First Real Ride of the Season

And I think it went pretty well.

Coach said 2, 2 and a half hours if my knees felt okay, and a 10-15 minute run if they still felt okay. Well, I did that all, or close. 2 hours, 25 minutes and a 15 minute run. 33 miles!! That is a hair faster than I need to go in 4 and a half months! Woo-Hoo! AND, I felt really good! AND it was a pretty hilly course!!

Jess came over (she is training for the Country music half marathon) and we were meeting Rose up in Columbia. I was biking, Jess running and Rose both. I knew I wanted to do the Columbia triathlon bike course, but the loop part twice. All went pretty well.

But, here are a few things I never thought I would have happen during a bike ride.
1. Approaching a turn with a 20 mph warning sign, look down at bike computer and have it say I was going 8 mph over that warning (I was going 28 mph)
2. Thank the heavens for strong chains that can hold a dog the size of a pony from chasing me down the street
3. Notice in the breeze, the fact that I haven't shaved my legs in awhile - NO JUDGEMENT - It's been winter and I haven't worn shorts or skirts!
4. Laugh out loud when I turned a corner and saw the size of the hill I was about to pedal up.
5. Blow a snot rocket right as a cute cyclist goes by and says "Nice"

But the best part wasn't anything above. It was that after finishing my first loop, I did not want to do the second. I told my self it was okay if I only did one loop because my knee hurt, I was tired, it was my first ride with hills, and my butt wasn't ready to sit that long. Even after thinking all of this, one thought was more powerful. I want to be an Ironman. I want to do whatever it takes to be an Ironman. So I did the second lap.

And the entire time, I had these 2 lines of the band Lifehouse's song "Whatever it takes, to turn this around" running through my head.