~ The Clymb ~

Before the ride!!!!

My bike weighs almost as much as I do.   For reals.   The epic 40 mile bike ride to Nyack was a blast and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Except when the big hills were upon me.   Then it was hard and ego crushing and I wanted to throw my bike on the side of the road and walk or run.   I could have moved faster that way.   But, instead I walked up the hills with my bike and watched all the cyclists pass me by.   What was amazing though, was the group of people I was with.

Caring, sharing, funny, very very athletic and they all had my back.  Not once did I feel alone or lost.  Not even for a second.  In the group were triathletes and very experienced runners and cyclists.   One of the very experienced cyclists said to me “if you can ride this trip to Nyack on your heavy mountain bike, you are one fit woman”.    At least I think that is what he said!

Let me paint a picture for you:

Riding over the George Washington Bridge ~ Easy peasy.   Heading on to 9W.   Nice.   9W ~  Pretty neat.  Some nice hills but I got through them.   Right before we headed into Piermont the group stopped and I was told there was a nice and LONG downhill.   YEAH!   I so dig those downhills.  Curvy roads and downhills on a bike is so much fun.  I had a huge grin on my face and I think I hit about 23.5 mph.   It was glorious.   Once in Piermont, it was just a few more miles into Nyack.   Lovely scenery, beautiful homes and the water on my right.   Again, glorious.   I was kept company by Baker and he pointed out a pretty home to me.   I looked and said NICE and almost smashed into a light pole.   LOL.

The Runcible Spoon.   The place.  A veritable cyclists haven for breakfast, schmoozing, resting and refueling so that the trip back to NYC is made easier.   The muffins are huge, the coffee is delicious and they even have coconut water for those of us who want to replace some much needed electrolytes.   After we had our breakfast, we sunblocked up and were on our way.

The women and their muffin tops.   Ooops, muffins.  No way do these women have muffin tops.

I was warned that the ride back would include those wonderful downhills, only in reverse.   I did some quick calculating in my head and came up with UPHILLS.   I’m cool that way.  We (read I) were going along and all of a sudden, I couldn’t move.  It was the hill, I think.   Kept trying to move.   Yes, it was the hill.   I had to dismount my bike and walk up the entire hill.   I wasn’t scared but I started feeling a big time BONK coming on.   Mile 26.2 and I was BONKING.   I knew there was about 14 miles to go.   Again, quick calculations in my head.  If I got rid of the bike and started a run/walk program that would put me back into NYC about 4 hours later.   :O)   Not happening.   Luckily Daniel came back to look for me and stayed with me until the last of the nasty ass hills were behind us.

When I heard the words “It’s all flats and downhills from here on out”  I silently rejoiced.   I know, I am being a bit melodramatic.   The ride was a blast.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Some Stats:

No speed workouts since June 22nd.  That’s cool.   Today was my 5th Monday in a row running in my Vibrams in Prospect Park.   Not sure why I go there to run in my Vibrams but I do.   There is a dirt/grass area that I like to start out on and then after about a mile I move to the pavement.   I have not walked up the hill at all.  If I can’t run up that hill in Prospect Park, am I even a runner?   I think my ankles and calves are getting really strong due to my VFF runs.

On June 30th I ran a really great negative split 5 miler.

2.50 Miles   23.12

2.50 Miles  22.32

5 miles in 45.44.   I’ll take it.

July 6th I ran a decent 4 miler in 37.54.   Again, I’ll take it.

So, all good running and cycling wise.

I’ve also been keeping up with my core workouts.   Really just push ups, crunches, planks and sometimes squats.   And I’ll keep doing core because core makes you stronger.

Stair repeats anyone?   Yeah, its the way I roll.

Wanting to be someone else, is a waste of the person you are   Kurt Cobain

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too.  They live inside us, and sometimes they win.  Stephen King

Only those who risk going to far, can possibly find out how far they can go.   T.S. Elliot