The Beauty of MFP

BlisterLamb

Winter is very hard on me. I think I may have Seasonal Affective Disorder, or whatever its called. I tend to get depressed and lethargic and on top of that, its so stinkin cold and all my favorite activities...well...most...are out of doors. I have my grandkids during the day, so the only time I can really work out is early in the morning and I am NOT a morning person. Its dark by 5 in the evening. Overall, winter just blows. By February, I'm feeling old, grumpy and depressed. And there are still a couple months of unpredictable, and often cold, weather left. But at the end of February I decided enough was enough. I have a 60 mile bike ride to do at the end of April and I hadn't been on my bike all winter. I decided to ride 300 miles in March to start getting myself back into riding shape. That would mean riding in, what I consider, ugly circumstances. So I posted my intention on my wall and my awesome friends all began cheering me on.

I mainly had to get up at 5 A.M. (a feat in itself for me) and bike around the local "marina" because its still dark at that ungodly hour and the marina is lit. Around and around and around. It was usually between 25 and 38 degrees out there. One morning the water in my water bottle formed ice chunks while I was riding. Some days I was able to get in an evening ride out on the road or bike path. But evenings are usually windy. I was often facing anywhere from an 8 mph to a 15mph headwind for half the ride on those days.

Some mornings I didn't want to get out of bed. Some evenings I was tired. But there were 48 people expecting me to finish this thing. Believing that I would. This morning it was dark, sprinkling a bit, but at least it was 48 degrees. There is a storm coming in this afternoon that will last through the end of the month. It was do or die time. I put on a rain jacket and headed out in the darkness to do 27 miles and reach my goal. And I did.

When I started, I was sadly out of shape. My rides were about 15 miles. The marina has small hills that killed my quads. My average speed was between 10 and 12 mph. I did 27 miles this morning in about 15 minutes longer than it took me to do the 15 when I started. I powered up the hills without shifting into an easier gear. One month of consistent, no excuses riding, and I'm stronger, faster and ride longer. I would have found lots of reasons not to go if I had just told myself that I wanted to do 300 miles. But with 48 other people looking on and believing in me, there were NO excuses. I went, no matter what. And I'm better for it. And THAT, for me, is the beauty of MFP.

taunto

hi BlisterLamb

BlisterLamb

Hi Taunto...One of my very awesome friends.

shoshi68

I love this virtual place.

Crankstr

Hi Taunto...One of my very awesome friends.

Taunto's hi is the beauty of MFP

Mainebikerchick

:drinker:

Hi Taunto...One of my very awesome friends.

Taunto's hi is the beauty of MFP

Well said, Jules!

Mavrick_RN

OMG you sound like a Seattle rider. Those people are crazy. I miss them so much. I remember the first ride of my season to be "The McClinchy Mile" I hit the wall at 40 miles. Almost became delusional saying something about "must have Costco hotdog....."

My best spring ride was Tour de Lopez. An excuse to squeeze on the ferry with a bicycle.

Anyway, good on you for powering through. It is REALLY HARD to get out when it's cold and rainy and dark.

You are using MFP in it's finest. Get support, some accountability along the way and then the AWSUM congrats for staying the course.

You, dear Blisterlamb, are one of the beautiful people!!

anbegley

You rock Janet. So proud of you. :happy:

BlisterLamb

OMG you sound like a Seattle rider. Those people are crazy. I miss them so much. I remember the first ride of my season to be "The McClinchy Mile" I hit the wall at 40 miles. Almost became delusional saying something about "must have Costco hotdog....."

My best spring ride was Tour de Lopez. An excuse to squeeze on the ferry with a bicycle.

Anyway, good on you for powering through. It is REALLY HARD to get out when it's cold and rainy and dark.

You are using MFP in it's finest. Get support, some accountability along the way and then the AWSUM congrats for staying the course.

You, dear Blisterlamb, are one of the beautiful people!!

Thank you so much!
I did a bike in Northern Caifornia, in Fall River Mills. It was a metric century ride, I think about 60 miles. I refer to it as the scenic tour of HELL! It was 105 degrees and there was NO shade. There were trees all over the sides of the road but they weren't casting any shade on the road. I got some kind of heat related freak out. I think I was also dehydrated. But I was freaking out because the sun was on me and I couldn't get it off. I couldn't get away from it. I went into the trees but there still wasn't any shade. I kept saying, "Its on me, its on me!" I finally found this little twig tree that was casting a little sliver of shade. I went and sat under it and there were ants but I didn't care. I was drinking my water that had gotten warm and the SAG wagon came by and asked me if I wanted them to take my bike. I said no, I was going to finish the damn thing. I still had about 10 miles to go. They gave me cold water and I took off again. The smart man followed me up the next hill. At the top, I flagged him down. There is no quit in me, but at that point I knew I was not going to finish that ride. I could either go out toes up or under my own steam, but I was going out one way or another. I let him rack my bike and give me a ride back. I was so bummed. Thats the only time I ever gave up the bike.

Mavrick_RN

Oh MY. Now that is one determined bicyclist. It is difficult to accept help when you have so pumped yourself up to finish something. But the smart move is to choose life and finish the damn ride another day.