So far this year I have put 3605 miles on my bike. That’s a lot of time… and miles. Some would say that makes me an avid cyclist. And today is a day for avid cyclists. It’s mid-December. Almost 50 degrees outside. Today is the kind of day when an avid cyclist should be on the road. So shouldn’t I be gearing up, strapping on the helmet, feeling the wind in my face? That wasn’t me. It took my wife nearly pushing me out the door to get me on the road.
So here’s my story.
I finally geared up and headed down the road. At the quarter mile mark I turn left and jet down the hill, over the railroad tracks and straight up to the local bike shop (Freeride Bike and Skate Shop). It felt good to be in the shop. It felt good to shoot the breeze with Kevin (the shop owner). Then I met a guy who took up riding just last year. He was over 300 pounds last year. He rode to stay alive. He has lost 50ish pounds since then. His goal is to train for his first century ride. I asked him when that would be. His response, “before my next birthday. April.” Stellar goal.
After that I took a lot of grief from the shop owner for wearing my Special Ed. shoe covers. The shop is a Trek shop. Kevin gives me grief every time I wear Specialized gear.
Finally standing on the street prepping my gear for the ride when this white car sweeps across the street and pulls in diagonally right next to me. Oncoming traffic had to move into the other lane to avoid smashing bumpers. And who is this wild and crazy driver? None other than my good friend, Pastor Ben Wilson. His wife kept giving me the “I-don’t-know-what-this-crazy-man-is-doing” look. It was pretty funny. We chat. He heads out when the police car is seen rolling down the street. I am secretly thinking that I must be an exceptionally awesome cyclist because I am riding in the middle of December in Missouri and people think it’s cool.
My plan is to ride like the wind to Holden and back (34 miles). I have to beat the sun so time is limited. Off I go.I’m feeling pretty good until I realize I’m going downhill. That was my first sign that I should’ve just turned around and went home. There is one problem with turning around… I already told Kevin (at the shop) where I was going. He thought it was an ambitious ride for a guy who has been off the bike for 6 weeks. I had to prove him wrong. Go, Brian, Go!!!!
Watching my mph. Mentally clicking off the time it would take to complete my ambitious ride. Depression… setting in. Can’t push hard enough. Can’t physically ride fast enough. Can’t… breathe. I dawns on me that Kevin is right. I am a dope. I neither have the time nor the power to make the 34 mile ride in the remaining daylight.
Physically, I can’t ride at the 19 mph it would take. Mentally, I have discovered that I really stink. “What was I thinking?” I am falling into a biking induced depression. My body betrays me. I succumb. Pulling out my iPhone I think of Kevin’s words as I change my route to a simple 12 miles out and back. Bummer.
The ride back was moderately better. I managed to put together 3 miles of 20+ mph. The grand realization of this ambitious ride? I have a lot of work to do if I want any kind of cool riding in the spring.
Ride on.
11.98 miles – 14.07 mph.
