my fun ride this evening!

[latelatebloomer]

This week I decided that for the rest of the season, I'm riding 6 days a week
(I've been riding 3 days & trying to get to the gym 2 or 3 days.) My weight loss has really stalled and maybe even creeped up, plus I want to be outdoors as much as possible.

So this evening, as I'm chugging up a hill, a hunky runner is running downhill towards me. Getting all the way up this hill is new for me, and I'm not stopping to recover - I turn onto the quiet road to the left - taking it very easy and concentrate on recovering my wind while still pedaling. I'm waiting for the runner to pass me - he never did - he kept slowing, too, which he didn't need to do. I'm pretty sure he was kindly trying to save my pride! Too sweet! Finally I caught my breath and pedaled on. On my way back, I passed him and he gave a cheery wave.

Then I came to my turn-around spot. It's at the end of a country lane and ALWAYS deserted. I usually get a good drink, get off the bike, stretch. But there are riders already there! I slowed and joked, "Oh no, there are real riders at my rest stop! What do I do now?" One of them said, "Stop anyway and say hi." We had a really nice conversation. They were middle-aged, too, more fit than I but relaxed and encouraging.

It was neat, like the whole Universe was saying, "Ride, girl, ride!"

Thanks for listening. LLB (thinking of dropping one of the "lates" )

[notsportygirl]

I really enjoyed reading your post, and I'm hugely impressed by your work-out schedule. That takes some willpower! Ride, girl, ride!!!

[anaphase]

Great post.
Sounds like you had a fantastic ride. One of many more to come.

[CorsairMac]

what a fun ride llb! those are some of the "golden" moments that ya always carry with you!!

and please don't change your name too!! LOL.........my poor meno-brain can't take any more changes!

[mary9761]

best of luck with your workout schedule as well. As far as the scales stalling and possibly creeping up, you may have been building muscle at that time. I know my scales had stalled for several months before I started riding and I thought maybe when I started to ride they would immediately start declining. They didn't, but I could see the muscle building and the inches melting away.
Previous to starting the riding this year I had lost 80 pounds over the previous year. I have lost 2 or 3 pant sizes since I started in June AND the scales have started to move again finally. I've lost another 10 pounds just this last month. I still have at least 90+ pounds to get where I'll be happy, but I'm so much healthier than I was May of 2004 and I have the photos on my picturetrail site to prove it.

[latelatebloomer]

Thanks for your support, Mary! Because I do weight work, I do stay off the scale and go more by how I feel, how my clothes feel, inches lost. Scales and "diets" are torments from the past that didn't help me - just tormented. I did have a summer vacation at an artists' & writers' residence where there were snacks, richer food and a chef that served late-evening dinners where we gathered - an experience to be savored. I took walks, did yoga, but my eating habits are usually much more spartan, and I could hear my metabolism slow like a train pulling in to Penn Station. And the loose jeans aren't as loose as they were!!!!

I just can't bear the idea of spending any nice daylight hours at the gym right now, I just want to ride, ride, ride in the sun. I also have a special event in October - I've been inviting to take part in the Brattleboro Literary Festival - definitely as the rookie author - amid people like John Irving and maxine Kumin. I know feeling lean & strong and having some new clothes that look great on me will help boost my confidence.

I look forward to checking out your pictures - at work, where I have access to a faster computer. We who are making such big changes in our bodies and therefore our lives have so much to be proud of!