I Heart the Slow Group

I finally made it on another big weekend ride! Between volleyball games, being sick, and awful knee pain, it had been at least a month since I had been with the group. Now volleyball is finally over (we made it to the league semi-finals!), and I have actually be doing my physical therapy and finally able to ride 40ish miles at a time pain free on my own - so I thought it was time to jump back in with the group.

But I was scared to go back. I was not really confident in my reasons for not following the training plan as perfectly as I think I'm supposed to. I've didn't think our volleyball season would last so long (I've never coached such a winning team). And I have been really frustrated and humbled by my recent pains and injuries. In the past, I have had to learn to deal with physical pain during both chronic and isolated injuries. But recently my body hasn't recovered like it used to. So I don't know what to do and waste a lot of time wishing reality was different. I'm used to being pleasantly surprised by what my body can accomplish. I'm not sure how to deal with new limitations and not sure when to give up. (I was genuinely worried that I would have to send out a "sorry, just kidding - but thanks for your money anyway" notice.)

But I remembered I could ask for help (which then meant I didn't feel like I needed to). And I mentally repeated words of wisdom from you all like "just do your physical therapy religiously".

And I decided to ride with a slower training group. Apparently I've been pushing my knees too hard - my average rpms need to be higher. I've gradually come around to realize that despite my apparent need to prove something through imaginary competition, I don't have to prove anything if I don't want to. Really, this is all probably enough exercise without pushing myself all that much along the way. I needed to realign my internal compass. My real goal is to fulfill that dream of completing STP and feel connected to being part of a collective good - or as my college roommate said "connect to our humanity".

And the funny thing? I love the slow group. I felt more connected and had more fun with the people this week than I had in all the other weeks of flying at maximum speed. We had great conversation while we rode, laughed a lot, and stopped for pie! Yes, it may have been the pie that won me over.

We did 60 miles from Marymoor Park to Snohomish to Monroe to Ames Lake to Marymoor Park. Well, it was 60 because we accidentally took the long way (aka got lost). FYI: realizing the you are lost after riding 50 miles - 1/2 of which was in the rain - is not a great feeling. But we dug deep, figured it out, and made it. It took like 6 hours (including that pie stop and a few others), but we made it! And I have the sore muscles to remind me of my accomplishment all day long...