a report from LLB

[latelatebloomer]

Just had to shoot you all a little report and get you all to do the Snoopy happy dance with me!

Latelatebloomer just did her first club ride on her NEW ROAD Bike and she was CLIPPED IN, TOO!!!

This is proof-positve that TE can work miracles. Of course, I also trained hard at the gym all winter, even did some tough indoor training with the local bike club's racing team. (What they thought when a 46 year old, 200-some lb woman walked in, I don't wanna know. But guess what? My heart rate targets were about the same as theirs. Talk about pushing beyond one's comfort level - I wore the spandex, one night I was the only woman there, and I was scared I was gonna throw up - either from nerves or effort! (but on the last night of training, one of the guys said he and a couple others might join me on my century ride, just to give me moral support I think - it made me feel like I was part of the team just a teeny tiny bit )

So, last Sunday, DH and I did a little how-to-road-ride class, and this Sunday, the same man was leading a class D ride - 10 mph, 10 -15 miles. Ok, I thought, perfect for a start. I mean, my best ride at the end of last season was 20! (this time last year, I could only do 3 miles.) Well, we got out there and after some miles, he announced we were all doing great and could handle a longer ride. We did 25. I was often last, but not by much, and I DIDN"T CARE ONE BIT! The leader taught me how to take hills a lot better, and told me I did great.

And there was a more experienced rider along to help and encourage - another large woman, an African American woman who mostly mountain bikes and SHE WAS TOTALLY CAPABLE OF KICKING BUTT - but also rode gently to help us out.

Yeah, I wanna lose more weight. Mostly so gravity doesn't have such a claim on me on the inclines - but I really feel like I have transformed myself. This is all so beyond what I ever believed I could do when I weighed 270+. Thank you all for coaxing me along when I got frustrated and discouraged. For all you big women who are committed to getting fit, I just want to mention that I stopped getting on the scale - because I'm building a lot of muscle and if the weight stays the same or even goes up a little, I plummet emotionally - so I just make fitness goals and slowly but surely, it's time to send another set of clothes to the Salvation Army. Just don't give up.

Thanks again, everyone.

[bikerz]

Hey way to go LLB!!! Congrats!!

[Trekhawk]

Mate Im so pleased for you. I wish you were closer so we could ride together, what a blast we would have.

Sounds like a great group to ride with and congratulations on riding your new bike clipped in.

I will have a celebration drink for you.

Leslie

[Lise]

LLB, you rock! Congratulations!

I didn't know that anybody else did what I call the "Snoopy Dance of Joy"! I join you! I am dancing like a fool!

Thanks for letting us know how it went. Looking forward to more ride reports. Good, good work. Lise

[Grog]

Wonderful, LLB! Way to go, you'll go further next time.

[bluedress]

AWESOME JOB! I love your FABULOUS ATTITUDE! You are doing great things!

~Marca

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill

[allabouteva]

That's fantastic LLB!

That's a lot of progress and you're definitely on your way. There's a lot of firsts there:

1) First club bike ride
2) First club bike ride with new bike
3) First club bike ride with new bike clipped in
4) First club bike ride with new bike clipped in doin' 25 miles!!!

How great is that!!! Good onya matey!

eva

[Nanci]

Wow, so that was your longest ride ever? Aren't club rides fun?

I love the group I ride with- 13 mph average, and we stop and look at stuff. We were out in the country, and I was watching in my mirror, and saw _something_ approaching, something weird, not a car, and finally identified it as a pack of riders. The A riders. Think any of them waved as they passed, even though we had the VP and the former (first!) pres of the club with us? Yeah, right. To make matters worse for them, our strongest rider, a woman who is somewhat overweight, maybe (I hate to guess and go over, as I did with someone's age a few weeks ago- but I have to guess weights all the time at work so I don't get someone over my table limit on there, _and_ I see a lot of gastric bypass patients, a surgery I would _highly_ discourage!!!!!) 230-250? jumped on the back of the pack and stuck with them at 25-30 mph for several miles. The only reason she dropped off was because we had agreed to stop at an upcoming bridge and look at the river.

You can't judge a rider by their weight- you have no idea what sort of fitness level they have...

Just think what you're going to accomplish now this summer, now that you can get outside! When's your Century ride?

Amazing! Congratulations!

Nanci

[wavedancer]

LLB, FANTASTIC!!!

You show that we can do anything we set our minds and hearts on. Have fun on that century. I hope to do my first one this season, too

Linda, another late bloomer

[cusepack]

It was wonderful reading about your ride. Many congratulations to you for a fantastic ride. It's amazing what we can accomplish simply by believing in ourselves and with unconditional support. Yet another inspiration here on TE

[shasta]

You are an absolute inspiration!

Whoohoo!!!

[doc]

LLB Congrats!!! Keep blooming!

[jobob]

Ah, this is just the beginning. Someday soon you'll look back at this ride fondly and marvel at how far you've gone since.

I didn't know that anybody else did what I call the "Snoopy Dance of Joy"!

You kidding?!? Cue the Linus & Lucy theme ....

[Bad JuJu]

Oh that's so inspiring! Good for you! I'm dancin' up a storm here.

[bikerchick68]

LLB... I am SO happy for you! I can hear your joy in this post... way to go! It's great to know you have such supportive cycling groups in your community too... proud of you for doing a group ride! I was scared to death on my first one too! Big Congrats to you!!!