A Shot to the Nards

Both symbolically and physically.

So I went bike riding with Lance, Cuddy and Ben yesterday.  I basically felt like I was just holding them back.  It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever tried in my entire life.  And that’s no exaggeration.  When we got done, I was the most exhausted that I’ve ever been after doing something.  I guess we went around eight miles.

It wasn’t the distance that got to me though, it was more of the terrain.  The trail changed from downhill to uphill so much.  We would go for a while on a decent and then right at the end of that decent would be a ridiculous climb.  There were some of the climbs that were like eighty degree climbs, and I just couldn’t handle all of it.  Then there were the slow and steady climbs and those killed me too.

Now I will say that Lance warned me before hand that this was going to be no easy feat.  I guess my mere stubbornness got the best of me.  I figured I could hang with them, but I found them waiting for me a majority of the time.  They were cool about it though and encouraged me that this was a sick-nasty trail for my first ride.  It was just a real shot to the nards when I realized that I couldn’t do it as well as they could.  I’m just so confident that I can do some things and then I try them and realize I’m not as good as one would hope.

But, all in all it was a lot of fun.  Though I found myself walking most of the uphill portions, I definitely enjoyed the downhill portions.  They also told me that the bike has a lot to do with how well you ride as well and that the bike I was riding wasn’t the best.  I look forward to getting better and just blazing through those trails like they’re nothing.  One day… 

And maybe eventually I’ll learn when to sit and when to stand when I’m riding.  Let’s just say I’m in a bit of pain today.