hello there ladies-

i am doing my first century ride in tahoe june 3rd. it is with team in training. there are days i wonder can i really do it? i am training in chicago, certainly no hills to train on and the elevation is like 600ft above sea level. all i know is that i want to cross the finish line. i am pretty competive with myself but i am focusing on that i will do the best i can with what i have to work with. it is exciting and scary!

there are so many types of clothing out there and i am still looking for a good short. i have a pair by perfomance but they hurt. i just bought some chafing lotion from a bike store. i don't know if that is my solution or if i could use a better short. can i get some feedback on what shorts you like.

letting off some steam: i was asked to do this century ride with a woman i know from the gym. we are aquaintances and not really friends. i am also doing the ride with this woman's husband and her very close friend. her close friend's son died about 2 years ago from leukemia. he was 8 1/2. the ride is for raising money leukemia/lymphoma. i said yes to do the ride because i have always wanted to do distance rides and it is for a good cause. i thought when i was asked to join them there would be a team attitude into training. i did not expect a friendship to blossom.

i have been excluded from almost every aspect of what the other three are doing to prepair for the ride. i am doing what i need to do for myself but i feel there should have been some sort of team attitude and etiquette since i was asked to join them. my attitude is that, aside from their exclusionary actions, i will enjoy this to my best ability. it is just not the way i would have envisioned doing my first ride.