Hard training... hard ride

Saturday was a crazy hard/fun ride but Sunday... jelly beans kids! Jelly is exactly what was. I rode out to the farmlands and was having a great tailwind ride and I knew it was going to be tough coming back it but then that's what training is about. Pushing the limits on yourself. Well there I was whistling some theme song from Lion King or something... hey, it was Oscar day... gotta be in tune with the events. Anyway, whistling Lion King and counting all the dead raccoons and possums on the side of the road. The hyenas would have loved it. I'm having ADD tonight huh... anyway... I was riding out further and further then remembered I am supposed to have dinner with friends that evening. Oh crud! This is bad!

Turn around and into the wind we go. Head down only looking up every now and then to be sure I was not about to run over anything and check for cracks and pot holes. Ipod was cranking. I was cranking. Dawg, I was c-r-a-n-k-i-n-g.... and still going slower than I needed.

I finally rolled into riverfront and was happy with the push to get back in. Then the legs said, no more. Wha?!! Come on guys, just got to get me a few more miles to the dog park and we'll be done. Nope, not gonna! Awwright, so I get over myself, swallow my pride and stop a moment. Sipping the FRS and watching a few folks roll by. After about maybe 5 minutes I push on but it really felt like I was holding on the the brake the rest of the way in.

Note to Lollipop rider friends... hey y'all remember the end of that first ride when we all had religious experiences and cussed in the same breath. Well, and all the promises we made? I was in that state of mind!

I rolled up to the car and wasn't sure if the mind would really tell the feet to unclip and if the feet were really going to do it. The mind was also trying to tell the hands to apply the brakes before I crashed into the Exploder. I made it to a stop and even unclipped without falling over but my arms were numb!

I just busted out laughing... alone, in a parking lot, in a public park... tell me that isn't a scary thing!

Pushing myself to limits is a good thing. I've set some goals... well actually Brad set my goals. He called me a psycho and I must live up to the name and make him proud.

This morning I woke and was not sore like I expected. I was a happy camper.

Got an email from a bud for for a weight challenge. March 1 to May 1. Oh yeah, I'm so in this game! I weigh in right after riding for 24 hours. I may just be skin and bones by then. We all ante upped a hundred bucks. I goaled for a 12 pound drop. That will put me back at 168 where I need to be for the summer.

A cyclist here in Little Rock was killed around lunch today. Down a hill, across an intersection and into traffic... no helmet. I feel sorry for everyone involved and their families. Heartbreaking.

Tomorrow is an after work ride. Friends are doing the hill repeats and I may secretly show up and try a few myself. They will smoke my tuna on the hills but then I'm not racing them, just working out at my pace... you know, two miles per hour.... whistling Lion King! HA!

Life is good... Happy Fat Tuesday tomorrow!