Is there good pain?

Well, it's another Monday. Only 38 Monday's left this year. This Monday I woke up with a stiff neck, puffy eyes and a sore crotch. And not from the reason that is floating through your mind...you dirty minded friends of mine! HAHA! Yes, of course, I would have gone there too. But no, my crotch is sore because I decided to get on my bicycle and ride yesterday for the first time in a year and a half. When Trainer asked me when the last time I went out was I had to think really hard....it was September of 2006. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I didn't get on my bike once in 2007. Apparently not the year of the bike.

Yes, so after watching The Sports Reporters and Sports Center followed by my favorite Rock of Love and drinking an entire pot of coffee...we decided that it would be a great day for a ride. I looked out the window and it was a little windy and believe me when I say that the wind can ruin a perfect ride. It didn't look bad though so Trainer got the bikes ready while I changed into the most unflattering gear ever and filled up the water bottles. Seriously, who the F- - - designed riding gear? Now yes, it's functional, and you really don't think about it once you're on your bike, but really...unflattering. I may have to invest in a riding skirt, I'm not kidding.

We started off riding through the neighborhood and then turned on to the local Autobahn where the speed limit is 60mph but the average driver is going about 85mph. The sun was out, it was about 72 degrees, just perfect and I was feeling pretty good. I'm a much better cyclist than I am a runner. I'm more comfortable on the bike and I can go for a much longer period of time. However, since I haven't been on my bike for so long I was starting to hurt when we were only 2 1/2 miles into the ride. Yikes. That's not good. Cycling is more involved than people realize. Of course your legs are working, but so is your core, your upper body and most of all your mind. You can't zone out or you might become road kill. So we're riding on this FM road (Farm to Market) with the crazy drivers and it's a rolling hills kind of road. Although I must say that it feels more uphill than downhill for "rolling." My nether region starts to get a little sore from the seat around 10 miles and Trainer asks how much farther I want to go and before my a** has time to answer my mouth said, "I think I can make it 5 more." WHAT??? Yes, so we went an additional 5...kilometers, thank goddess.

After I caught up to Trainer at the turn point we started up again. See, when we ride it's really not together. He goes, and goes...and I constantly try to catch up, which I never do, and he constantly looks over his shoulder to make sure that he can see the speck behind him that would be me. The really sucky thing about the ride back, besides the part where my who-ha is screaming for me to PUH-LEASE stop, was that it was windy, really windy...and we were going INTO the wind. I had it on one of the easiest gears and I felt like I was trying to climb a mountain with a 50 pound weight attached to my back. Yes, the wind makes you feel like you are standing still, well except for when it is tossing you from side to side on the shoulder of the road. I tried to keep my head down for better aerodynamic flow, but then I started seeing spots. My heart rate was up, my mouth was dry from sucking wind, my legs were jelly and my who-ha was numb, but not numb enough not to feel the pain. I got caught at a couple of lights, that were MINUTES long, and Trainer would wait patiently for me to eventually get through and we finally made it home. 26.2 miles of riding, and I'm out of riding shape.

When we rolled up to the house I had visions of just running my bike into the big elm tree in the front. Maybe that would pop me off without having to swing my leg over the back of the bike. But, I didn't run into the tree. I DID stop by the truck to help balance myself while I clipped out of my pedals...oh yes, you are LOCKED in to those pedals, no escape until you clip out. Then I gingerly walked my bike up to the garage and hobbled into the house. I peeled off my clothes and got into the shower where I realized that my who-ha felt like I'd had a very good three days in bed. However, there was no pleasure with this experience, just pain.

Today I woke up in pain. Today I wore a dress so that there was no pressure anywhere. Today I'm actually in a good mood despite the pain. Today I decided that I'm going to start riding again, two times a week. Today...I should be committed.