My Training Partners

Day # 2 of my training. My morning started great, I took my bazillion vitamins, ate my oatmeal and headed to work. Perfect start I was thinking to myself. My first post-cast ride the night before was fantastic, I woke up with no leg pain at all, I was ready to conquer day two. Then I walked into the kitchen and read the luncheon special board for the day, CHICKEN POT PIE. SHIT!!!! I love our chicken pot pie, love it. Why did this happen on day 2, why not day 97? So I told myself that I would be strong, I would have my fresh salad w/ oil & vinegar and fresh smoked turkey. Well that lasted all of about 45 minutes. I just couldn't pass it up- warm, creamy, with tender chicken and that flaky crust. I know your mouths are watering right now. So I caved. I let it bother me for about 2 minutes. I still have 156 days to lose 30 pounds and I'll make it up tomorrow, unless it's meatloaf day! Please lord, don't let it be meatloaf day.
I started cycling years ago to lose weight- I was 240 pounds at the time. I will never forget the first time I squeezed into my bike shorts and jersey. I almost quit right there in the dressing room of the cycling shop, but I turned opposite the mirror and sucked it up. My rides began short, mainly because I was out of breath! But as time progressed, they got longer, and by longer I mean like 10 miles. Then the harassment began. I have this friend, we will call him "Douche" to protect his identity. We started riding about the same time, but he became obsessed. He kept telling me that my silly little rides weren't going to make me any stronger, but I ignored it. When I did ride with him, I would hold his wheel for as long as I could, constantly yelling at him to slow down, but he wouldn't. This went on for months, but I began to realize that I was going faster, longer and getting stronger. He finally convinced me to begin the group rides. He rode the 'A' ride and I would hang back and wait for the 'B' ride to start. Not a Tuesday or Thursday went by that he didn't turn around as the A-group was pulling away, look back at me sitting still and call me a pussy. Out loud. One morning, I just couldn't stand it any more and I went for it. I pulled out with the big dogs. It was fast, I mean really fast, but I survived. I was never up front or took a pull; I just sat mid pack and peddled my ass off, but I made it. I was proud that morning, I felt like I was really a part of something special. I never went back to that B ride, but I will have to swallow my pride and join that group again next week.
So back to the post title. Right now, the training I'm doing is all indoors on my trainer. My only friend is that computer & my kids who are constantly trying to grab the brakes or stick their hands in the wheels. Clark has me set up this way for the first 5-6 days. He refers to it as Active Recovery Rides of 45 minutes. Notice he says "recovery". These past two night I have been sweating like a whore in church when the timer on my friend above reaches 45 minutes. Just a little note, if any of you that read this ever come to my house, I would avoid the brown rug in the office, a lot of sweat has been dropped on that baby!
Tonight's workout was really good, my heart rate pre-ride was around 90, got up to 168, I rode for 45 solid minutes at a cadence of 93-96, total mileage was 20 miles and I burned close to 650 calories. So now that I think about it, who gives a shit about that small bowl of Chicken Pot Pie, it probably made me work a little harder tonight.
I dedicate tonight's post to "Douche". Thanks for all the constant harassment over the years. You made me a better rider, both mentally and physically. See you on the road soon, Pussy.