whew! what a ride

As you probably know by now, a chunk of my life has been spent training for my first group cycling event. Let's start off telling you about the event. The Bonneville Cycling club hosts the Little Red Riding Hood ride every year in Cache Valley. This is a noncompetitive, ladies-only ride that raises money for cancer research. They cap it at 3,000 riders and I was lucky enough to get a slot (thanks to a big heads up from some facebook friends).

This year, Little Red was a super hero who was trouncing the Big Bad Wolf that is Cancer. One of the things that makes this ride so much fun is the costumes. Everyone is encouraged to dress up for the ride and there were some fun things to see. The wolf himself even came by to see what kinda trouble he could stir up.

If he wasn't such a baddy (aka cancer), I would say he was quite a hunk! Oh well, he didn't last long. :)

I registered for this ride in February and decided to go for the 35-mile distance. I decided this before I had even had a chance to ride my new bike. Not only had I not ridden my bike, I had never ridden more than about 10 miles in my life. I really thought 35 would be a huge accomplishment. Well, as training started and my milage started to climb, I got really excited about what I might actually be able to do!

Memorial Day, I went for a 39-mile ride. I thought I was going to die!!! I thought, "at least I know I can make it 35 now!". Then, I started thinking about it and started comparing the courses. The ride I go one every week is chuck full of hills (big hills) and the 57-mile distance for LRRH only had one. I just started to wonder why I couldn't do that distance after all...SO I DID!!! I rode 57 miles today!!!

Here is me just minutes before my distance was called. Notice how color coordinated I am? Pauline will be so proud when she sees this picture. I got everything (even new shoes) so that I would match. :)

Here I am just feet away from the finish line. Look at that smile!!! I guess it wasn't too bad after all. In fact, when the fam caught up to me at the official finish line, I asked if I could go again. Not today of course, but real soon. It was so much fun.

In other news, we were able to pick up a really good used bike for Wells, he has been asking for one. I told him he has to go 50 miles with me at the end of the summer.