I truly hate taking the bus and don’t want to get in the habit of relying on my friend to get to work. Also, she’s moving out of West Seattle at the end of the month, so that won’t be an option. So I figured since I committed to running the 2016 Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon, then incorporating biking to my training is not a bad a day.
I downloaded the Map My Ride App last year to track a few bike rides. LOL, this is not the first time I try riding my bicycle to work. I attempted it last summer and did great, until I busted my a%s getting out of a hot tub and pretty much gave up on all physical activity for a week or so. I never got back to my bicycle challenge. A year has gone by since my epic fail and here I am again. Last night I decided to get my bike gear ready and challenge myself to riding my bicycle to work this morning. I forgot to start my tracker so I went almost an entire mile without recording the ride, but it’s fine because I was 11 miles away from Queen Anne. Plenty of time to track my ride.
Just like when I ran the half marathon, my body started to hate me around mile 10. And with good reason! I was approaching the Queen Anne Avenue hill. I ended up pushing my bike all the way to the top and then pushed myself to ride the rest of the way. Once again, I cried. lol, yes this is becoming a thing. I couldn't talk to anyone at the office and literally had to put my head on my desk. I was proud of myself, but so exhausted.
I'm not a hard core bicyclist type. On the other hand, my friend Marques (aka, DJ Risk One), that freaking guy rocks. He's done the AIDS/LifeCycle more than once. We're talking a 7-day cycling tour through California starting in San Francisco and ending in Los Angeles. Hmm, yeah... that's a challenge right there. I cried at mile 10, so not sure I have it in me to ever do that. I'm still trying to wrap my head around committing to a full marathon.
Everybody is talking about the positive environmental impact of taking a car off the road and how good it is for one’s mind and body to ride a bike to work. I’m not disagreeing with any of those things, but just like anything the first few days are the hardest. I don't know if its about finding the right routes, or simply a mind over matter thing.
The ride back was a lot easier. I took some of the main roads and I was scared for my life, but I made it home. So, I’m not here to make a plea for you to bike to work, save the planet. I’m just here to say I am freaking exhausted after today's ride from West Seattle to Queen Anne and back. Who knows, I might have it in me to keep going and turn this into a regular thing, but for now the support of my friends and coworkers keeps me going.
