 |
| Sun. Worship. |
For years, I have heard the mythical terms "training camp" and "cycling vacation". I did not know what those terms really meant. I only knew that in February and March, my Facebook page was filled with pictures of happy bike racers posing in sunny locales like Arizona, California or even Hawaii.
I would sit at my desk in my classroom full of middle school boy smell, look out my window at the dreary, dark day that it inevitably was and sigh. A really, really big sigh.
Then, the opportunity came up for me to do the same thing. Me! In the middle of the school year! To go to sunny Arizona!
It was on. It was so, so on.
Then I got pregnant and it was still on. Just with more vomiting and dry heaving, both problems that can be overcome with a little willpower because please. I got to ride my bike in Arizona. In February.
 |
| One cannot deny that fry bread and honey mid-ride will turn a great bike ride in to an awesome bike ride. |
In 7 days, I rode 271 miles. I would have ridden more, but I had this whole exhaustion thing to deal with. First trimester really interferes with my mileage. I also swam. Thousands of yards. It was hard and painful but in a sadistically delightful way, maybe because the ceiling was the perfect shade of blue.
 |
| I'm 4th from the bottom, (not so) silently thinking, I have to swim HOW FAR??? |
I also had 4 hours to rest and recover each day (FOUR WHOLE HOURS!) and 9-10 hours of sleep a night. I did not cook one meal. I did not clean a damn thing (not that I do that on a normal basis anyway) and I certainly did not spend my time trying to get middle school students to follow directions.
I rode my bike, I swam, I ran once or twice and I rested. Repeat for 6 more days.
If this is what it's like to be a professional athlete, SIGN ME UP.
 |
| Heading up Usury Pass. Notice the lack of trees. And the abundant sunshine. And the short sleeves. In February. |
The worst part of training camp? My two favorite people couldn't come. By Thursday, I was keenly aware how much I missed them. Talking to them on Skype almost brought me to tears, despite the fact that I was staying in a hotel room without any responsibility whatsoever. I didn't want to come back to Portland, I just wanted to bring Team Barker to Arizona. My favorite training partner will always be Barkernews and my favorite race cheerleader will always be Hizz. I neeeeeeed them.
The best part of training camp? Training with some really freaking cool people. I continue to be amazed and inspired by the mental and emotional risks people are willing take, all in the name of accomplishing goals. It occurred to me that there are millions of adults out there who choose to never challenge themselves and spend their time watching the millionth episode of the Bachelor or lamenting their ever-increasing weight problem.
Yeah, I don't get those people.
 |
| Janet dragged me and my ridiculously high heart rate up South Mountain. She rocks. |
I currently think of training camp 5 gazillion times a day. I think particularly of the times when I was pedaling freely in the sunshine with good people, knowing that the rest of my day included eating, a nap, more eating and more napping.
The Portland winter is seeming very, very long right now.
