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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Still Alive....Barely
We rode 22 miles or so on 360 this morning (for those of you not in Austin, it's a hilly bitch of a road where you can see cylists riding any day of the week). A couple of times I really thought my heart was going to explode and my lungs were collapsing. (Note to self....do more cardio at the gym during the week.) It was a bold choice so early on in our training. And by bold, I do mean stupid. (Sidenote: We did this ride a few times last year and finished it, but it was much later in the training process, so we were more prepared then.)

I am a proud person. I don't like to try things in front of people unless I'm fairly sure I can do them. So, walking my bike up a particularly hard hill is pretty embarrassing for me when about 20 true cyclists pass me. I just have to eat my pride. Yum, yum. Can I get that pride with a side of ranch? It's not that I think I should be able to do the things those cyclists can, I just want them to know that I'm not trying to be like them and failing miserably. I want to ride one charity ride a year and finish without having to be scraped off the pavement. And just a tip to any true cyclists out there....when I'm walking up a hill or just going really slowly, it's really nice when you ask me if I'm doing okay. Please DON'T say,"Pretty steep, huh?" UM, YOU THINK? Yeah assclown, it's fucking steep. Did I mention the strong headwind which makes one have to pedal downhill?

I feel like poop now, and I just want to take a nap. So that's just what I'm going to do. Zzzzzzzzzz.


16 Comments:

Blogger Melanie said...

Way to go! I think what you are doing is admirable. I hate bike riding because it's so hard. You're my hero.

Blogger Lisa said...

I'm not a big fan of bike riding either. It IS hard. So yeah you. You are my idol. :-)

Blogger Lisa said...

OH the franchise I am referring to is Curves for Women. They are headquartered in Tx. Their recruiting and signing techniques are use a women's deepest insecurities to bully her into signing. They also have a certain speil they want a seller to memorize when it comes to the prices. And while the speil is legal, it limits some information that a person would otherwise not consider and not think to ask. They made us alot of promises they never kept. When we got out of our franchise they totally screwed us. When we told them we were selling our franchises, they wouldn't return our phone calls, emails, or letters. They literally TOOK our franchise. When we demanded the money that they are obligated to pay us they told us "Well, you have no proof that you've tried to sell your franchise. So you will either give us your franchise OR we'll continue to charge you the franchise fee for the next 8 years and STILL put another franchise in that town."

There is a lot more. It was a nightmare and we have FINALLY recovered financially but it has been difficult. Because we had to just walk away. It took a serious toll on our marriage. We almost got divorced over it.

In conclusion, Curves is EVIL.

Blogger Lisa said...

OH and at the week we spent in training, many. many years ago, the founder made several "fat jokes". He joked about how it was a good thing that there are so many fat women out there or else he wouldn't have made so much money. Jaws dropped and you could hear peoples' gasping.

THere's alot they don't tell you until you sign a contract with them. And once they have your money you HAVE to do things their way and employ their practices. It was horrible. And when my recruitment numbers were to their liking (I couldn't use their practices in good conscious so I didn't get the member numbers they expected) they told me that if I didn't run things their way they would sue me.

Blogger Kami said...

Oh no. The bike walk of shame.

Blogger Elizabeth said...

Hey, kudos to you for even doing this. Hell of a lot more than my ass is doing.

Blogger Norman said...

Bike riding!! You know, that'd be a sport I could do if I wasn't having to tow a bike-trailer containing 60 pounds of kids in the back. Lucky for me we live in Amarillo and there are no hills. On the downside though - we do have winds, and when I pedal into the wind, that bike trailer acts like a parachute & I think I'm biking in place.....

norm

Blogger Lucky Lum said...

I think I saw you!
just kidding.
I could never figure out how those people get up those hills on 360.
I would not even make it up my street!

Blogger Lori said...

Keep it going, you're going to do GREAT!

My guy rode a 50 mile race yesterday and was a freaking DUMBASS and 1) didn't eat prior to the race and didn't have enough water or bars etc and Seriously BONKED hard. I gave him a bunch of shit after he got home. He has NO body fat to spare. Thankfully other cyclists gave him so food & water.

So myh $.02 is be prepared, although on charity rides they usually give you food, etc and on races they don't.

PS Even now as I'm talking to him all I can see is his jaw clenching b/c I'm not being sympathetic... Men.

Blogger Me said...

Well girl, you talk about being embarrassed that 20 "real" cyclists passed you? BS! You were out there making this trek... YOU are a REAL cyclist!!!!!!!

:)

Blogger Rhonda said...

Good job! I could never do it.

Blogger Unknown said...

Assclown...hee hee.

Sounds like a hard ride and more than I can say for my lazy-ass-that-should-be-training-to-run...

Blogger Spikey1 said...

Awesome job! I totally understand the assclown comment thing... when running a race and I pass someone walking I just try and say "good job" or "keep at it" . I would never want to be called an assclown!

Blogger Tammy said...

Good for you. I would have been passed out on the side of the road, much less walking my bike up a hill.

Just throw out a left punch and knock the assclowns off their bike.

Blogger Kat said...

At least you're out there! Everyone has to start somewhere. :) Good job on the 22 miles!

Way to go Nappy...you deserve to take many naps

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