and ride on the road by myself, even on roads that were new to me. I signed up for a century in Lake George and attempted it by myself, and made it the first 40 miles or so before they closed the course (heavy rain, wind and 40 degrees.. yuk!). I have taken new riders and helped them to love cycling, I have ridden with people slower, faster, older, younger. I learned how to change a flat (thanks Newington Bike), clean my chain (thanks again, Newington Bike), and most recently, I learned the value of finding the perfect bike (thanks again and again, Newington Bike). And, now, I am an Ambassador to promote women's cycling (even us older, curvier women!). One think to say to that, and you know what that is, THANKS, Newington Bike!!!
I kept riding, the pounds slowly came off. There are plenty more pounds to go, and that is okay. I have plenty more miles to ride, too. And that, is very, very much okay.
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