I’m tempted to tell you that this post is late because I’m lazy, but I just got out of four back-to-back meetings at work and my feet hurt, so I’m not sure that’s really true. I’ve been super excited to share my experience last week with you, and I discovered that’s the thing about day jobs: they really get the way of all the fun-stuff you do in life!
OK… not always, but I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t had a moment to sit down to tell you about the Bike-A-Thon, a.k.a.: my indoor century that happened Saturday.
DISCLAIMER: There’s some necessary backstory here with two important points you must read before I can continue this blog.
No matter what you do, you have to train like you want to “race” (or if you prefer, “perform”) in the event for which you’ve signed up.) I learned this the hard way after I completed my first 100-mile ride (a century ride that no longer exists that was a fundraiser for music programs in a local school district.) I crossed the finish line so excited that I literally ran home, signed up for another one and then neglected to train for it. Sure, I did yoga, and I ran a little bit, but when that 100 mile ride happened (and I still rode it) I was in so much pain! So, rule #1: if you’re going to do a long ride, make sure you’re prepped for those long hours in the saddle.
The Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway is awesome and it’s almost complete! The event I am going to describe is an annual fundraiser for an organization that is building a bike path that will stretch from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake. (More info can be found here.) For three years, we’ve hosted the fundraiser at Great Basin Bicycles (my other half’s bike shop). We invite anyone who wants to bring their bike to the shop where we have two platforms of CompuTrainer machines (8 on each) where you will complete a 19-mile course in about 50-minutes. This year, the classes ran on the hour, every hour, between the hours of 8 and 3.
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Rich getting ready for our big ride on Saturday.
Saturday morning, I woke up at 5 a.m. like I always do, and went to OTF for their earliest morning class where I ran, rowed and lifted weights. When I got home, I woke up Rich so he could make us coffee and we returned to the bike shop for what would turn out to be a very long, but very rewarding day.
We’ve hosted the annual fundraiser for the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway for three years. For the last two years, I’ve been on the road, racing, so I haven’t been in town to participate. Every year, Rich makes a point to ride every class, so he is usually dead-beat-tired, which is understandable considering he would ride around 120-180 mile inside. WHICH IS INSANE. This year, I was around to help, and I was really happy about that. I’d planned on doing a couple (2ish) classes, which would have given me 40-50 miles. However, plans changed as they are apt to do, and I got a lot more than I’d planned.
I haven’t ridden a long ride in a … well, a long time. Partly because I’m busy with work and life, but also because I was majorly burned out after a season or two ago and I still feel that way. I’m also scared of riding on the road, given how people drive these days. And I have had so much fun in dance classes, OTF and doing more creative things that I haven’t felt too driven to get, as someone once told me, as “hard core” as I used to be.
So, I was planning on a hard ride that was longer than usual, but certainly not 100 miles. And yet, there’s this funny thing that happens to athletic people who are competitive: you just can’t help yourself.
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Still smiling at mile 70!! :-)
I’m sure there are cyclists, both locally and who I used to race with, who think I’m totally deranged. And I might be. The reason? I train indoors a lot. A part of it is that the CT classes are an extra source of income for my fiance’s business, which helps to support house and home. It’s not much, but it makes a difference. It is also a convenient and efficient way of fitting in a workout during the work week when you also have 5,000 other things on your mind and you don’t have time to ride outside, which is typically a 2-3 hour commitment.
Rich and I riding CT for the fundraiser.
CT is a quick and painful option of maximizing your time for fitness, power and efficiency. And honestly, that’s why I like it. We have one customer who is a better numbers person than I am who literally measured the kilo-jules that one burns outside versus what one burns in a CompuTrainer class and he came to the conclusion that CT is 1.5 times harder than riding outdoors. And, if you think about it: it makes sense. There are no stop signs, no coasting, and sometimes no drafting— so in order to move forward, you literally have to pedal the whole time. There are ways to “trick” the system (to help riders who aren’t as strong or who don’t weigh as much so anyone, literally, can do a class) but it’s no joke.
CT is hard. You don’t ever get a break, and you can’t get off your bike. It’s a bit under an hour of continuous activity—and you have to pay attention because it’s a simulated group ride. [And then my inner editor says: that word, “simulated” bothers me.] Right! So there’s nothing on earth that can replace a road race where you’re seriously getting your ass kicked and it hurts. I raced for a while, and I know: CT doesn’t even compare. In the dead of winter in Reno, though, it’s not like I can “hop into” a road race without traveling a considerable distance and a considerable cost in both time and money.
So, given the options available to me, it’s the best thing I’ve got.
Don’t talk to me about those other services like Zwift or whatever. I mean, I’m sure they are great, but I work alone in an office all day and I work alone in my home office all night. The last thing I need is another isolating form of technology. The fact that I get to ride with seven other REAL people in the room with me is amazing. They are my community, my peeps. I love that so much.
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I made it to 100 miles inside!! It was such a huge accomplishment for me!
Here’s the other thing: I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to complete 100 miles on the CompuTrainer. I rode one hour, two, three, four— and then it was sort of like: well, I should just ride to 100, for a nice even number, right? But I wasn’t sure I could. And then it was happening, and my legs were pedaling and I pulled while other people fell off the simulated paceline and it was this surreal experience.
One of our friends, who is a major part of the Tahoe-Pyramid Fundraiser, brought all the riders snacks and drinks. I swear, somewhere around mile 80, her pasta salad was the best pasta salad on earth. Everyone who stopped by to ride and support he cause—were all incredibly lovely people. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to meet them.
And that’s really what I’ve discovered on this journey: there are so many amazing, wonderful people in the world who do amazing, wonderful things. After rowing, running, lifting and riding for over five hours, I was sort of cooked at the end of the day. But it was such a lovely way to be cooked.
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I am so honored to be a part of the California Coast Classic, and I can’t wait for the weather to turn to spring and summer, so I can begin to ride outside again. I’m excited to try this new option—the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. I’m also excited to join #TeamCarter2020 to ride for the family and kiddo and the cause that propels us all to train and to fundraise.
My colleague and friend gave me this button and I wear it proudly! Follow my journey here! :-)
In this journey, I am so proud of myself. I rode 100 miles and I did great. I have reached 1/5 of my fundraising goal for the Arthritis Foundation. I also ran 2.04 miles in 12 minutes, which is pretty amazing for an older person with a full time job and a heart full of stories I’ve got to get on the page. I am telling this story, and I’m so honored to do it.
If there’s any advice I can offer, it’s this: training should be a consistent and dedicated practice toward a very precise goal, no matter if it’s a race, a degree program, a fundraiser, whatever. In that, it is the journey that matters. Never forget that. Write about your success. Write about your failures. Celebrate both.
I hope you keep following me here, and if you feel compelled, become a part of my journey to the starting line of the CCC in October 2020.
PS: This is actually hysterical.
If you have a moment, here’s some local coverage of the event.