It has been so long since I trained with my teammates. Over a year. In that year so much has changed. Most of the people I am used to training with have moved on, training for bigger races, moved into faster swim lanes/ times, and planning weddings. That combined with trying to adjust to a new baby and an only child that is no longer an "only", it has been really hard to get back into the swing of things. I have been able to run/ walk with the baby, and ride my bike around town with Aidan, but not really train, and not meet any TGs to train with.
Saturday, I decided no matter how late I got there, I was riding WC. I got there 2 hours later then planned, but I got there! I hadn't been on my road bike in over a year, and I spent a good amount of time just relearning it! What gear does what? Can I still clip in and out fast enough? Then I started out. Right away I was dreading the damn FB hill. That thing is my nemesis, I know it may be small by some peoples standards, but for me it is the reason I never liked being on the bike. Riding around town on my cruiser has shown me that I do like the bike, just not that hill. I keep considering just doing a smaller loop and skipping the hill, but I need to do it. I want to do it. So, on the way out I try to not over think it. I tried getting in aero- not yet, tried standing up- ha, but I tried, those are things I had never tried before. I worked on push and pull, anything to keep my mind off that hill. There was the hill- bitch hill. Here goes nothing, Rotation is slowing down, switch gears! Again, and again! Look almost up! And I did it! I did it, I didn't stop and didn't need to stop at top!! FU FB!! Bwahahaha!
In honesty- I have to thank Aidan for that. I couldn't have done it if I hadn't spent so much time pulling him and the 20 pound tandem bike through the town (even as he pedals backwards)
I did meet some other TGs as I was loading my car back up it was nice to see friendly faces!
It felt great, and I do not know if I would have done it with anyone I knew out there. I needed to do it on my own, once. Hopefully, next weekend I can get going earlier and get to see teammates out there.
