Dog Tired

Sometimes life just gets in the way when it comes to bike riding. Riding usually takes more time than other activities and it can't really be done safely during commuting time. So instead, tonight I opted to take my dog, Cassi, out for an evening walk. When I say "walk", I don't mean stroll. We power walk. I've always been kind of a fast walker, and I was made faster by my Boston commuting days of running to and from my office to catch the train at North Station. I've found it can be quite hazardous at times - especially in the hallways of my current office. So this explains why my dog is passed out on the floor just five minutes after we arrived home. We were power walking. As much as I would have liked to have biked tonight, at least I can say I got my butt out there. And I got my pup dog tired.

This weekend's ride challenge: Learning to keep a steady pace. Also, inspired by my friend Claudia, I'm going to try to replace one car ride errand with a bike ride - perhaps to the bakery or, better yet, the liquor store. :-)

The Day After....

I actually felt pretty good today after my long ride yesterday. I woke up with a little stiffness in my neck and sore legs but that seemed to go away after being up and about. I actually had a lot of energy, too. We'll see how I feel tomorrow - sometimes it's the day after the day after that does me in....

Nevertheless, I'm now inspired to try the 62 mile leg of the Cycle for Shelter, which would be my first fundraiser. It's not until July 27, so that would give me plenty of time to prep. Plus, much of the route is in the general area of where I've been riding so far, so I know it will be familiar and very scenic. Gotta think about it but I'll probably commit in the next few days.

40+ Miles!

I hit unchartered territory for me today - 41.6 miles! (or 41.59 as my bike computer displays on the left, to be exact). Surprisingly, I felt strong for most of the ride, even though I've never done this kind of distance before and my bike is only 2 weeks old. During my first 20 miles, I averaged 16.4 mph. Then I made a turn, headed straight into the wind and realized that it had been at my back most of the ride so far. I didn't get off my bike until I hit mile 26, when I inhaled a granola bar. It was at that point, though, that I came to the unfortunate realization that I probably didn't bring enough water. Gotta figure that one out for my next long ride. At mile 30 I was still feeling strong but faced that monster hill I did on Saturday. I did what I did last time - stayed in the "granny gear" (a funny term my sister-in-law uses) and just got through it. The next 10 miles were my slowest but I had a smile on my face the entire ride after hitting the big 4-0. Woo hoo! Total time out: 2 hours 49 minutes. Final average mph: 14.7. Can you tell I like numbers?

After I finished 30 on Saturday, I definitely felt like I had more miles in me. I didn't feel that way after 40 today, though, and I was happy to pull back into my driveway. I do feel surprisingly good right now - only a little neck pain and my legs are sore - that good sore you get when you've worked hard. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

I think I'll hover in the 30-40 mile range for the next few weeks and let my body adjust before going for 50 and beyond. I can't wait until next weekend!

30 Miles!

Today I had my longest ride ever - 30 miles! I planned a 25 mile route but when I was halfway out, I decided to add another small loop since I was feeling so good. I was out two hours so I averaged 15 mph. There was one major killer hill - right before Georgetown Country Club on the way back. OMG - that hill was torture. At some points up I was only going 6 mph. I didn't get off my bike and walk, though! And I was rewarded after by an nice long downhill stretch where I clocked my fastest speed ever - 29.5 mph.

Today I biked through North Andover, Boxford, Georgetown and Byfield. Boxford is beautiful and has many old houses, barns, horses and open land. Here is a cool old cemetery I passed. Graves date back to the 1700s.



When I was out in Byfield, I biked by the field that my kids' lacrosse tournament was at last weekend. There are about 6 fields and it's a great facility. Not much going on there today! Many are at Gillette Stadium watching the NCAA men's lacrosse playoffs, like my hubby and son.

I'm feeling good after my ride - tired but not too bad. I even took my dog for a 1.5 mile power walk tonight to loosen up. I'm so jacked, in fact, that I plan to try 40 on Monday. We'll see!

