Two years ago I broke my ankle. Once the cast was off, I blissfully launched myself back into cardio swing of things only to (painfully) realize that the ol’ ankle wasn’t what she used to be.
And so, on the advice of my physio, I waved goodbye to running’s high impact ways, and begrudgingly climbed onto a bike. With its gears and coasting, cycling had always seemed like cheating to me, and so it took a while for me to see my bike as much more than a punishment. It wasn’t until I sold my car, became a full-time commuter and started actually spending time on my bike that I fell in love with grunting uphills, smooth corners, and white-knuckled downhills. But now that I’m hooked, I want to see just how far I can take this whole biking thing, so I’ve signed up for the Shoppers Drug Mart Ride Don’t Hide ride, and am putting my bike and I to the test with the 60km option.
As the official training and bike shop sponsor for the ride, MEC has developed an 8-week program riders looking to tackle the 60km route and have asked me to chronicle my training on this blog. And so starting on May 10, with the help and wisdom of Alan Prazsky, National Team Member (retired) and MEC Envoy, I’ll be sharing my training questions, tips, frustrations, and elations on a weekly basis until the ride on June 23. Look for Alan in this space on Friday, May 3, as he kicks off Ride Don’t Hide training with a post on the components of a successful training program, from speed workouts to long rides to nutrition.
Over the next 8 weeks, I’d love to hear how your training is going (regardless of the race), and be sure to offer up your feedback on what I’m doing, because let’s be honest, I don’t have a hot clue about what I’m getting myself into. I’ll see you back here Friday, May 10.
Shoppers Drug Mart Ride Don’t Hide is a community bike ride hosted by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), with the goal of strengthening and supporting the mental health of women and their families. ridedonthide.com
Filed under: Activities, Cycling, Training
