A different kind of riding

Growing up, the main athletic activity I engaged in was riding horses. I played a little volleyball, but riding was pretty much it for me. I enjoyed working out with my equestrian team in college--except for running. I hated it and I wasn't good at it.

When I moved to Fort Worth and started dating Zach, my eyes were opened to the benefits of exercise. Zach was a personal trainer and he'd been a star soccer, cross country and tennis player for most of his life. He guided me toward a habit of working out often and correctly. And I really like it! :-) I decided to try running, since he ran 3-4 miles in the hills by his house almost every day. It was a major struggle for me. Running is HARD, and i worked up minute by minute to run my first mile in February 2008. I decided to run a 5K that fall-- 3.4 miles! Zach helped me train and we ran it together. I felt a major sense of accomplishment for that.

So in 2009, I decided to step it up and try a 10K- 6.2 miles. Faith and I signed up for one in August called the Hottest Half. I was really worried about running that far, so I enrolled in bootcamp with The Body Firm for 2 months. Ended up being the most fun workout I have ever done and I got in really good shape! The 10K was very hard-- Zach had an alumni soccer game in Arkansas, so he didn't run in the race, but he helped me train. We ran another 5K last September, then I took a break from hard core exercise and running to survive the hectic fall and our wedding.

Back to a normal routine this year, we just finished the 3-month program p90x. It was a very good program, if a little time-intensive. I also decided to sign up for a half marathon, which is two 10Ks--13.1 miles. I've been training for the Wounded Warrior Half on June 13 for about three months. It's getting really hard, and I have just a few more weeks to go! Zach's going to run it with me. I really think this is as far as I want to run. I've gotten to where I enjoy 3  miles and I can do 6, but any further is just no fun. So what else can I do to push myself?


Faith's been bugging me to do a triathlon with her for like, years. She even sent me some info about some tempting tris a few months after the race. The problem is, I've never ridden a road bike before and I suck at swimming any kind of distance--despite being a lifeguard and swim instructor for two years in college. It's ironic, I know.


My friend from work, Stephanie, is big into cycling and she offered to take me out on her road bike. Exciting times! I figured I might as well try it, maybe I will do a tri eventually. There's less running involved in a tri but it's still a challenge. So... yesterday, Stephanie and I went out to the Trinity Trails to bike. Regular bikes-- I'm a pro. used to ride all over campus in college and I loved riding around as a kid.


I'm very intimidated by the road bike. The tires are the width of my finger, for goodness sakes! The whole experience was so much like when I take new people out to ride my horse--only in reverse. It was so funny! Stephanie lent me her gear--helmet, jersey and bike shorts--who knew they had a giant pad sewn in the bottom?? The right equipment is necessary, just like a helmet, boots and jeans are on a horse. We loaded up the bikes in my truck--just like loading the horses in a trailer to head for the trail. She oiled up the gears on her mountain bike and road bike--just like grooming the horse. She adjusted the seat for me to be comfortable--stirrups, anyone? and we set out on the trail.


I had the sensation that this must be what it's like to ride a horse for the first time. I've never been afraid of riding horses and I always feel in control--maybe because I started riding when I was young and fearless.  Tiny road bike--not so much. I had a death grip on the handlebars and I wobbled for quite a while. I worried a lot, cause that's what I do. Worried I'd run into Stephanie next to me and crash like all the awful videos of bike races I've seen. Worried I'd wobble into the guys coming from the other direction and I'd fall--to my death--down the hill into the river, after killing Stephanie's expensive bike. Worried I'd get the tiny tire stuck in a rut and crash. Worried my shoes would slip off the little pedals. sigh. the list goes on and on. I crouched on that thing with a death grip just like every new rider does on a horse. I just had no hide to dig my heels into or bit to jerk on.


Gradually, I realized this thing could go pretty fast--like 18 mph! and I was covering some miles and I wasn't breathing hard like I would be running. I passed a bunch of runners who looked like how I feel running-pissed off and working hard. I was smiling on the bike--when I wasn't worrying about any of the above reasons. When we'd gone 6 miles, we turned around and it was even better. I could control the bike better, I knew where the ruts were and I was flying. Air conditioning for the win!

Then we hit cloud after cloud after cloud of bugs. I thought inhaling bugs while running and riding a horse was bad. Hoo boy. This was like riding through RAIN of bugs. I didn't have sunglasses with me, so I had to squint and they got stuck in my eyelashes. If I looked down, i could hear them going through the slits on the helmet into my hair. I ate a whole lot of them, which was preferable to getting them in my nose. And... when we finished the ride, I had probably 100 bugs stuck in my jersey and sports bra. Good times.

We had a great time and I'm so thankful stephanie let me try out her bike. We burned 800 calories and rode 11 miles in less time then it would take to run half that--plus it felt way easier. So that's a huge benefit. :-) I am not sure I want to do a triathlon any time soon though. I have a major phobia of riding around other people--which most definitely would happen in a race... and i still have to figure out how to swim far. But, I really enjoyed the bike!