Even though I got stronger riding solo this year, there's something entirely different about riding in a group or with a training partner. They provide encouragement, they push you, they compete with you, they make you better. It was during a solo ride when I passed a cycling friend, and she proceeded to whoop and holler, telling me how good I looked. :) (Yeah, thanks Natalie!) Later in the ride she caught me, showing how much stronger she got.
Natalie and Marjorie, Queens of Cycling.
I couldn't let them have all the fun in the A group.
[PC: Natalie]
I started doing group rides again in June, but I stayed with the B+ group since that's all I knew. Natalie on the other hand was riding with the A group. I was jealous. She kept trying to convince me to join her, but I declined because I was scared and didn't think I was good enough. I saw how much fun Natalie and her friends were having and I wanted to be a part of that, so I leaped and never looked back.
Did I mention that A group had good looking people as well?
I just had to meet Marjorie and Eddie. :)
[PC: Natalie]
Every group ride I do now, I start with the fastest group no matter what. I hang on as long as I can, trying to increase that distance each time. With the really fast A groups, I have to draft often as I can't sustain that fast of a pace for long periods. What goes through my mind during these rides, you ask?
"Suck it. Suck it. Suck it. Suck it."
Suck that wheel in front of you, no matter how much pain you're in. Suck that wheel, no matter how much you want to quit. Suck that wheel, even though you have no energy left. Suck that wheel, so you don't get dropped. Suck that wheel so you get stronger, faster, and better. Suck that wheel, so you can reach your goals. Suck that wheel to keep the dream alive. Suck that wheel because you can. I don't care if you've gone over your heart rate threshold, just suck it!
[Side note: For those of you who don't know cycling lingo, drafting is riding close behind another cyclist's rear wheel to save energy. They break through the wind barrier/resistance for you, and sitting close to them allows you to draft off them to save energy. Once you get close enough, your front wheel gets sucked into their rear wheel's slipstream.]
It's not a rare sight to see me passed out on the floor in my room after long rides with the A group. The effort wears me out. Despite how much pain I'm in during and after the ride, I can't help but have a huge sense of accomplishment and my goofy grin.
Vacuuming in 2006. Sucking and grinning.
As I continue to live this life, I need to be more like a vacuum. I need to suck. :) When things get tough, I need to suck it up and keep moving on. When I feel tired and am sore or in pain, I need to suck it up. When the weather is gloomy or rough outside, I need to suck it up and still go out to train. To get to where I want to be as an athlete, I need to put in the work. I cannot quit or give into what the world dishes at me. I need to persevere. I need to push on. I cannot give up. If there's something you want, a dream you chase, go for it. Give it everything you got. There's nothing to lose but fear itself. You are capable of more than you think. Believe in yourself. That's the greatest gift you can give. Go suck! :)
Sucking has made me look good too ;)
[PC: Natalie]
PS. Thank you Natalie Pruitt and Marjorie Muniz and Eddie Viteri for embracing me into your training group. Thank you for believing in me and for making me work and for shaping me into a better person and athlete. Thank you for all the pain and the fun. Hard work is hard, but I wouldn't want it any other way, and you make it easier. All my [future] success will always be credited to you guys.
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