Things I'm learning....

Being a novice road biking, I'm learning a few things as I try to get myself out the door and on my bike on a regular basis....

• Always be on the look out for crazy drivers!
• Don't ever forget your shoes are clipped to your pedals - especially when you stop
• Wear sunglasses even at dusk to prevent bugs from attaching themselves to your eyeballs
• Try to keep your mouth closed to prevent said bugs from flying in
• You're supposed to yell, "On your left!" when approaching other bikers. (Hey, I actually passed another biker today - a guy! and he had better equipment than me!)
• Wear the bike shorts even if you think they make your legs look like sausages
• The bike seat actually does become more comfortable after 5 rides
• It's okay to grunt and groan loudly going up a steep hill
• Biking on a really windy day isn't the best idea
  
• Cyclists are a friendly group of folks

Questions I still have...

• What is the proper term for people who ride road bikes? Bikers? Cyclists? Riders?
• What is the correct greeting when you pass another biker/cyclist/rider - a wave? a nod? I'm getting mixed signals and sometimes none at all
• Will my thighs get totally huge?
  

First week - 40 miles!

Okay, that header's a little misleading. I didn't actually do a 40 mile bike ride - at least not yet. But I've owned my road bike one week and I've already done 40 miles (consisting of 4 rides ranging from 7-12 miles each). I was lucky to be able to squeeze a ride in this weekend between my daughter's lacrosse tournament games up in Byfield, MA. It is such a beautiful area with old farmhouses, antique houses, and quaint roadside stands. Even saw an old turtle crossing the road! There were also big open green pastures - like this one along Scotland Road, which seemed to be a very popular birdwatching spot.


Here is sign I came across in the same area which made me chuckle..... Who do you suppose Grinley is?

The Dolce

My friend Claudia, blogger aficionado, has requested a picture of my new bike. So here it is. It is a Specialized Dolce, which is a model specifically designed for women. John, at Buchika's, spent a good hour fitting the bike for me and teaching me all about the gears and other components, sharing his experiences road biking and giving me some good tips about getting started. It fits like a glove now - a far cry from the last road bike I bought. I think I was 13 or 14 at the time. I convinced my dad to buy me a bike because I liked the color, even though it was totally huge for me. My argument was that I'd grow into it. Well, that never happened. So my 5'4" body was stuck for years riding a bike built for someone who is 5'10"! Even though I was initially drawn to the color of the Dolce (black with pink accents and a funky design), I tried to be practical this time,. since I'm pretty sure I won't be growing anymore (and hopefully won't be shrinking soon...)

So the bike comes with this funky 'girl' seat. Cool, don't you think? It's supposed to match a woman's anatomy. Hmmm... I do like it compared to other bike seats, so there must be something there, though my butt still hurts from my first few rides. I'm hoping that will go away with time.

Taking the plunge...

Okay, this is unchartered territory for me. My friend, Claudia, blogs quite successfully, as you will see if you simply Google 'Claudia'. Claudia's Blog comes up as number 1. Not sure what my plan is here but thought I might give it a try to see what it's like to be a blogger. I've kept diaries and calendars charting my life since I was 10, but I haven't been very successful in the last few years. Maybe this is a better medium.

What to talk about.... Well, one big thing I've just committed to doing is biking my first 'century'. This is a pretty big plan given that I just bought my first new road bike in over 30 years. I think I got my last one when I was 13. Then I got a mountain bike 16 years ago, but I'm pretty much done with biking trails. Riding on the road with it is clunky, as those of you who have done it know. Needless to say, when I got on my road bike for the first time on Sunday (Mother's Day), I felt like I was flying.

Maybe I'll use this blog to chronicle my journey down this new path. I have 18 weeks to train. The Seacoast Century, in Hampton, NH, is supposed to be a good century to start with given that it is flat and very scenic. I sure hope so!
Until next time...