Monday, April 13, 2009

Montreal or bust

I forced myself to do a training ride on Saturday. Some points of note:

  • My fag is also doing the ride so it's so fantastic. Also, I just found out yesterday that another of our friends volunteered to do food crew. yay! This is going to be a fun trip.
  • My team captain is a guy who grew up three houses down from me. I haven't seen him in years but our families always got together for Christmas. He's amazing and it's so nice to see a familiar face
  • There weren't many people on the training ride and on this one I was by far the slowest. I wasn't the last because they have designated volunteers doing 'sweep', meaning that they waited for the stragglers [party of 1, ie. me], and made sure we knew where the route was going.
  • My team captain waited for me at the half way point and then cycled with me the rest of the way. It turned my tears of frustration and embarrassment into confidence
  • I cycled 34km and that was the first time on my bike (apart from cycling home a few blocks from where I bought it), and really the first time on a bike in two years
  • I will have to cycle 3x that every day for six days on the actual ride. Good grief.
  • I went for a coffee after with my fag and the team captain. It's the one where I work so I saw the manager (who is delightful) and was laughing and explaining why I was there on a Saturday and how much I sucked at bike riding but hey, it was for a good cause. She said that if I needed help with fundraising that the store could help out. This is the nicest store ever.
  • My thighs were in so much pain that evening that I could barely walk. I stretched, but it was a generous application of TigerBalm that did the trick
  • It's so NOT a good idea to get a Brazilian bikini wax done 36 hours before a massive bike ride
I'm so happy I'm doing this. Now my next project is to learn how to clip-in/clip-out of my pedals. I haven't attempted that yet.

9 comments:

Rox said...

OMG! I couldn't do what you are doing. I'm not cycling material. I'm lazy, for starters! And your poor vajayjay, having to suffer a Brazilian AND a bicycle seat!

Snooze said...

Rox: You could too do it. You would be a dynamo. Believe me Rox, I'm not a very coordinated person, but I manage to roller blade, snowboard, and [as of now] bike. My vajayjay is okay now too- thank goodness.

eroswings said...

You'll have fab thighs and buns of steel when you're done!

If Lance Armstrong can go fast with one testicle, imagine how much faster you'll be with no testicles! No drag effect!

Great job!

Susan as Herself said...

YOU ROCK.

I am exhausted just reading this.

And sigh, I love Montreal.

Snooze said...

Eros: I have fab thighs and buns of steel now. They're lurking there under a few inches of fat...

Susan: come and greet me at the finish line!

Laverne said...

you have to visit Torn if you have time in Montreal.

And you know, the idea of Tiger Balm and a Brazilian bikini wax?

I shudder to think.

Ponita in Real Life said...

You go, girl!

I still haven't dug my bike out of the shed. Perhaps this weekend. They haven't cleaned all the sand and gravel off the streets so cycling here is still quite treacherous.

Never mind the sitting on the bike seat... just the thought of a Brazilian causes me to yelp and cross my legs... eek!

tornwordo said...

Wow, sounds like a successful first practice. So cool that you are even more motivated!

Snooze said...

Laverne: I hope to see Torn! And no, the Tiger Balm was nowhere near the bikini area...

Ponita: Good idea to avoid biking on gravel, but do give the brazilian a chance.

Torn: I'm beginning to look forward to the practices!