Recent bike rides suggest I’m doing something right

It’s been a good week for cycling around here, and I’m seeing some nice improvements.

Saturday morning Daniel and I did the Cycle for Independence ride on our tandem. 25 miles the previous Saturday was the most we’d done on the tandem, and we’d only logged about 100 miles total on that bike, so I was very pleased that we made it through the Metric Century route (100 km or roughly 62 miles) in good shape. Our ride time was similar to last year on our single bikes, but I felt much better this year, despite having done less training leading up to the ride.

The Cycle for Independence is also just the first of the 2007 Treasure Valley Charity Bike Series. There are three more (relatively) short rides like this one, and a two-day event that’s similar to the MS150 ride we did in Colorado last year (except with a lot fewer riders).

We’re tentatively planning on doing all of the rides (because if we do, I’ll get a commemorative water bottle and pair of cycling socks ; don’t underestimate the motivation power of “free” stuff with a goal-oriented girl like me… only, I guess the stuff isn’t even remotely free because of the registration fees… whatever–it’s for charity!). I’m hoping to do the Century route (100 miles) on the tandem with Daniel for the Blue Cruise in August. That would be a big accomplishment for me.

Last night was an epoch in my mountain biking adventures. For several years, Daniel’s been trying to get me to ride a trail called “Hard Guy.” His cajoling was hampered somewhat by the fact that he also regularly told me how difficult this trail is. It’s basically a steady climb for about six miles. I’ve done steady climbing in moderation (you know, a quarter-mile or so!), but nothing of that magnitude.

Well, I hadn’t until last night, anyway. After our mountain biking ride on Sunday morning, Daniel suggested that I might be ready to try Hard Guy some upcoming Sunday. Upcoming weekends are pretty well full, though, so he said, “What about Wednesday night?” Wednesday’s typically a down day for me, but I knew this was coming, so I agreed. (Incidentally, I did eat as if it was a regular down day until the ride itself, when I had Gatorade, GU, and Shot Bloks… yummy!)

I had a pretty good advantage over Daniel, given that he’d ridden his road bike to work (~15 miles) and to the trail head (a few miles of downtown riding and 3 miles of moderately steep uphill road) while I just drove the truck with the mountain bikes. That worked well, because when I was working hard, gasping, etc., he was still content to do his “little recovery ride.”

The ride was about as difficult as I expected, but I found it was within my ability. When we got to the turn-around spot (two hours of climbing later), I wasn’t exhausted, just a little tired, which is all I could ask. My only regret was that it was too late (i.e. too close to sunset) to do the “bonus climb” that would have earned me a jersey from Daniel (have I mentioned that bribery is very effective with me?). Next time.

In any case, I think Daniel was genuinely impressed, which says something, given his high standards. I know from past experience that weight loss helps me bike better (just less to haul up the hill) and I also suspect that my PUSH strength workouts played a big part in my overall ability to keep going. I’m delighted with the results so far. Who knows how strong I’ll be at the end of the summer?