I took my first bike ride of the year today. It was sunny and just warm enough. I decided to ride to Whole Foods and get some of the peanut butter I like (ground fresh from honey-roasted peanuts!) I got out my bike, pumped up the tires, lubricated the chain, and checked everything over. Without thinking about it much, I went the way I would usually go: I caught the UMass Bikeway Connector to the Norwottuck trail. Unfortunately, the trail is shady enough that large stretches of it were still covered with soft ice and snow. I nearly wiped out several times and was frequently reduced to walking. The bike wheel would break through the ice and slip first one way then the other. On the way back, I took the roads.
The training at the fitness club has made a big difference. I've never liked using a stationary bicycle because it isn't like how I actually ride. I have a tendency to pedal and rest, pedal and rest. When you're on a stationary cycle, it complains if you rest -- it wants you to ride continuously. Where it's made a big difference is riding up hills. When you're riding up a hill, you can't rest either. The practice of pushing continuously for 15 or 20 minutes has been excellent training for pushing up hills. There weren't any really big hills on this ride, but I noticed that my improved fitness made the hills seem a lot smaller than they did last year.
In the end, I only rode about 9 miles at an average speed of 8.3 miles per hour. Not a great showing, but not bad given the ice -- and a lot better than when I started last year. At the end, I could easily have ridden the same distance again, except for my rump, which needs more toughening. The seat at the fitness club gives more support than the seat on my bike.
Along with the peanut butter, I picked up some sourdough seed bread. And a little baklava. Not atkins-friendly, perhaps, but a little reward for making a good start doesn't seem out of place. Now for a nap!
StevenBrewer