NSV: Ride like the wind

This weekend, I finished a 37mi bike ride in the big Tour de Tucson. The full ride is 106 but I did the shorter distance with my dad, who flew down from WA to do it with me.

Holy fck was I unprepared. The first half (downhill) was great, we cruised along and did just fine... but the second half was uphill, into the wind, and I bonked HARD at about mile 22, despite carbing it up hardcore. I was upset with myself for signing up in the first place, wondered if I could keep going, and felt pretty ridiculous.

But I did keep going, thanks to my dad cheering me on and knowing that I've certainly ridden harder courses in my life. So I sucked it up and kept going, and we finished the 37mi course in 3h48m, including stops. (3h03m rolling time.)

Yeah, my eating is still off-track and I "need" to lose another 20 post-baby pounds to get a where I'd like to be, since I've gotten mentally lazy about maintaining. But holy snarf, I could NEVER have even dreamed of doing a ride like this at almost ~300lb!

So here's to 3 years post op, many miles on the bike, and hopefully my 3rd Tour de Tucson next year... but with a little less weight and a lot more training! :)

This is so awesome! i love it !

Amazing Julie! I am in awe.... and that baby is still little-- so cut yourself some slack...the 20lbs will come...

Fantastic.  I don't know if you remember humor columnist Erma Bombeck.  She wrote about blaming 18 pounds on baby weight, even after her youngest was in college.

I had joked about baby weight when my son was about 10 and one day he told me, I am sorry, momma, that I made you fat.  I told him I was fat because of eating the wrong foods, not because of him.

You are doing great and the motivation will just happen one day and it will be like that bike ride.  You will know you can do it and you will

Super impressive and I love the song too!

Congrats on the successful ride Julie!  And how great that your Dad joined you. 

Like everyone else, I have no doubt that you will get back "on-track" -- when you're ready.  Sometimes that takes longer than we want it to, but I know you'll succeed.  You've always been an inspiration to me! 

I tried to get on a bike a month or so ago.. but my neuropathy prevented me from pushing-off... can't get the second leg up on the pedal quick enough.

This is what I need....

Yes, you should totally get a trike! There are lots of people who ride those on our shared-use path and they're just wonderful :)

37 miles!!!!! THIRTY -SEVEN.... Girl you rock!!!! I don't care if you had to crawl and push that bike,  you did 37 MILES.  Be proud! And you are already planning to do it again!!! 

Thats awesome stuff, right there! 

Great job. I am very impressed.  You comitted to do that and you did it. You did not quit when it got extremely hard.  Having dad cheering you to keep going was wonderful. 

You are stronger that the 37mile... Not only you know that you can do hard things when you decide to do that - but that you have "people" around you to help you and to be live in you. Suport system is very important. 

Hopefully next year you would be better prepared physically.. Mental part - you got it... 

Once more time "Congratulations, well done..."

That's fantastic Julie! You're an inspiration.