Thursday, April 15, 2010

Training

We started bicycle training on the rail trail on Easter Sunday. Jerry, Allison, our friend Melissa and myself began at the Gloversville Transit Station parking lot, and headed southh towards Johnstown. This trail is the former GJ&F Railroad path, and has been paved over for use by recreation buffs strictly for their non-motorized enjoyment. No ATVs, no vehicles at all. Just paved bike and hiking paths following the old route of the GJ&F. The route from Gloversville is approximately 3-4 miles, and is fairly level. As we are registered for the 25 mile Tour de Cure on June 6, training has become a priority. Twenty-five miles is not something you can just arrive for-it requires a bit of pre-planning. I did some training last year for the ten mile route, and I finished with flying colors, albeit tired and overdone. Whatever made me think that 25 miles was the way to go is now escaping me. Was ten not enough? I had to up the bar on MYSELF? WTF? Anyway, I've committed, so I will train. I have no guarantee that the Saratoga Sprints route is as level or that even I will get to see the whole thing, because so far, I'm not doing well. The 3-4 mile trip that we took on Easter Sunday was a slight incline on the return trip. When I say slight incline, I mean that if you laid an egg down on the path, it may or may not roll in that direction - that is how slight it was. But for me, it was as if I was climbing Mt. Everest. HUGE! At about the midway point (maybe a little more or less-I can't say) I realize that I felt like I was going to keel over and decided to bail. Midway there is a lovely little Gazebo and park where you can stop in your travels. I stopped. And didn't travel any more. My trusty mate Jerry finished the route with the other two girls (Allison on a bike with NO GEARS no less-that's HER choice by the way). They all got back to the Gloversville starting point, loaded up their bikes and came to get me, vegging at the park. What was foremost on my mind at that point was Saratoga Springs/25 Miles/ARE WE KIDDING? Anyway, it was a lovely ride, and the first day of training. Always the hardest I guess. I hope. It's good to lower the bar sometimes. Then you can crawl out of it.

1 comment:

Lutheranchic said...

you will do it.keep training