Reflections

Today was the 2010 Tour de Camden, a charity ride I have enjoyed participating in for the last few years. I went out with the goal of doing better than last year, and did it! Shaved off 9 minutes with an average speed that was a half mph higher this year, and rode the entire 62 miles without unclipping or stopping. This may not mean a lot to some folks (I read the blogs, there are MONSTERS out there!!) but to me it means this: four years ago when I began riding, I started keeping a journal; I rode every day the first week, for a grand total of 12 miles! I had an old mountain bike (something on it broke EVERY time I went to the woods with it) and I would ride 2 or 3 miles a day around my neighbourhood, and felt good about the progress I was making. I still feel good about the progress I am making. I am 44 years old, and although I am overweight, I am in great health. As an ER nurse, I daily tend to people much younger than I who won't make the decisions I have made and as a result, many are trainwrecks, health-wise. So, I'm gonna keep riding, eventually I'll get a grip on the weight thing, and God-willing, will enjoy many healthy years and old age.
Be blessed, be safe.

Northern Kershaw County

Did a good loop followed by an out-and-back today with my brother and his brother-in-law, just wanted a good long ride in preparation for the Tour de Camden next Saturday. I'm pretty sure we're all good to go for the metric, always a good time with those folks.
Lately, I have been focusing less on high cadence and more on strength training, i.e., pushing a harder gear, as well as hitting the hills in the drops. I feel like I am seeing some progress here, or else the hills are not as long or steep as they used to be.

5 October 2010

Enjoyed a short ride of 20 miles today in great weather. This time of year is incredible and I think everyone should be on a bike or out walking right now. Gotta run, too pretty outside to blog.
Be blessed, be safe.

In Memory of Ralph Nugent

Did a ride on Saturday to memorialize an avid cyclist and safety advocate who was killed by a motorist back on Memorial Day of this year. This master and teacher of riding safe was practicing what he preached when he was struck by a car and died. Now, I have never met Mr. Ralph personally, but he is a friend of friends; somewhere around 70-80 of those friends came out to remember him with a great bike ride, including his daughter and her family. May God bless Mr. Ralph's family and all of us as we do what we love.
Be blessed, be safe.