:-)

(Week 5, Day 2, Tuesday, July 7th)

I was much more lighthearted about riding today. I think the extra day of rest helped to ease my frustrations. However, I did decide to throw half of my training plan out the window - the half that tells me how fast or how hard to ride at each moment during the ride. I'm just going to go for the duration that I need to and leave all other worries behind. I can work on sprints and interval training some other time.

I paid a quick visit to the nice ladies working in the Alzheimer's Association's office in downtown Spartanburg today. I originally went to pick up a purple bracelet to wear as a reminder for why I'm doing what I'm doing, and in the process was blessed with having a humbling conversation with them.
I am always amazed that others are amazed that I can ride a bike more than five miles. I'm really not all that good at it - I do it because I enjoy it, because I like to stretch my physical limitations from time to time, and because I've been endowed with large quadriceps that I may as well use for something. So, I'm still surprised when people think I'm crazy (If you think I'M crazy, you should watch the TdF guys!). I guess it's similar to me wondering why in the world people purposefully run marathons... ?!? (Cycling is easier on the knees, you know...) Anyway, if you're doing RTR and are low on inspiration or having second thoughts, just go visit Beth, Joyce, and Jill at the Alzheimer's Association. Their sincere joy and gratitude at your willingness to help support their cause is enough to renew your energy and resolve to attempt and complete the task. In fact, if it weren't for my dear friend, Beth Sulkowski, selling the idea of the ride to me in the first place, I wouldn't be writing any of this. If you're not doing the ride and would simply like to become acquainted with kind people, or if you have some extra time you would like to use volunteering for a worthy cause, I must insist that you go visit these ladies at the Alz. Assoc. - don't worry, they'll welcome you with open arms and smiling faces.

As for my ride today, nothing especially exciting happened. I waited until early evening to ride so the heat wouldn't be quite as oppressive. I went an easy 20 miles up to my parents' house and back. For most of the ride I just thought. I thought about what I need to get done in the ensuing week, about the final exam I have in my music class tomorrow, about how nervous I am about student-teaching in the fall, and about how I'm not going to waste the rest of my summer if I can help it. And, with all that thinking distracting me, I was home and done with my ride before I knew it. I did, however, manage to shoot some video, while riding, of the beautiful countryside I get to behold on all these rides. It didn't seem right to keep it to myself, so I'm hoping I can put it together and post it here with this blog. (You'll have to ignore and forgive the shaking of the camera - believe it or not, it's hard to film and ride a bike at the same time.) I figure I should go ahead and try it now to see if I'll be able to do it for the actual RTR.

I'm looking forward to riding tomorrow. I'm going over to my cousin-in-law Dillon's place (yes, you read that correctly) so he can hopefully alleviate the crunchy, clicking sound my left pedal has been making lately. Then we're going to hit the pavement together and take over the world! Or at least ride a few miles. It's been awhile since I got to ride with a buddy.

Thanks for reading!

(The video didn't work, sorry... I'll try it again later.)