Springtown Spin 2012

This morning I rode in the Springtown Spin. Springtown is the city 10 miles west of Azle that used to be the Hornet's cross town rival. They switched divisions starting this year. Anyway, the ride started and finished at the high school and roamed around Springtown. I signed up for the 40 mile ride. No, I hadn't ridden 40 miles in probably 8 years, but I did 30 with my dad this summer. No, I hadn't ridden my bike in 6 weeks, but what does that matter?!

I met a co-worker, Bill, and his daughter Mary Ellen there. They had decided to only do the 20 mile route for time purposes. She had a hair appointment and he had tickets to the TCU game (which is in its 2nd overtime as I type). I was still thinking 40. Twenty just didn't seem far enough.

As we lined up to start and listened to the pre-ride information, I changed my thinking. First, the two courses did not start out together so if I did 40 I wouldn't see them until the end. Then the nice lady giving the talk kept talking about hills. I DONT DO HILLS!!!! Perhaps another time I'll tell you about my hill experience. I hate them. I dread them. I tend to walk up them. AND the lady kept calling it a "Challenge 20" because it so wasn't flat. Ha. She wasn't kidding.

About 4.5 miles in, I'd lost Bill and Mary Ellen for the 2nd time (I told them to stop waiting for me!), walked up a hill and hurt in all kinds of ways. I stopped and texted Bill that I was turning around. When I got back on the bike, I decided that I was okay, and already halfway to the rest area (at 10 miles) and so I might as well go forward and then catch a ride back to the finish. Although there were still too many hills, and I was alone, convinced I was last (I was second to last I think), I made it to the rest area. It was actually at 11.5 miles and I figured I could do another 8.5 - how bad could it be?! HA. The course was actually 24.5 miles long. But, I DID IT!!! Hills and all :)

All that challenge was not for nothing, of course. These are the things I learned today...

1. I am not 25 anymore :( Going 6 weeks without riding or ANY exercise, is not a training program, for any sort of ride. Reality has sunk in.  I am aging. Whether I like it or not.
2. I am not a cyclist. Although I guess you could call it fun, I was not really enjoying myself. I would MUCH rather have been hiking. Those hills are fun :) Well, at least they don't scare me. I will continue to ride but as cross training and with friends and family. For fun.
3. I really need to find a sport drink to drink while exercising. Water isn't enough. I had a generic powerade like thing at the rest area. I still finished hot and thirsty. And I have a killer headache. Still. Six and a half hours later, a couple alive later.
4. Neighbor horses talk to each other. Pretty sure they were wondering why I was going so slow.

I do have one fun story from the morning....
As I was flying down a hill at about 5 miles to go, I let out a little "weeeee". Okay, it wasn't little. Immediately after, 2 guys go flying by me. I couldn't hear them laughing but I know they were!!! I kept my mouth shut after that. Mostly.

(PS TCU just lost. Bummer.)