Today I met some of the people who are also riding with Baker Hughes at a team training ride. I was one of only 2 women riding, so I’m hoping some more show up on ride day!! I’m riding with this team because a friend of mine rides with them, but his Baker Hughes connection has since moved away, so it’s hard for me to explain exactly where I fit in the whole Baker Hughes picture. But I’m excited nonetheless and am looking forward to seeing everyone at the start, middle and end of the big ride. And our team captain seems to cater to people like me who like to know every detail… his emails have answered a lot of my questions. (And, as my husband knows, I have a LOT of questions!!)
The ride was roughly the same course as I rode the Sunday prior, except minus a huge hill and about 20 miles. I liked riding the same course again, as I knew what to expect and was able to enjoy some of the same scenery again. About 5 miles into the ride, when everyone was finding his or her own pace, I heard someone call out my name as I slowly passed by her… a friend of mine training for a triathalon was cycling part of the same route! I hadn’t seen her in quite awhile and I don’t know how she recognized me in my cycling gear, but she did and it was pretty exciting to cycle along with her for a bit! It seemed there were quite a few groups using that route that day.
After that nice surprise I rode on my own for awhile, then met at the appointed rest stop/ store at 17 miles. When I got there I felt a little awkward not knowing anyone and my phone rang. Another friend of mine was riding 70 miles that day and she called to check in and say hello. She was doing great, and her positive attitude encouraged me, too.
After the stop I rode alone for awhile and then rode with another Baker Hughes rider for about 10 miles. Riding with someone else made me push a little harder, but when he stopped, I couldn’t believe we rode 10 miles together… the time had vanished. I pedaled along, alone in my thoughts and prayers, marveling at all the farms and sunshine around me until it was time to turn onto a street where I remembered a dog from the weekend before. I rode as quickly as I could and, fortunately, never saw the dog. (Dogs have terrified me since I was about 8 or 9 and there a was a dog that would chase me on my bicycle when I drove by its house. It could have been a tiny dog, and it probably only ran after me the length of its yard, but I’ve always been afraid of any dog biting me.) Soon after being infused with the dog-fearing energy, I was nearing the end of the route and had the chance to cycle by a bed and breakfast where I had spent a scrapbook retreat in the summer. I thought about bringing my bike along the next time and then it was time to turn off into the parking lot. The ride was over and, again, I felt energized. And, when I checked my computer, I was excited to see that I reached a personal best for an average speed. Hooray!
length: 42.84 miles
average speed: 15.6 mph
maximum speed: 28.7 mph
time: 2:45
average heartrate: 83% of max
maximum heartrate: 94% of max
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