Whew - What a Saturday!

The only plan for today was to take a bike ride with Miguel towing the kids. Well, you would have thought we were planning a wedding! It took us all day to get out of the house. Part of it was there was a lot to get out and organize for the ride. The other part was Miguel finishing up a home improvement project that was to take, "no more than 30 minutes." I don't know exactly how long it took but 30 minutes it was not. I never discourage home improvement though so I kept my trap shut on the matter, mostly. Guess what time we started riding? 12:30pm.

Still, we went. Our friend Stacy came along for the ride and we all eventually got on the road. Things were going alright until I had to stop and wait for Miguel to make a routing decision. Pulling the 50+ pounds of kids and trailer, he was moving a little slower than us. As soon as our son saw me he started screaming, "Out, mommy, I want out, out, ouuuuuuuutttttt!". We'd gone maybe two miles. We decided that Miguel would ride back to the car and Stacy and I would ride on and picked a place for him to pick us up. He told me Marek screamed the whole way back to the car and some people were staring, Why is that man torturing that poor child? Poor Miguel (and Marek), they didn't have nearly as much fun as I did.

So Stacy and I followed the signs to Tiburon and ran into a couple of hills. Stacy said, "I did not sign up for hills." But also that she wasn't going to wimp out so up the hills we went. There were only two and they weren't too bad. Though I was huffing and puffing to get Tillie and I up and over them. I realized I never explained my choice in bike names. Remember The Little Engine That Could, of "I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can" fame? That train was named Tillie (in the movie version, in the book it didn't have a name) and seemed the most perfect name for my bike. Here's a verse from the book I found online,

As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I--think--I--can, I--think--I--can." It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

How perfect is that? Tillie, today with a re-introduction to the world. She was a glorious ride. Oh, but I haven't finished telling you about my time on Tillie today. When Stacy and I were nearing our meet-up spot with Miguel I told her, "I'm not ready to stop." Riding was just feeling like so much fun. I am remembering now why I went on some of those crazy long rides before. I really like it. So I asked Miguel if he was ok with my going to the gym later while the kids napped, "sure." I love a supportive husband. We got home after lunch and off I went, riding the roughly 3.5 miles to the gym. On the way there is a hill that I had ridden a bunch of times. It's the same hill I had to go over when I rode to my swim classes way back when. It's a little steeper than I remember it.

It was hard. No doubt about it. I pulled out all my old tricks for getting up hills. Mainly I used the advice Katie gave me the first time I faced a scary hill, Don't look up at the hill while climbing it, just look a few feet ahead. Pick a spot about 10' feet ahead and ride to that. Repeat. Stay in your baby gear. Take your time, conserve energy. You'll make it. Today I made the mistake of looking up the hill and quickly told myself to stop and focus on my current goal. I pushed, I pedaled, I breathed, and I made it up that hill. My heart rate was going a bit crazy but only for a short time but boy was I happy to be over that hill! These victories are part of what's so addicting about getting out there and making it happen. Sometimes you have the opportunity to impress even yourself.

After that hill the rest of the ride was easy. I arrived at the gym sweaty and hot thinking I'd do c25k Week 1 Day 4 (despite Miguel telling me to take it easy at the gym, "remember, you have to ride back home!"). I changed into my gym shoes and hopped on the treadmill. I think I was two minutes into the warmup walk when I realized how crazy I was and decided not to do c25k today. I did 5 minutes and hopped off to do weight training. Smart move I think. So legs and shoulders were due up on the weight training plan but I knew that was a bad idea so I did back and biceps instead. The trainer I met with before - turns out his name is Ian, not Ken - was there today and he ended up giving me a touch-up on the knee lifts ab exercise. I just didn't feel like it was doing anything so he helped me with my technique. I finished up with some stretching and left for the ride home. If I told you I was afraid I wouldn't make it, would you believe me?

Unfortunately I was sort of afraid. I was scared my body would say, "Enough!" (after the earlier ride, then the ride to the gym, then the gym itself), but it didn't. I had forgotten that the hill I rode going was way easier coming back. Thank goodness for small gifts. It was still hard and I still had to do some serious self talk to get Tillie and myself over it but it was definitely easier, though made harder by all that proceeded it. So, I made it home and felt pretty darned pleased with myself, 7 miles round trip. Where is all this energy coming from? Maybe the In&Out burger and fries I had for lunch was the secret? Ha! But seriously, I will try not to question it and just be grateful.

So that wraps up this week. I think the only day I didn't exercise was Friday. I am not establishing a precedent here but will definitely ride this wave for as long as it carries me. I plan to go to the gym tomorrow and look forward to seeing how c25k feels after all the riding today. Whew, I'm exhausted. Night all.