MS 150 Adventures Continued

After I got past my initial fear of the bike, I found it to actually be quite enjoyable... Especially in the beautiful spring-like February weather. Not to mention, a much better way to pass the time than hanging out on the stationary bike in the gym for hours on end.

The weekend after my bike maintenance class I took a 25-mile road ride out to MCC and then back through China Spring to the airport and back to my house. This is when I learned that I’d have to really map something out ahead of time to even reach a decent mileage. All this stuff seems a lot further apart than it actually is, apparently.  That same weekend I did a 10.5-mile ride on Sunday around the airport and over the dam.  I had originally intended to do 36 miles that weekend and I wanted to finish what I’d started.  I also didn’t have much more time than that to commit to cycling on Sunday afternoon. It was a very windy day and I worked really hard for those 10 miles! I also managed to throw my chain off the cassette somehow and had to figure out how to put it back on correctly so it was a learning experience for sure.

The following weekend I was determined to reach 36 miles in a single ride so I mapped it out before hand on mapmyride.com.  I kept adding more and more road until I finally hit 36 miles. This time I began at MCC and went out to Rock Creek and then around China Spring, then back through the airport to MCC. The wind was brutal that day as well and it took me a full 3 hours to complete the ride, but I did it. I am undecided whether the most remarkable part of that ride was the 6 dead skunks I passed or the 1.5 miles of gravel that I got stuck on unexpectedly. I was so convinced that I would get a flat on that gravel road and was so very thankful that I did not! (But at least I would know how to change it if I did.)

The road to Austin began way before Houston. (Part 1)

Last year my sister and brother participated in the Lone Star BP MS 150. I was able to join them at Camp St. Mark on Saturday evening and follow them along the route the next day, catching up with the team at lunch and at the finish line in Austin. After being on the outskirts that weekend, I realized that I too wanted to be a part of this awesome experience.

When the time came to sign up, I registered on the first day! I realized that meant I needed to begin training as soon as possible. About that time I turned 29 ½.  I decided it was officially time to join a gym. If I had any hope of being physically fit when I turned 30, I needed to start working out right away. At this point I didn’t even own a road bike, so I figured it was a good excuse to start out in the gym and wait for warmer weather before getting out on the roads.

I joined Gold’s, got a trainer, did some classes, and really devoted myself to working out 2 to 3 times a week while building my strength and endurance.  I kept that up until February, waiting for warmer weather and a bike to ride.  My sister was generous enough to share her bike with me for the season, and my mom was able to haul it back to Waco from Colorado on one of her many road trips back and forth.

My first time on the bike was downright scary. Figuring out how to get on, clip in, get going and then stop, clip out and get off was a mental workout in itself.  I realized pretty quickly that if I ran into anything at all I would go directly over the handlebars without a doubt. Along my route on that very first ride, a reflector came loose on the back tire causing a “pop! pop! pop! pop! pop! pop! CRUNCH!” - which scared me to death because I had no idea what it was or how to stop the bike and get off so I could check it out. After that I turned and headed back to the house, wondering how I’d ever get myself ready for the MS 150.

The following week I attended a bicycle maintenance class so I could learn a little more about my bike and how to change a flat if I ever should need to know. I stocked up on supplies and decided I was ready to hit the road again. I took another practice ride so I could learn how to use the gears and get comfortable riding a little faster pace.  That second outing was about 10 miles or so down by the river. I followed a hike-and-bike loop path just to get used to the feel of the bike. I practiced clipping out and stopping and realized that I could really handle this. By this time the race was only 8 weeks away. It was time to get serious!