what *was* I thinking?
I suspect I had a nagging suspcicion at the back of my mind that even though I used to be able to travel a long way on my bicycle, “used to” is not now. “Used to” was fifteen years and eight children ago.
So I tottered around our driveway on Eldest Daughter’s bike. The brakes were faulty, it squeaked and was generally unnerving.
But somehow I found myself declaring I was about to head out on the road to prove *to myself* that I could still go at least 40 kilometers.
Rob laughed. Father-in-law mocked, “You won’t make 5km”.
Well, that decided me.
Now I had to prove it to someones else as well.
I tried out all the bikes in our possession for size. None fit particularly well, but I figured if I could do it on one of them, it would be a piece of cake on a custom fit bike! The squeaky-but-with-fixed-brakes bike was chosen. A route was googled and measured.
Helmet, gloves, cycling pants and some good old-fashioned sneakers were set out in readiness for the Sunday morning ride. If I headed off by 6am, I was sure to be back in time for church at 10, and if not, I would definitely be home by 1:30 when we had a meeting to go to.
But Sunday morning arrived and with it, the realisation that Rob had to be at the church building setting up the sound system at 8am. Foiled.
As father-in-law walked in the door for lunch, he enquired as to the distance I had managed. My explanation was no excuse. “I said you wouldn’t go 5km.”
No point arguing with that. He was right.
And by Monday, Rob had put Eldest Daughter’s bike on TradeMe. Imgaine my dismay when someone snaffled it up with a Buy Now immediately.
What’s a girl to do?
Well, it just so happens, that Father-in-Law has a bike-trainer set up in his garage. I booked in for a session tonight, a night he would be out of the house 😉 Rob had said riding a trainer is not real riding, so I had increased the goal from 40km to 50km, figuring that an extra 25% must count for something, even if the original figure was just one I had pulled out of thin air anyway.
Father-in-Law was most supportive, showing me how to work the computer, how to get some friction happening, how to turn the boredom-buster-tv on. He even told me he wasn’t issuing a challenge, but was merely pointing out that the seat would probably be very uncomfortable after twenty minutes or so. Who was he kidding? It wasn’t comfortable when I first sat down and it certainly didn’t soften as the minutes ticked by. It did not take twenty minutes to become uncomfortable. It did not even take twenty seconds.
And you know what? For the first little while I was pedalling away watching the speedo-thingy….then I started wondering why the distance wasn’t increasing….I had forgotten to push the button one more time. I’d been told about that….but still I forgot, so I wasted seventeen seconds of cycling….it went by unrecorded. Sigh. Then another seventeen seconds later you just won’t believe what happened. I was playing with the little gear sticky bitty and OFF popped the chain. Well, I was not about to stop the computer and erase the distance I had managed to capture, so on it went, tick-tick-ticking the time away while I got off. It took a good five minutes to get that chain back where it belonged, clean up my hands, clean the bathroom sink and the lightswitch that had all got covered with grease…..and still the timer ticked on. It condemned me – six minutes and only 300 metres. I started to think it was going to be a long way to 50km.
Back on the bike. Pedal pedal pedal. And pedal some more. It it not a good idea to watch the distance calculator.
1km. YIPPEE. Jump off bike, race inside to telephone, ring Rob (timer still ticking away).
“I’ve done it! One kilometer”
“You’ve what? You’re finished?”
“No, not finished, but I’ve done my first kilometer. Only thing is, the seat is too high and I have to sway slightly from side to side to reach the pedals on the downstroke.”
“Well, you’d better not do 40km or you won’t be walking tomorrow.”
If he’d stopped at that, I might have been more inclined to listen to him, but he added, “It’ll be a good excuse to stop anyway.”
Back to the bike.
Determined as ever.
I even turned the tv on. That was more painful than the seat!
By 3km I turned it off again.
Lean left, lean right, lean left, lean right, this would be better if I didn’t have to stretch so far, lean left, pedal some more, lean right, I think Rob might be right, lean left, maybe I’ll only do 25km tonight – there’s always time to work up to 50km over the next week, lean left, lean right, great – that was another 200 metres, lean left, put rolled up cardigan on seat, lean even further left, lean even further right, toss up whether the extra leaning is worth the softer padding, decide very quickly it’s not and discard cardigan as a bad idea, lean forward, pedal, pedal, oh look it’s at 4.6km, get camera ready to take a shot of the computer screen when it hits 5km, there done.
