Bullwinkle: Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of a hat.Rocky: Again?? That trick never works!!
Bullwinkle: This time for sure.
Lion: ROARRRR!!
Rocky: Wrong hat!
Who watched Rocky & Bullwinkle as a kid and remembers this running joke? Right now I'm pretty much feeling like Bullwinkle. Let me back up and explain.
I mentioned on Monday that I wanted to put a few events on the calendar to help me out of my funk. Put a few things out there including a 250M swim/5K Splash&Dash on the 31st. I also talked to Husband about things he might like to to do together.
As it turns out, he was under the impression that we were already planning on doing the Albuquerque Century Ride on 7-Jun, less than three weeks away.
Ummmm. Small problem. I haven't been on my bike for awhile.
Like.Since.December.
Given that he's done every event I've ever asked him to do with me, I rather not disappoint him and bail on this. So, I told him that I'd work really hard for the next two weeks to try to position it so we can do the half-century which includes 1250 ft of climb over 10 miles. If that doesn't seem feasible, we can do the quarter century which is basically flat.
Get ready in roughly seventeen days for a half-century with climb?!? I pretty much need to pull a rabbit out of my hat to make that happen.
I looked at the calendar and tried to devise some plan to get there. I counted six opportunities to bike commute to work. Each of those gives me 12.5 miles round trip including a hill climb on the way in that replicates the tour climb (just a lot shorter). I also have two friday afternoons available to get some riding in. And we can take advantage of the Memorial Day holiday for a long ride this weekend.
There's really no time to spare, so I got all geared up to commute in this morning only to find that the rear tire on my commuter bike is horribly out of true. Spent 30 mins trying to adjust it so that it wouldn't rub on the rear brake and finally gave up.
Loaded it up in the back of my Jetta to take it into the shop. Luckily, they expect to have it back to my by Friday afternoon.
However, this plan to pull a rabbit out of my hat is clearly not off to a good start.
Yikes! Good thing you found the problem with your bike NOW, huh? Now less days for riding though. I'm sure you'll be fine. It may be difficult but you'll be alright. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh gee, I should have mentioned that I have two bikes. I would do the half-century on another bike. I'm assuming that one is okay. Commuting is out for now, but I can still ride the other one if I find time...
ReplyDelete50-miles on three weeks of training and no taper. Yikes is right! I'm sure you can get through it, but your pace is going to have to be verrrrrrrryyyyy conservative. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYikes is right! Sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteI biked for the first time in a year... 11.5 miles with hills, this past Sunday! If I can do it, then you can too! I hate biking!
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, my best friend and I decided to do the NSW Big Ride. Basically between 40 and 70 kms a day for eight days (we nominated to do half). We had both spent the past five years on bikes as commuters in London, but had been back in Australia for a year and hadn't done any riding.
ReplyDeleteBy the time we got to the ride, we'd had three training rides of 15kms around Centennial Park, a very, very flat park in Sydney.
The first day, it was up to 44 degrees on the tarmac and mostly uphill for 46kms. We did it (and I was about 70lbs overweight at the time). I won't tell you about the other three days... :)
So you can do it. Totally!
Oops! I have no idea what kind of training goes into a ride like that, but good luck!
ReplyDeleteI reckon don't try and train for it, you don't have time, you don't need the stress and you certainly do enough work on your fitness. treat it as a BIG day out
ReplyDeletei'd love to do one of those one day! Sounds like fun, and you've been hard core about working out, you have a solid base, so I'm sure you'll do fine. Good thing you found out about the bike now!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! It sounds like you are pretty physically fit, so you just need to get back in the swing of riding.
ReplyDeleteHope it all works out well for you!
MCM Mama
Good luck! You can do it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun! You can do it! How great that you and your hubby can do these things together. :D
ReplyDeleteIf l'il sister can do an Ironman with no training, you can probably cruise the 50 miles... (just wear extra padding) :-)
ReplyDeleteYou might just surprise yourself - I'm sure your general fitness level will help carry you along. And way to be a great wife too!
ReplyDeleteholy wow! I am sure a lot of folks have said it already, with your fitness I bet you can pull this out and be just fine...but me on the other had, well i'd need to be pulled in that little baby trailer behind his bike
ReplyDeleteThink positively and go for it! Of course, if problems arise drop out. You might totally surprise yourself!
ReplyDeleteNothing like the pressure of a short fuse to really kick that training into gear! Godo luck!
ReplyDeleteFunks can be hard to get out of. Listened to your peeps and go for it.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll do great. My husband is a cyclist and can usually go weeks with no training and hop back on and pop out 40 miles! And since you're a runner... you will kick that hal-century's butt! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou can do it sista!!
ReplyDeleteI have faith in your riding ability!!!
That's a tight training schedule, but I'm sure you can do it! Good luck rocking your rides!
ReplyDeleteThink you can and you will!!! I'm sending lots of positive training vibes your way!
ReplyDeleteYay for the husband doing something with you! Yikes that it's so soon! Good luck. Remember all your other training has helped prepare you for this too! It doesn't have to all be on the bike. You're strong. You'll do great. :)
ReplyDelete