May flowers... and bike rides

[Crankin]

Well, another Wednesday, another short ride. The group ride was a lovely 31 mile ride along the north shore. I've done it twice. Weather up there was cloudy and some chance of showers during the beginning of the ride time. From experience, I knew it probably wouldn't outright rain, but by the coast, it would be damp and drizzly. I didn't want to drive an hour for that. Sigh.
I spent all morning studying for a recertification exam I need to do and went out at 11:45. It was 65 and cloudy, and guess what? It was spitting for the first two miles. Then, it got better; not sunny, but warmer and less clouds. I only rode 13 miles and it felt like a century. My speeds are not really much less than normal, it just feels hard. I am woefully underprepared for my trip; haven't done any rides longer than 32 miles. I ended up doing just under 13 miles, and that was extended because I made a wrong turn onto a main road and went back a way I knew would be longer than 10 miles.
This is discouraging.

[ny biker]

I'm planning to attempt a real bike ride this weekend. Of course since it's late May all my friends will be doing long, challenging rides, but I want to keep it relatively short and simple because I haven't ridden in 3 weeks. I'm looking at some of the posted club rides to see if I can come up with a short-cut route that will allow me to ride part of the time with friends. I'm also planning to put my old saddle back on the bike; the one I've been using lately is the same as the old one, just newer, because the foam in the old one seemed to have gotten too squishy. But given the problems I've had recently with the new saddle, I think a too-squishy old one might be a good idea, at least for a while. The strange lump on the narrow part of the bone in front of my sit bone is almost gone and I really don't want it to come back.

[north woods gal]

Hang in, there, Crankin'. You, too, NY. We all know how tough it is to get back into top long distance riding form after a layoff, so keep your spirits up. I'm there, too, in fact. Haven't done anything longer than 30 miles, so far in '17. I should do more road work, though, to balance out all my trail riding. My excuse is that trail riding is just so convenient, given that I have trails right outside my door and yeah, I'm addicted to it, too. Road work, though, does build a different kind of endurance, so I need add a little for the sake of balance in my riding.

A long week and a half of cloudy, gloomy, wet weather and the sun is out, this morning. I'm in heaven.

[ny biker]

Thanks North Woods. I'm just trying to roll with it, finding other ways to be productive or entertain myself (I am Groot! ) when I can't get out and ride my bike. It is what it is, just have to try to make the best of it.

[Crankin]

And now, I am sick... it's allergy based, but I couldn't ride today, if I had to. It's raining, though. Praying I wake up fine tomorrow, as this needs to be a training weekend.

[ny biker]

I have a plan for this weekend, having figured out a way to meet up and ride with a friend on part of the long ride he's doing. Hopefully others will also join us and the rain will hold off until we're done. The forecast for the whole weekend is very "maybe it will rain."

Last night I put the old saddle back on my bike. In doing so I noticed that it was slightly off center, which means the new one that has caused problems was also slight off center. This probably contributed to the problems, which were all on one side. I am very much hoping that the problems will not recur.

I hope you feel better, Crankin.

[Crankin]

So yesterday, I started feeling better around 10 am. Decided to err on the side of caution, so we walked into town for our exercise, ate a light lunch, and walked back, for 4 miles. Late in the afternoon, I began feeling somewhat yucky again, but that is kind of normal for me when I am getting better.
Wanted to do a long 40-50 mile ride today, but I woke up with a full head and not feeling great. I am still "better," in that my ear isn't hurting like hell and I am not about to lose my voice. But, because of the fullness in my head, I feel a bit out of it. My nose is running.
I am beyond upset. Normally, I'd chalk it up to a few days off, but I am seriously scared I am going to die on my cycling trip. Realistically, I know I can suffer my way through it, but I don't want to...