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December 31, 2006
Oh Yeah, I Rode Today Too
Getting all excited about next season, forgot to include about my ride this morning!
So yeah - not too many people showed up and then of the ones that did, they didn't all want to go very far. Bums. But I did get my 50 miles in (okay, it was really just 48.5) and I did have some company.
Of course that company happened to be the best cyclist on our team. Ouch. But he had just returned from the UK (where he is from) and so he was jetlagged. I had that going for me. :) Still, our strongest cyclist who can climb like a madman (he's just a small little guy). I knew I was in for a ride.
It worked out well though. I had to ride pretty hard to keep up but he didn't try and kill me either. What he didn't allow (at least all the time) was me to just draft off him. We rode side by side for the majority of the ride (except when I was really tired I would take a break behind him :) and I'll have to say I felt pretty dang strong! My quads are tired now doubt but on the flats I was able to consistently keep up with his 20-24 MPH tempo and on the hills, well - he just had to wait for me at the top. :) We finished up the ride in 2.5 hours. And I'll have to say it was a great way to end the year.
Best part of all was, he and I had lots of good coversation (when I wasn't gasping for air) - anything ranging from the Queen Mum (he is a Brit after all) to carbon frames to the differences between the standard of living in the US vs England. He asked me my goals for the season and I laid it on him. And then he said some of the most encouraging stuff to me I've heard in a long time. I certainly appreciate ANY encouragement from anyone, but sometimes when it comes from certain people, it means so much more. Coming from him, it meant a lot. He's such an accomplished athlete himself. And I appreciated his comments from the bottom of my heart. He also gave me some advice - keep your life simple, keep yourself happy and always keep your enthusiasm (that he says I have a lot of but I sometimes beg to differ... :). And as we finished the ride along the river I felt very blessed to be in the situation I'm in. I am so lucky to have the teammates I have and the support system that envelopes me. Just so very, very, very lucky...
Posted by beth at December 31, 2006 5:33 PM