… and I don’t mean the race series. Instead, I’m talking miles. You know, those long training rides that required hydration and food plans? And that make you hungry for days? Yup, got the first one of the year under my belt yesterday.
I prepped Saturday with a 9 mile run (my longest since Vineman and foot injuries). It felt pretty easy, but afterwards my hips were a bit stiff, and my legs just a bit tender.
Then it was Sunday and Mike and I got up and headed out for a ride. He was meeting up with one of his speedier buddies, and I proposed doing a similar loop to the 85 mile one a few weeks ago, where I go down one bike path and then back up it, and he goes down a different path and then has to jump over to mine and catch me. This time I hit the end of my path and gave him a call to let him know and find out where he was, and he was about 3 or 4 miles from me in the connector between bike paths. However, they were stopped at a Starbucks for a treat. I just headed back up, figuring he’d still catch me by the dam (where we had split out paths). Turns out I beat him by about a mile and a quarter, so I added a short out and back along the dam as I waited. His buddy had done a hard ride the day before and was feeling it, so their pace had slowed as well as mine. With the bigger loop to get to the start, and his buddy’s sore legs, it ended up making his day about 108 and mine 102 (it was about 101.5, but then the GPS website corrections made it 101.95 — and I had the 101 goal). It was a tough ride, with some winds and such. But I like the path. I definitely slowed near the end, and was really feeling it at about 90 miles, but got my “almost home” wind around 97.
I love rides that I start and end with Mike. Even if the middles are different. It really helps keep me out there knowing I get the starting and ending treats (including some checking out of his ass, I will admit — and sometimes he drops behind me when cars need to pass, and I don’t ask why). It’s nice to know that he’s a few miles away, pedaling along just like I am (although often faster).
After the ride we ended up at our current favorite post long ride restaurant: Casa Jimenez. Mexican food. And really yummy Mexican food. And good chips and salsa. And $8.25 for all you can eat. It always hits the spot, although I don’t think we’ve ever done more than the 3 items that start the all you can eat (it’s all you can eat where you order each piece, starting with 2 or 3 items). As we left, we laughed at how the people are starting to recognize us, and how (hopefully) over the next few months they will know us better, and know us as the people who come in every week and stuff our faces with all you can eat yumminess and tons of chips, and waddle out on sore legs, but are somehow dropping weight.
Ok now it’s time to eat more… all this typing has made me hungry again! 🙂
1 thought on “one oh one”