Written by: Tony Campbell
“I’m getting to old for this s… stuff.” No, I’m not going to let myself say that – not yet.
After a very productive work day yesterday, I was rearing to go this morning for the first day of my single-week bike adventure. After a moving devotion by Pastor Eric, our most gracious host at Bethany Wesleyan Church Indianapolis, we were finally off. I haven’t done a full segment for 3 years, but I did train and I was ready – and we started out on some trails that I have previously ridden in Indianapolis. What I was not ready for was the mud on the Fall Creek Trail.
After slipping and sliding through the first patch of mud I started taking the grass around the mud spots, which was also soggy and hard to push through on a road bike. So I followed some other riders onto the parallel parkway and a “short cut” that only added two miles to my day. But it turns out they were the fast riders at the front of the pack –bad move. I was able to hang with them till the first rest stop, but the effort wore me out.
So I rested up and left with a different group, which went well until Kert had a flat tire. I stayed with him while he changed it and then tried to catch up with my new group – bad move (sound familiar?) – why can’t I learn to pace myself?
So I rode alone at my own pace from the second rest stop. My now sore foot, tired legs, the heat and humidity which I had been able to avoid on my training rides even had me entertaining thoughts that I MIGHT have to get sagged in for the first time ever.
Not yet.
At the final rest stop Kert and his group persuaded me to join them, despite my protests that I would either slow them down or push myself too hard trying to keep up. But I seem to catch a second wind at the rest stop and Curt set a reasonable pace and I made it to the end.
This was easier, I seem to remember, back in 2008 when I was a whole way rider.
I’ve done at least a day or a week of most of the rides since then. Maybe it’s time to rest on my laurels.
NOT YET!
(But it is time to rest – my muscles are killing me!)
