Hangin' with the Big Girls

One of these things is not like the other...
One of these things doesn't belong...
Can you guess which thing is not like the other...

It's me!

I heard that some TriGirls were cycling at West Creek this morning but I didn't know who or exactly when. Since I missed my ride yesterday morning to go to an information session for the graduate program I'm interested in attending, I definitely needed to get out there. I arrived at West Creek around 9:00 to find the Iron Girls getting ready to take off. They kindly asked me if I wanted to join them, and I jumped on the opportunity.

They were all wearing amazing new TriGirl cycling jerseys and Grandison had mine with her. I did a quick change and felt super cool in my new gear. I'm hoping for cold weather in the duathlon just so I can wear it.

We took off on Cyndi's famous 30 mile loop. I had tried to do it in late August/early September but we got hopelessly lost. And I owe Kermit a big apology because when he said it was hilly, I didn't really think so... then. I must have been in much better shape. Today, I was the one joking about riding the foothills of the Blue Ridge while the Iron Girls looked at me like I was nuts.

In addition to the hills kicking my butt, it was very windy. Somehow, we were always riding into a stiff head wind no matter what direction we rode. "One of these things is not like the other..." kept running through my head. I was ready to bail at the 15 mile point, but Cyndi and Karen convinced me to keep going. They assured me that the second half wasn't as bad, and I stuck it out. They were often distant images waaaay ahead ahead of me. Fortunately, they stopped and waited at the turns or I would have been hopelessly lost again. I finally decided this was good mental training for those days when I'm getting smoked.

At about the 24 mile point, we were stopped waiting for some others in our group. And waiting. And waiting. I finally had to leave them to get back to West Creek - I was supposed to be home by 11 and already knew I wasn't going to make it. Someone please let me know what happened - I hope everyone was okay.

I finished the 27.75 mile loop at an average speed of 16.5 mph which surprised me a little - I felt like I was riding much harder. Perhaps the wind, perhaps the hills, perhaps the fact that my stomach now hangs down to my thighs when I'm riding...

So what's not like the others?