First, let me just say that this past weekend was SUPER nice - weather-wise. I am continually amazed that I live in such an awesome place.
Ok, moving on. Earlier in the week I was a little upset at something my coach and I were discussing. I have found a great group to ride with (http://www.triclubcoyotes.com/). I love these guys (mostly guys - but some pretty damn cool chics also). I have only found time to join them on their Saturday rides, but it's a blast and I never laugh so hard as I do when we hang out at Peets afterwards. The problem is that the group (usually only 2-3 other guys) are faster than me. I'm a good cyclist, but not that good. And I don't know the routes inside & out yet, so "the guys" wait for me (super nice of them). I'm never too far behind, but just a little.....depends on how hard they are hammering that day.
So when I told my coach that two Saturdays ago I bonked and actually got hungry on my ride and he told me I need to find some people more at my ability to ride with, I was upset because I've been training alone for 6 years and I finally met a group I really like and shit-balls I don't want to ride alone anymore (well not every ride....sometimes it's good to be alone with your thoughts. (That's a whole other post "Sh*t that goes through my head while riding alone"). I figure I got hungry because I was probably riding harder than I usually would and didn't bring enough food with me. I don't think this is a bad thing. I'm not going to get better by riding by myself.
So when I told my coach that two Saturdays ago I bonked and actually got hungry on my ride and he told me I need to find some people more at my ability to ride with, I was upset because I've been training alone for 6 years and I finally met a group I really like and shit-balls I don't want to ride alone anymore (well not every ride....sometimes it's good to be alone with your thoughts. (That's a whole other post "Sh*t that goes through my head while riding alone"). I figure I got hungry because I was probably riding harder than I usually would and didn't bring enough food with me. I don't think this is a bad thing. I'm not going to get better by riding by myself.
Sooooo - this past Saturday coach said to go ahead and ride with the boys and have fun. Yay! But, it was a shit-storm of a day. About 10 minutes in, I said "that thing every cyclist says when they're having a bad day.....I think my back wheel is rubbing". Well, sure enough when I stopped to check (even though I checked before we started), it was rubbing. So we did a quickie fix. As we rode down the coast towards La Jolla I was hearing it again. So we stopped at Nytro and the mechanic there took a look. He said a couple things that disturbed me. One, my hubs (both front and back) were loose. So, he fixed those. Then he said something about my dropouts not having any dropout adjusters on them and there's very very very little play in getting the rear wheel on. You basically have to get it on dead nuts so it doesn't rub. Which means if I get a flat while out riding or run into some problems, I have to be particularly patient when putting the wheel back on. This will take some practice.
Onwards with the day - it wasn't so much that I was having a bad day....yes the legs felt a little fatigued, but reality was that I was having an OK day for me. Towards the end I just wasn't really enjoying the ride anymore. Really - what's the point in riding in a group if the group is always a bit ahead of you? The guys think I'm a great rider and say they don't mind having to wait and they point out that no other girls ride with us except me (do the math). So, I figure I have to two options. 1 - Leave my ego at the door. I'm a girl. I'm a pretty damn cool girl, but I'm not gonna be able to ride 20-30 mph for a 60 mile ride (yet) so I have to just enjoy life and let the negative thoughts pass me by when the guys in the group pass me by. 2 - find a good group of chics that I can get along with, ride with and become a better cyclist with. There are some pretty damn fast chics out there...I need to find a group that is a little better than me, but not as fast as "the guys".
I think both options are good. Both teach me acceptance, letting go, patience and trust.
Ride on my friends!
Mer-ooo
Onwards with the day - it wasn't so much that I was having a bad day....yes the legs felt a little fatigued, but reality was that I was having an OK day for me. Towards the end I just wasn't really enjoying the ride anymore. Really - what's the point in riding in a group if the group is always a bit ahead of you? The guys think I'm a great rider and say they don't mind having to wait and they point out that no other girls ride with us except me (do the math). So, I figure I have to two options. 1 - Leave my ego at the door. I'm a girl. I'm a pretty damn cool girl, but I'm not gonna be able to ride 20-30 mph for a 60 mile ride (yet) so I have to just enjoy life and let the negative thoughts pass me by when the guys in the group pass me by. 2 - find a good group of chics that I can get along with, ride with and become a better cyclist with. There are some pretty damn fast chics out there...I need to find a group that is a little better than me, but not as fast as "the guys".
I think both options are good. Both teach me acceptance, letting go, patience and trust.
Ride on my friends!
Mer-ooo
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