A Little On the Wobbly Side...

Outside and ready to go!

Joy here...Yesterday (Friday) was my last indoor workout in preparation for tomorrow's Ontario Provincial Individual Time Trial Championships.  Needless to say, it was much like my other indoor trainer rides:  There I sat atop my bike saddle, pushing the pedals with all my might, sweating like crazy all over my bike computer, as I try my hardest to hit the wattage numbers outlined for me in my coach's plan.

Great.

Done.

Today the ride was just supposed to be an easy 45 minute spin to ride "nice and smoothly to flush the legs and where you feel comfortable without fatiguing yourself," according to my coach's directions.

My hero:  Clara Hughes (from my hometown), racing
herself to 5th place at the London Olympic Time Trials.
(Not bad for someone a month shy of her 40th birthday...
remember 40 IS the new 20.

So I pulled my bike with its new aero bars up out of the basement, away from the TV and off my stationary trainer, out to the hot sunny afternoon.

I dusted it off.  I got the tires pumped.  I put on my helmet.  And I was ready to go.

And as I rolled down my driveway towards the street, a strange truth developed from the legs up, or rather from the arms down.  That strange truth is the fact that I'm not actually used to riding outside with my new aero bars.  I don't have as much control over the bike, and I feel a bit wobbly.  The first 5 minutes or so of my ride were really tough for me, because I felt like I was going to fall over at any moment.  I started to really doubt the wisdom of signing up for this race tomorrow, and had visions of myself ending up ass over teakettle in the canal this afternoon as I wobbled all the way over.

But then I got into the swing of things, found my rhythm, felt my legs pedalling strongly, and got down on those aero bars and felt my heart burst as I channelled my inner Clara Hughes.

Even though it was to be an easy ride to "prep the legs for tomorrow," but it was all I could do to hold myself back under the hot afternoon sun, keeping myself steady and in check, keeping all my energy stored up for tomorrow's big effort.

Now let's just hope that I'm able to stay upright and not wobble over tomorrow during the race itself!!!

Over and out,
Joy

Friday's Indoor Ride Stats:                                     Saturday's Outdoor Ride Stats:
Time:  1 hr                                                              Time:  38 minutes
Effort:  warm up, followed by on/off                      Effort:  easy spin to get ready for the provincial TT