Hi,
I'm finally feeling comfortable enough to even talk on this site. I'm a ex long distance runner ,who got injured in marathon training this year. My ankle was so bad I couldn't even put a shoe on. Anyway, after 2 months of feeling sorry for myself and PT,my husband bought us both beginner bikes. I couldn't even hardly ride it at the bike at the shop. I hadn't been on a bike since I was 10 or 11 ,and I'm 52 now. I felt silly ,and embarrassed of how I looked on it. I'm 5/9 ,and weight 125,mostly legs. I felt ridicules. The first time on it I dropped the chain 3 times...couldn't get up the hills....I live in Portland OR ,and all I have are hills around where I live. I was so frustrated. Fast forward 2 months.....I've struggled ,and ridden that bike EVERYDAY...even if was for 10 minutes going up and down the hills. The past 4 weeks ,I've ridden 10 miles every night in peak traffic...ahhhhhhhhhhh ,and 30 miles on Saturday,and Sunday. I'm much more comfortable on the roads than I was. I absolutely love cycling. I'm ready for that road bike now ,but I feel I have so much to learn ,so I'm giving myself one year on this huge heavy hybrid (Gary Fisher Nirvana).
I really don't have any friends who are driven as me ,so I always ride alone. I just registered for something called the "Harvest Century" (although I'm doing the 42 mile choice). It took a lot of guts for me to register (I'm doing it alone) ,as I have no idea what to expect , will I be the slowest one ,and feel totally out of place with my hybrid. Will someone tell me if Ill fit in. My average of a 30 mile ride is 12 mph ,and that includes lot of big hills???
I'm so excited I found cycling...its changed my life.