Bike course PR

This is taper week before Ramblin' Rose on Sunday. Since it's Tuesday, the schedule had a run/walk training session listed. When I left the house this morning for work, I was all prepared to make the run/walk session. Some time during the morning at work, I was on facebook as always via my phone not the work computer. I would never do that. One of my fellow TIFL athletes posted about doing the bike course instead. The biking is what I need more than swimming and running.

After work I make a pit stop at the house. Change into my workout clothes and load up the bike. I loaded up the camelbak with ice cold water. AE Finley Y is a hopping place. This place is packed like a sold out concert. I head to the back of the lot and I see Lillie and Erin. I always forgot stuff until I see it when I come out. Lillie pulls out her ice cold frog tog. I slap my head remembering i have one sitting in the fridge. Note to self: I must put that in the bucket for Sunday. Trish and Meg show up. We head out.

Trish, Lillie and Meg have the course route with them. Erin and I are winging it and hoping the pink arrows I was going by last week are still there and lo and behold they are. SCORE!!

We are down Baileywick. We turn on Chandler into the neighborhoods and right before we hit the 540 bridge I see a road closure sign.

The plan when we left the Y was to get to Mount Vernon Church road and then turn around due to Mount Vernon being such a busy road. Wouldn't you know by the time I meet up with the group at the stop sign, they have decided to brave it and continue on. Hi Ho Hi Ho and it's off to Mount Vernon we go. It actually it isn't too bad. Going uphill is starting to kick in and so I decided there's no shame in walking. I look up and I see Erin sharing the same agenda. We walk up mount vernon without getting hit. Woo Hoo! Once we make it to flat ground, I hop on the bike and then make the turn back into the neighborhood.

The ride is going pretty good. I've only walked my bike up one hill so far. I push through others that I walked through during the mock. Progress baby. We come up on a street where I had a slight mental breakdown during the mock. I just push on through. We make a right onto Countrywide. Trish tells me "after this turn you know what's next. Carrington" Carrington = the HILL from HELL. We meet Erin at the turn for Carrington. We tell each other, "see you at the top".  Carrington starts downhill. if you ever see me on a bike, i "fly like the wind bullseye" going downhill. No brakes, just me and the wind. Uphill is my achilles hill. I pedal and pedal as much as I can. then a part of me said F.. and i remembered there's no shame in walking. I see Erin on the same page. We make it to the top. I tell Erin and Trish "i know how to get back from here" I really do. We continue through. Few more turns and guess what we see as we are heading back, the albino deer. Last time we ran into, folks in the neighborhood told us that it means you will have good luck. I sure meant to go buy me a mega million ticket.

I cross Baileywick and wait by the park entrance until the street is clear. I check RunKeeper and i have a 1/2 mile left to go. I pedal and pedal. I even pedal up the hill back to the Y. I'm trying to cross the street back into the Y. OMG this street is busy. I wait int the middle until it's clear. Why do my feet forget how to work. I almost can't pedal. They eventually work and I pedal into the parking lot. The Garmin beeps meaning i just hit 9 miles. I see the Max waiting for me. (side note:the Max = my car). 9.03 miles is done in 1:31. Did you see that? That means I just shaved off 29 minutes off my time. PR baby!! Ramblin is on Sunday and I am ready :-)