He said I wouldn’t manage 5km. At least I did that far.
He also said I wouldn’t manage more than 20 minutes……but the computer ran for 26.319 (although it *is* true I spent a good portion of that time on the phone and cleaning the bathroom).
So I cleared the screen and started again.
I went a few more kilometers and decided not to be a hero. I wasn’t puffing. I wasn’t sweating. My legs were not hurting. I think it took more effort to sensibly get off the bike than to continue pedalling. Pigheadedness is not an easy thing to overcome. But I did it. All the while telling myself, that while this may have been a singularly unsuccessful first ride, all is not lost….even if it was that bad in real life, taking 40 minutes to go not even 10km, that would mean it would take you four hours to do 60km, which is totally reasonable. I really am an optimist, am I not?
Next time…..I’ll either get that recumbent bike with very comfy seat hooked up to the computer…..or I’ll ask for the seat to be lowered.
Now I’m off to soak in the bath and read a Lonely Planet Guide.
Tags: preparation, transport
rayres
Well I’ve got to give you some marks for tenacity, and a few brownie points for eating humble pie.
And I’m not even going to look smug and say ‘I told you so’.
But 5mins to put the chain back on??? and how did you manage to throw it off in the first place? And as for the seat hight – well I know you are a blond, but an allen key and 30 secs of work and the seat could have been adjusted. But my fault really: seat height is so important, and I didn’t think to double-check that for you. I’m sorry about that.
The saddle is not the most comfortable one I have used – there used to be a better one on the trainer, but I gave it to a cycling friend some time ago. Hard luck!
Well, it’s a start, and for your consolation, I aways reckon that 20km on the trainer is worth 40 on the road . Better luck next time!
p.s. remembering what you used to be able to do, is a very unreliable guide as to one’s current capabilities. I often think of my biking as a 20year old – but that was nearly 57 years ago. It can be a bit misleading!
NO NO NO putting the chain back on took 47 seconds…..cleaning up the grease from your bathroom sink, the lightswitch and the wall that got covered as I fumbled in the dark took four minutes and thirteen seconds!!!!!
By the way, I like your maths. I am certain I could do 25km…and I’ll tell Rob you said that’s the same as 50 on the road.
May I come over on Monday evening? hahaha You’ll need to dish out brownie points for perseverance as well.
Last thing…….you said I wouldn’t do 5km. I nearly doubled that…and with a too high seat, what’s more;-) But I’ll get down off my moral high ground so I don’t fall too hard on Monday.
I make that 11.54 kmph for the 5kms registered on your ‘proof’ picture.
(Don’t try and bamboozle me with unrecorded data!)
I think it’s fair to say, it was quicker than walking – just.
See you Monday – I will adjust the seat height for you.
Fair nuff.
But when the wheels were spinning the speedo hovered around 18-19km/hour. Slow, but acceptable for a fit ol’ elephant.
Lol, i thought the post was funny, but the comments are even better 😉
Well I am proud of you – I have been thinking of your adventure all week, and wondering when we would see the post on the blog!
A few years ago Karen and I did the women’s triathlon and the first time we went out on the bikes we rode for 10kms – she was great and even though I thought I would be fine, after about 5 mins of trying desperately to keep up with her (or at least keep her in my vision) I had to slow down due to painful thighs. I got there though – and I’m sure you will too.
I must say though – a family full of choleric’s – you do have funny conversations!!
Hee Hee!!! Oh, you are SOOOOOOOOOOO competitive Rach…….given a challenge, you’ll be onto it! Look forward to Monday’s update!!!!
snigger, snigger. But really….go you on the trainer…give me a road with some nice downhills to rest on and interesting scenery and wind in my hair anyday.
[…] this every day. It’s sooooo much fun." Certainly this 10km was more successful than the first training ride!!!! And on junk with dodgy gears, what’s more. Who knows what we could have done on good […]