Kangatopia

It’s a little late to start training for a 150 mile bike ride that takes place over two days in early May, but I am giving it some serious thought for next year. I’ve wanted to form a goal, shoot for it and succeed. You know, just for something to do. A year or two ago I thought very seriously about fund raising and training for a Team in Training 100 mile bike ride in honor of a friend’s son, but the fund raising and training parts of the commitment were too much for me to take on at that point in my life, and my kids lives. It’s pretty hard to get that much time on a bike in preparation for a ride that challenging and long (I was planning on the hilly, yet serenely pretty, one in Tahoe) and still be a full time mommy - plus the minimum fund raising level was at least a few thousand dollars. That’s a hell of a lot of bake sales.

I don’t see my mommying time lessening any for at least another ten years or so, but the idea is gestating. What if I ride as much as possible, and fill in the rest at the gym with weight training? Of course, I would have to actually visit the gym and resist boredom induced early departure.

I would also have to replace the chain on my bike at some point. That baby’s only rated for about 2,000 miles and I’ve got more than twice that on it right now. I can pretty much only ride in about three gears on the back, so that would be kind of a bummer on a route that long. Plus, I would imagine that eventually the existing chain will just give up and snap or otherwise fall apart… not unlike the way I do from time to time. (insert facile smiley here - my blog editor is apparently not a smiley fan. This is good because a well told implication need not be punctuated by a small portrait of emotion.)

I would also need to pick up some distance on the routine rides. 150 miles is a hell of a lot more than 32 when both distances are stretched out over a couple of consecutive days.

Hmmm… It’s something to think about. It sure would do my large and portly bottom some good.