A Year in Review with an all Women's Cycling Club
Last summer, I got a recommendation from a friend to try out an all-women's club. I found the Austin Flyers, and read all about it, and thought, OK, I'll give it a try.
So I showed up at a Wednesday evening ride. It was a route that headed west into the hills pretty quickly. I got to the first set of hills and thought -- No freakin' way can I keep up with these girls. Fear set in like a wild fire. I announced that I coudln't do this, and started to head back.
Then behind me came 2 women in the club. I was confused, maybe they didn't hear me that I coudln't do this. But no, they assured me I'd get to ride with some ladies no matter what! They took me on an easier route and chatted with me the whole time. Gave me tips galore and made me feel like I could come back and keep trying.
The next ride I came to was an easier route. It was, at that time, the hardest thing I'd ever done on a bike, but still was their easiest ride of the month. We turned onto some rolling hills and I started falling back. I was thinking "Crap... I can't do this..." But then 3 women came up beside me, took turns putting their hands on my back, and each gave me a push. And another push. And another. They kept me up with the group.
By the time I reached the half way point I was already sorting out where the best place to stop and call my husband was, so he could come get me, becuase my legs were JELLO. I told myself, OK, go till you can't keep going, then call him.
And we turned and started going down hill. Boy was I thankful. I kept going, and got to recover a little. Then came the last climb. A pretty steep one. Again the ladies put their hands on my back and helped me up. One promised me it was the last hill! (I tease her now for having a different definition of hills than I did then, but I believed her anyway!)
We were on the home stretch, and a calf cramp began to twitch. Someone started coaching me on stretching on the bike to try to fend it off. I also had a stich in my side that rewarded me on each breath with a stab in the ribs. I started breathing very fast and shallow. I managed to fend the cramp off till about a mile from the shop, where we stopped at a stop sign. I unclipped and set my foot down and BAM cramp. Holy cow... that was painful.
Again, the ladies helped me, calmed me down, helped me gimp back to the shop. Boy was I proud to finish with the group.
So I packed up and headed out in the car to drive home. But I hadn't drank enough, and I had been physically at my limit for 2 hours. I made it around the corner and promptly got sicker than a dog. Live and learn!
So I vowed to keep riding, and get better. I wrecked on the way to work later that summer, and was off the bike for a while. Thankfully I saw the facebook updates for the club registration window so I summoned up some bravery, registered, and paid my dues. I went on New Year's Weekend training rides. I was finishing with the group.
I went to a Friend's of the Flyers (co-ed) ride and didn't know, till someone told me, that I was finishing with the "fast group".
Really? NO WAY!
This Wednesday I went on the "easy" ride again. That same one I got sick after last summer. I didn't stuggle. No need for a boost. I'd gotten over my fear of standing up, thanks to the help I'd gotten from them, and managed to spin bigger gears up hill thanks to tips I got on New Years.
I can often hear their advice in my head when I ride. "You're making it harder than it is by staying in the saddle". "Add one more gear, just one more." I didn't have any trouble at all last night.
I'm training for several long rides this year - the MS 150 next weekend, and RAGBRAI in July. I know that I will be OK on both of these rides.
My desire to get better on the bike led me to double up my efforts to drop some weight. This month I hit a total of 100 pounds lost over the last 5 years. Falling in love with my bike was just what I needed to get an extra push to continue getting healthy. I wasn't losing for vanity anymore, I was losing so I could enjoy my bike more.
I can't imagine where I'll be by the end of this summer, or the beginning of next year. I bet I'll be able to do the "hilly ride" (and not get dropped) by the middle of the summer this year. Who knows, maybe I'll hit my goal weight and try a race next year.
Who would have thought? NOT ME!
These ladies coached me, helped me, and encouraged me to keep trying, keep coming back, and keep getting better. I plan on continuing to do just that.
It's an honor to ride with them. Truly.
I can't recommend finding a women's cycling club enough. It has added a whole world of cycling experience I would never have had otherwise.
