On the road again...

After the 15K run Saturday, I continued the outdoor fun on Sunday and did my first outdoor ride of the season--the St. Pat's Ride sponsored by the Wheeling Wheelmen (a cycling club that I'm actually joining as soon as I mail in the form). More importantly, it was Tack's first outdoor adventure...and it was AWESOME!!!

Last season, I found that I really enjoyed the cycling component of triathlon, but I had apparently forgotten how much I really really loved biking until about a mile into the ride Sunday. Between training for the marathon and having to cycle indoors, I think I actually convinced myself that I liked running more than cycling...while it's true that I enjoy running a whole lot more than I used to, I proved to myself Sunday that I really really really love to bike. There really is nothing more exhilarating than flying down a hill with the wind hitting you square in the face so that you just know you're going to have windburn...or more satisfying than climbing a hill without having to resort to that last @#$%! granny gear to get up it (although I have to admit I was in the granny gear on one of the hills--I'm not a big fan of early-season hills, apparently).

I was a little worried heading into the ride (which I did with Sue and Michele...Sue, who injured her plantar's on one of her feet during Saturday's trail run, was hobbling around walking but did a fine job cycling) that I would have problems with handling on Tack--with the steeper geometry and aerobars, I wasn't sure how I'd do. Turns out the handling was fine...I had more problems getting used to my new pedals than I did with handling. And, I've discovered that being down on my aerobars makes that downhill rush even better.

My only complaints (such as they are) are that my quads are fried today (probably due to the combination of the trail run, the hills on the run, and the hills on the ride) and that my neck and shoulders have that "early season can't hold my head up that long during the ride" stiffness...but those are minor prices to pay for the awesome time I had on the ride. And, considering there was still snow on the ground in some places, I'm pretty pleased with the fact that I've already hammered out 37.21 miles outside...

I'm really hoping I'm done doing the long rides on my trainer...it's OK for shorter distances, but now that I remember what I'm missing out on the open road, it'll be tough mentally to revert back to indoor training...so hopefully this weekend we can get out and ride again. BRING IT ON!!!!