Good Morning!
I am very happy to report that I finished the 27 mile Tour de Cure! The weather made it a tough ride, however, the scenery and the camaraderie among the riders more than made up for the tempestuous weather. The first 13 miles went gently uphill following along a bike path for the first 5 miles and then up and out into the countryside of Rochester, Minnesota (meaning woodlands and farmland). About half way through the course we leveled out onto more or less flat lands with the final 6 miles a gentle down hill ride. The organizers created a great course for a ride teaming with aspiring riders (about 200).
Now the weather. I was lucky to ride about the first 8 miles with just threatening cloudy skies. Well the rain and hard wind started about mile 8 and did not let up for the rest of the course. It began lightly and turned into a torrent of rain. Cars were pulling over because they could not see. All of the riders near me watched out for each other (“Got your back”) which made me feel safe at least as safe as you can be in weather like that. The weather was the greatest challenge, not the course. I heard that we had one inch an hour of rain during that last hour of my ride and believe me it felt like it! I did the route in less than 3 hours. I can tell you that cycling shorts are the best! I may have been soaked but my rear-end was never sore.
As I faced the challenges of this ride, and yes, had thoughts about how crazy I was to be out in that weather, pumping and pumping the pedals, I ruminated. Many of you know that I did this ride as a way for me to celebrate my birthday (BD), a blessed life, a life renewed with greater health and fitness, and a way for me to give back to a worthy cause. I raised $675 from family and friends, including some of you!! Many of us weight loss bloggers are at high risk for developing diabetes, among other things. I know I am. While I rode I thought about the folks with diabetes, like my godson with Type 1, and the challenges they face each day in regulation. For me, I was challenged in the ride by the weather, not by any serious healthy anomalies like diabetes.
This ride was also a way for me to celebrate almost one year of a change in my lifestyle that has brought me many rewards, including a better understanding of the reasons behind my obesity to begin with and of course a weight loss and growing physical stamina and endurance. Most of the time I follow Marion Nestle’s advice: eat less, move more, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and go easy on the junk food. With counting calories, that is it for me.
I will never know the exact time of my ride, because my IPhone, which was tracking my time, was in my pocket. My pocket filled unbeknownst to me with water. And let’s say the iPhone drowned. Shorted out and dead, along with the pictures I took along the route. But, iPhones are replaceable. My health is not. I finished, my phone didn’t.
Which leads me to my last point: we can all do more than we think we can. I NEVER thought I would ride 20 or more miles at a time on a bike. But I can and I do. Each time you push yourself higher than you think you can go you win, your health wins, and your fitness levels win and your loved ones win. You can do it. More than you think. You can. Stay strong my blogger friends. Thank-you so VERY much my friedns for
all your encouragement as I prepared for the ride. Now, time to celebrate a BD!!!! TTFN! Michele