Training Day

The year is going quickly.  Spring break is over, we have less than 8 weeks left in school, which means 10 weeks until BAK.  Time to start getting a bit more serious.  Saturdays original plan was to just work out with Rhi.  Then we thought, if it's nice out we should bike somewhere to lunch.  Then a crazy idea hit me.  I could bike to Claflin to work out, then I could get some serious mileage in today.  Ah, the ideas that come to you when you've had your second cup of coffee.  I had this idea about 2 hours before I was supposed to meet Rhi, which meant I had about an hour to decide if this was what I wanted to do.  Looking at the temperature and the wind, I thought I can do it!  My hope was that a 4 mph wind, 35 degree temp and sunshine would be okay.  I thought that the lack of serious wind and warm sun would keep me warm enough.  I can say, I should work on my thought processes a bit.   Although it wasn't horribly cold, it was BRISK.  I'm honestly surprised that I didn't turn around 3 blocks from my house.  It got better out on the highway, and with a tail wind, I made to Claflin in record time.

When I got the gym, I made Rhi wait to work out as I tried to get comfortable feelings back into my toes.  Even with wool socks, they were just too cold.  Everything else was fine.  When asked what I wanted to work out today, I simply said no legs.  I knew we were going to be riding and thought that was enough abuse for the legs for one day.  And so we did arms, abs and cardio circuits.  On a side note, my legs didn't like jump roping, even though they didn't feel cold, they felt stiff and protested the activity.  Once finished we decided on Holyrood for lunch.  Holyrood is only 9 miles from Claflin and as I had already bike 13 to get to Claflin, I was glad for the short distance.  It had warmed up, but it was still brisk outside.  I really think we had more wishful thinking for warm temperatures than actual warm temperatures.  We took the major highway to Holyrood.  I actually drive this quite a bit since it's where one of my schools are, but you never think of the hills the same way in a car.  And the worse hill isn't one of those serious grade hills, it's the kind that is long, gradual and never seems to end.  But from the top you coast all the way into town.  Time for lunch!  If you're local and have never had C&V's grilled chicken wrap, you are missing out.  YUM!  We ate, we rested, and I got a Powerade.  Rhi tells me she'll ride with me halfway to Ellinwood.  We decide not to stop in Claflin and go straight on through.  Now, if we do the math, I'm up to 22 miles already for the day.  My legs are protesting as we get on our bikes and start going back.  Now heading into the wind.  Honestly the wind wasn't bad, but it's just about all I can hear.  I'm starting to think my ears must be bigger than I thought.  When I ride, all I hear is wind...and it's hard on your mind.

By this time I'm starting to slow down.  I just don't have the power to go faster, so I fall behind Rhi, and then catch up, and then fall behind and then catch up.  We agree to take a break after we climb the overpass.  I was surprised when Rhi stops on the top of the over pass.  For those of you who are not local, there is a substantial shoulder, so we were not in any danger.  We're standing, I'm trying to stretch out angry leg muscles, and Rhi takes a picture of the view.  It's really pretty actually, something I'm sad I never noticed especially since I drive over it every day.  As we're standing there, a semi rolls across the over pass and the whole thing starts moving.  Kind of like a wooden plank that you bounce in the middle on.  I start freaking out, this isn't right, it's crazy.  Rhi says she wants to want for another truck, see if it will do it again.  We do, and it does!!! Creepiest thing ever.  Concrete is not supposed to flex like that, is it!?  I decide I want off the over pass.  And thus starts the discussion, does this happen on all bridges and overpasses or just this one.  The idea is kind of scary for me.  And so we head on.  We turn off to the Ellinwood black top and take another short break.  At this point, I'm really wanting to call Jason for a ride and am regretting the lack of padded shorts.  Rhi says no, I want to make miles and you will help!  She's going as far as the Peter and Paul Church before she turns back.  It's the mid point between Claflin and Ellinwood.  She encourages me, says I can make it...and then I will be too close to home to call Jason.  My rear end and shoulders beg to differ with her confidence, but we head on.  We get to the church.  Rhi says not to call Jason, I can make it the last 6 miles and when I do it will be a conquered thing.  I tell her I will do my best but I'm taking a break and pouring my Powerade into my water bottle, since I am now out of water.  I roll to a stop in the gravel/grass parking lot and watch Rhi turn around, and going with the wind head back to Claflin.  Ugh.  Six miles.  I stretch, I check facebook, I pour my Powerade into my water bottle.  Ugh.  Six miles.

I get on my bike, and start trudging.  The good thing is I ride this section of road a lot, so I know what's ahead of me.  One little hill and it's basically downhill from there into town.  I try and do what Rhi had suggested, breaking it into chunks.  One mile at a time  My back and shoulders are stiff, and my butt hurts and I am really hoping for a flat tire.  (I didn't have anything to fix a flat so I would have to call Jason).  I take a drink from the water bottle, YUCK.  My Powerade, which tasted just fine at lunch, tastes like gross Koolaid now.  I wish I had water.  Mile by mile.  I can see the blue water towers.  I am going to finish, not super fast but I will finish.  So I keep pedaling.  3 miles from town.  2 miles from town.  I'm in town.  Ellinwood is roughly 1 mile across, and I am on the far side of town.  I roll through town, wincing at the brick streets.  I can see my house!  I roll up to the garage, and there is Jason.  I'm so tired.  Jason takes my bike for me, I sit in the grass and stretch, texting Rhi, I made it.  I tell Jason I wanted to call him about 13 miles ago, he says I was only 2 miles from you at my parent's house, I could have come and gotten you.  Ugh.  It hasn't sunk in yet that I just did 44 miles, on my own accord, with no SAGs.  I head to the shower, AMAZING.  I take a brief nap.  I feel so much better.

I did 44 miles.  Longest ride since the Chicken ride last August.  I might survive BAK.

I also learned several important things:

• I missed my padded shorts, badly. 
• My legs were lying when they said they were tired.  They don't even hurt today. 
• I cannot skip sunscreen, even in the spring time...I have pink spots.  
• Powerade is not something I want on my rides.  I can't believe how gross it tasted when I wanted water.  
• Maybe I shouldn't try and do workouts and long rides.
• Rhi and I have decided it's important to go for small victories.  I did 44 miles but the last 6 were the hardest.
• I need to take more pictures and learn to enjoy what's around me.  Less focus on the physical demands and more on the journey.  Overall, it was awesome, and I have not one picture.

Next weekend I hope to do 50 miles.  In two weeks, I am signed up to do a 58 mile ride up in Wamego.  This is the training, but I will try to stay positive and over come.