Yet another newbie...

[spazzdog]

Well I might as well introduce myself, before I forget to do it.

I'm just south of turning 50. I raced back in the 70's (one of very few licensed in NJ back then) but with so few girls we raced with the boys. I gave it up after 2 yrs, with the constantly changing 'priorities of life' in the 70's.

I became a runner... mid-pack variety. After 10yrs of that (and immediately following the NY Marathon) my achilles tendons screamed 'enough'. I took a yr off... In 2000, I pulled my 11 yr old Trek 1000 off it's hooks, got it lubed and tuned and trained for the 2000 Boston-NY AidsRide. Got hurt a week before the ride, but went anyway. Got sagged everyday... but rode most of each stage. Great experience intellectually... emotionally I had a bit of a pity party.

Now it 2004... my Trek retired, I decided I NEEDED to start riding again. Bought a Specialized Allex Comp, a new helmet, put new cleats (Speedplay) on my new shoes and I'm off and running.

Am starting slow... it's been awhile for my body but mostly my butt . Yowza! I keep my long ride to about 20-25 miles with cadence 85-90.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it .

[maryellen]

welcome, great to read your intro. Racing with the boys in the 70s, wow. I chuckled when I read about you dusting off your Trek 1000, as we recently went and got my partner's Trek 1000 out of storage, and got it cleaned up and tuned up. (She's still mentally preparing herself to actually ride it )

As you put it, you needed to ride again. Last year I needed to *learn* to ride. I did and it's been challenging . . . fun . . . scary . . . pushing the envelope. You name it. I love it.

[spazzdog]

Tell her from me... " go on grrl! throw a leg over!"

An aside - my TREK 1000 was born in 1989. It had the single piece 7 speed gear cluster. I found out the hard way in 2000 that when that thing goes it's almost impossible to replace. I was fortunate that, at the time, the mechanic I used was part of an 'old boys' network... he was able to scrape one up so I could do my AidsRide.

I was told by the bike shop I now frequent that the only thing my old TREK is good for now is to pop all the components off and turn it into a fixed gear for track or REALLY hard road workouts.

[maryellen]

ha, her 1000 is almost as old--she can't remember when she got it (?! how is this possible, I almost had a birthday party for my bike last week!), but I know she got it before we got together because I've never seen her on it so probably a 1991 or so. I just went and looked at it and it seems to have something different from what you described, but I'll keep it in mind if she starts having trouble with it.

Sounds like that first AIDS ride was an experience in every way.

[spazzdog]

I lived there until Nov '94. Do we know each other? I mean, NYC is SUCH a small town. I was a member of Frontrunners. Real name is Gena... though Spazzdog is probably more appropo.

[maryellen]

I don't think so. (I wasn't in NY much from 87-92 (grad school, law school).) I *am* a member of Fast n Fab (the biking subgroup of Front Runners), but activity outside the gym is fairly new for me (and I love it!).

[spazzdog]

Love Fast n Fab. Bob N. is my buddy... I even have an F&F jersey from a few yrs ago (white/purple). Were you here in Boston for the P'town ride? I went to see Bob off... if you were there, I was the grrl in the cowboy hat.

[maryellen]

I wasn't there for the Boston ride unfortunately. It seems like everybody knows Bob N! I think he just finished RAGBRAI.

[spazzdog]

Yes, Bob is a popular boy!

I'm waiting to hear from him on his latest adventure...

I'm actually meeting him later this month up in New Hampshire for the Timberman Triathlon (spectating). I wonder if any of the TE grrls will be there?

Bob didn't think any F&F were competing.