I remembered how to bike! Whew!
I honestly have been freaking myself out about biking and whether I’d remember how and whether I’d fall again etc. Happy to report that after a little assistance getting the tires filled with air (uggggg; not sure what the heck I was doing wrong that they wouldn’t fill!), the derailer (is that what that thing is called?) adjusted and my pedal clip thingys (I clearly don’t know bike terminology) loosened, I was ready to roll. Did a few circles around the neighborhood working on remembering how to clip in and out without falling (remember this disaster – my maiden bike voyage?). And then was off for 17 sort of slow and sort of hilly miles. And I didn’t fall! Woot!
Random thoughts about cycling:
- It IS fun!
- It is amazing that I consider myself to be very fit – I could go out tomorrow and run for 3 – 4 hours without stopping (granted, at a relatively easy pace, but still . . .) But put me on a bike and make me go up some hills and I feel like a couch potato! My legs were all jello-y and I was huffing and puffing at the top of the hills. Funny how working out in a different way really mixes things up!
- I’m excited to keep cycling and get in better shape and have the legs feel as strong and good as they did last summer.
- I need to work on getting comfortable with the rules of the road and road biking in general. Left turns freak me out. Stopping and starting still need help. I also need to master drinking while riding.
- While I like biking and have fun with it, it’s DEFINITELY not relaxing in the same way that running is for me. With running I can put on my shoes and just GO and lose myself forever. With biking I need to concentrate on fueling (I feel much weaker, and therefore unsafe, when I don’t eat enough before and during riding). It’s also necessary to be alert – to hazards in the road (pot holes, loose sand, glass, uneven pavement, etc.) and to drivers. So while it gives me a great supplemental workout – it will never replace running for me because I run not just for exercise, but also to lose myself and sort through my thoughts and figure life out!