I attended the Cat 1 training ride on Saturday and rode 18 out of the 22 miles on the route. I also rode 1.5 miles to the meeting location and .5 miles home from where I stopped, which makes it a total of 20 miles on Saturday. Considering I’d never ridden more than 2 miles at once, this is a huge accomplishment. Also, considering that the ride was supposedly “mostly flat” and was pretty hilly (imho) and I had to finally learn how to use the damn gears properly.
I feel like a quitter because I couldn’t finish the 22 miles, but at the same time, I feel proud that I am serious about the ride and training hard to get there. If I keep growing at this exponential rate, I’ll be the first one to LA! More likely, I’ll keep training as hard as I can and slowly get up to where I need to be to be in the middle-to-back of the pack.
I woke up early and drank a bunch of water. I filled up my Camelback with wather and two protein bars, and rode from my house to the Marina (Sports Basement). The ride down Franklin was really fast and fun! I wish it could all be downhill… Then I rode past Crissy Field toward the Golden Gate Bridge. The day was absolutely gorgeous and I was very happy and optimistic.
I got to the meeting location, signed in, and the leader started the training process. I used his sunscreen (why did I forget that?) and pumped my tires up (they were super low). I listened to the leader explain the route but I thought I could follow people so didn’t listen too closely. I ate my first protein bar as breakfast. I packed up and headed out. Before leaving the parking lot, I used the restroom in Sports Basement. I checked my sweatshirt into Sports Basement because I was already hot.
I thought I was following two girls who were in my group, and they turned left, so I turned left. As I headed down further toward the GG Bridge, I realized they were not in my group. I checked my route map and found out I’d turned the wrong way. What a way to start the damn ride! I feel so awkward on the bike still and concentrate so hard on shifting and turning that I can’t process any additional information. It’s ridiculous. Anyway, I turned around and headed back towards Sports Basement. I passed it and followed the map into the Presidio.
Being already behind the group, I had to stop and check the map constantly. I also was surprised at how up-hill we were going on my first training ride, level 1! I would see another small climb and stop to check my map to make sure I was really supposed to go up that stupid hill. Then I would have to do it. The problem with this is that I constantly lost momentum and rhythm, and found it really hard to start riding uphill. I almost fell over a couple of times (but didn’t)! Eventually I got the hang of changing gears and figuring out how to go up and down hills, but I kept wondering how far I’d gone (I should get an odometer) and if I would ever catch up to the group (I didn’t). I stopped to rest when out of breath (which was often). I tried to tell myself that for my first long ride I should give myself a break and just do my best.
After the first five miles, I finally exited the Presidio and rode through the Richmond. I was already exhausted and questioned my own sanity. Why did I sign up for this ride to LA? Oh yeah, to help the SF AIDs Foundation, and to improve my endurance. Why do I always choose things to do that are so hard for me? I look at my weaknesses and say, THAT ONE, let’s fix THAT ONE and then I’m surprised when it’s so diffucult and painful.
Anyway, here is a picture of me in the Richmond, after I finished a long hill climb. I couldn’t even hold the camera properly. 
But every time I thought about going home, I just got back on the bike and kept going. Once I went downhill past the Cliff House, it was flat and beautiful. Riding along Ocean Beach was my favorite part. I got into a rhythm, I enjoyed the breeze and sound of the ocean, and I started to feel less awkward in the saddle. It was lovely. Rode all the way to Lake Merced and around Lake Merced. Stopped to eat my other protein bar. Checked my voicemail and found out that the training ride leaders had assumed that I went home and left me behind. I left them a message that I was still going but not to worry.
It was a little nerve-wracking to ride in traffic. I’m fine on the right side of the road and not intimidated by the cars usually, but when I have to get over to the left lane for a left turn, suddenly my anxiety just spikes. I signal, I move over, but I’m going so damn slowly I’m practically walking. I figure everyone hates me, but I do the best I can. Once or twice I stopped and walked across the crosswalk because traffic was just too fast and heavy for me. Eventually I got better at the whole thing.
I rode back down the Great Highway to Golden Gate Park. I went in to turn on MLK as the route said, but the street was closed to traffic. Probably something that happened because by now it was the afternoon and it was supposed to be a morning ride. So I rode along a path in the park and it was a little too uppy-downy for me. So tired. I rode from the beach out to 19th Avenue and that’s about the time my body gave out on me. I stopped to rest in the park and checked my route. I had gone 18 miles out of 22 and the remaining miles were almost all uphill. I swallowed my pride and caught a bus home. The bus dropped me at Fillmore and Post and I rode a little under half a mile home. Climbed into my bed and passed out. My ass hurts, my legs hurt, my hands hurt (I think I was too tense grabbing the bars) and my head hurt all Sunday.
Conflicting feelings: I feel like a total loser because I couldn’t finish the ride, felt uncomfortable on the bicycle, don’t have enough time to get ready by June, don’t know anything about anything. However, I felt pretty proud of myself because going from a 2 mile ride to an 18 mile ride (20 miles total in the day) was a huge leap. I didn’t know if I could do even half that. Also I am proud of myself for not quitting at the five mile mark when I was exhausted from the Presidio portion. At least I know I’m serious about this effort.
Learnings: Mostly I learned how to use my gears properly. Being in the wrong gear sucks, and not knowing what gear to be in sucks. But I felt it out and was on all kinds of hills, so I think I learned a lot. I learned how to be stronger in traffic. Also, having the bike shorts was like a gift from heaven. I need different gloves; my hands were cold out of my gloves and kept going numb in them. I went through two camelbacks full of water and still felt dehydrated afterwards.
I talked to my mom and a few friends who told me the 20 miles is something to celebrate and not to freak out about not finishing the documented route. I checked out other training rides, and found some free spin classes I can go to. I just have to understand that I’ve chosen a very ambitious path for myself and that I push myself hard and suddenly.
I went to the dojo on Sunday, and no kids showed up (due to the gorgeous weather, or the superbowl?) so I worked out my arms on the gym equipment. I figured I could keep moving while giving my legs a break. I went to the store and bought some lube (haha - gear lube!) and greased my wheels up. I think I should’ve done that BEFORE the long ride on Saturday!
This morning I rode to work and it was super-easy! I wore a dress with my bike shorts on underneath, mary janes in my gates, and I bet I looked kind of funny. But I felt good when I got here, and hopeful that at least pushing myself on Saturday put me in a good place for my training this week. I’m riding to work Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
This Saturday I am not doing the next CAT 1 ride. It’s to Marin and includes a big hill on the other side of the Bay. I don’t think I’m ready for that. I’m going to try to ride the 22 mile route from last weekend on my own first. Then the following weekend, there’s a long ride to Tiburon and back. I’ll do that one, and maybe let myself take the ferry back if I’m near death.
To make it to LA properly, I need to be able to ride 70-90 miles a day, and at least 7 miles per hour. I’d like to buy an odometer/spedometer so I can keep track of my progress on my own.
At least, everyone should know how serious I am now. If you haven’t donated to the SFAF cause yet, do it! http://www.tofighthiv.org/goto/thebecca I may over-exert myself, but one way or another, I’m getting my ass to LA on a two-wheeled device.
thebecca.net