It's finally Spring weather, and time to get the bike off the trainer and on the road.
Sunday marked the official beginning of group rides for my LTF Riding Group. A short intro to group riding, 8 miles long, stretch your legs and "meet at Starbuck after" group ride. It was wonderful. Slow enough to catch up with a few people and what's happening in their lives, and long enough to warm up and realize you need to get more outdoor miles on the bike.
Riding on a trainer has kept me from starting from point "butt is attached to sofa - can't move." However, it's far from the "25 miles today? That's all?" I need to ride hills, against gravity. I need to shift gears and get out of the saddle. I need to feel the pain of forcing blood through my legs, the tension of holding my core ridged, the bend of the elbow as I lean over the handle bars.
I need to sweat.
Riding with a group has proven to be a tremendous training tool in the past year. It has shown me new routes, new techniques, new ways of pushing myself and tracking my improvement. Group riding keeps you honest. There's someone to ask why you missed a group ride. And it keeps the ride interesting.
I didn't start group riding until mid-Summer last year. I am hopeful to miss very few this year. It is too valuable of a training tool to ignore.
I am also very happy to say my husband will be joining on rides this year. As long as we can find someone to watch the kids. We just need to acquire a couple more pairs of padded shorts/bibs/pants to keep us going.
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