After last week's 32 miles - I figured that I was peaking. Honestly last weekend's ride exceeded any expectations I had for myself. Never a cyclist before, I couldn't imagine mnoths ago when this plan was born, to ride in Dekalb, in June, that I would ever be able to ride that many miles on a bike. To those who may be reading this and are experienced cyclists, I understand you might not see that I would even be remarking about it, but as a complete novice and (I know you might be shocked) non-athlete all my life, the fact that I spent three consecutive hours on a bike is nothing short of amazing.
What is even more amazing is that I got back on the bike the following weekend and made it, again. This weekend, thanks to our tripmaster John, we made another great trip. John has a gift for blazing our trails. What's great about them, well to me, as a novice, is the scenery is beautiful (like seeing the bricks on Old Route 66, or a baby colt along the way), and the stretches we ride are never too long is one direction. It seems like just when I feel like I can't push ahead into the wind for another second, we turn and suddenly the wind is at our backs again, just when I was ready to give up. Or we tuck into a trail that has enough tress to block out whatever elements we are facing, just long enough to give us a break - so that we can continue on. And believe me - there are moments when I feel like I am going to break. Moments when I am barely crawling along. But its those moments that I stay determined not to quit. Sometimes my will alone isn't enough, and somehow my friends know when that is because its just then that Shannon will say "good job Brenda! you killed the hill!" or Terry will hang back just long enough to distract me from my thoughts of "what the hell am i doing out here?" to ask me how i'm doing - how is work, something random but very welcome when my mind is questioning me "what makes you think you can ride with this group? you can't do it." These moments are serendipitously broken up by my friends. John circling back to see if I'm holding up ok, Ray circling back and zipping by yelling something - anything to make me smile for a moment - kill the hill, or keep working, or I'm bonking! - Dodie constantly telling me I can do it.
Wow - looking back here - I didn't intend for this whole post to be about me! This ride for Beth is turning out to be a gift for me, as well. I guess what I'm to say is - I'm thankful for my friends that help my push myself to do more than I thought I could. Because let me assure anyone reading this - there is no greater feeling than pushing yourself farther than you thought you could; and surviving it!
We rode 33 miles this Saturday - just slightly farther than last Saturday. I haven't talked as much lately about the miles we've gone - although I did meet (finally) meet a personal goal of 10 miles without a stop - what's more interesting to me at the moment is - what is going to happen next? What is waiting for us next week? I'm more excited at this point to see where we're going!
