Two weeks ago I participated in an indoor training event where you attach your bike to a device fittingly called a "trainer," which essentially turns your pavement shredding machine into a stationary bike.
So there, inside the basement gathering space of an historic Atlanta church, we pounded out not miles, but certainly tons of sweat and calories.
Having missed an opportunity to do a group ride on Saturday because I was simply exhausted after the March for Life, I went yesterday to the area the group rode and kind of made up my own route.
Here it is for your viewing pleasure:
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That's right! This fat boy tore up Brookhaven's neighborhoods and logged 15 hard-fought miles on this Atlanta suburb's hilly roads. Peachtree-Dunwoody Rd was particularly obnoxious to ride up, but I made it. I tell myself as my legs burn and my heartrate hits 180 "Don't get off this bike! Don't you dare get off this bike!" It works for now...
The ride took, as you can see on the screenshot, almost an hour and a quarter. Come June, I will need to be able to pull off 6 and 2/3 of those 15-milers to reach a century...also taking into account the ascents around Lake Tahoe and the altitude, most of the ride being well above a mile high, where the air is a good bit thinner and the heart has to work harder to oxygenate the muscles.
Since I haven't made much progress in the organization of the new team, I don't yet have names of the cancer patients or the sisters who care for them, so I offered the pain and the 4 mph uphills for the intention of the Lord leading the way, that he would, as this plan unfolds, upon up the doors we will need opened, and give us strength to persevere.
As I think about all that needs to be done, I realize how big an undertaking it will be to make this training and the realization of the event happen.
At this point in the game, though, my biggest worry is how anyone, no matter how great their endurance, can sit on a bike seat for that long. The heart will calm down, there will be a coming decent to relax the legs, but that seat, that piece of marble covered in thick plastic, is always there...uphill or downhill, coasting or peddling, it's right there ready to bruise and wound and to mock you.
Pray for this endeavor! Pray for the people of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cancer Home! Pray for the Sisters that love and care for them! And, if you can spare a prayer, pray for my bottom!
I'm off to log some more miles today. Till next time,
Peace in Christ,
FrM
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