On the way to the Ragnar!

So here I am minding my own business a few months ago, knowing I am preparing for this upcoming Ragnar and a friend says, hey you want to do a CCSD Bike Camp for Women?  Of course I start panicking immediately because I assume that if it is a bike camp I am going to have to clip into my pedals AHHHHH.  But somehow Angela says, no worries Teri that is what they will teach you and I am signed up.

So why do I feel as though as I need a bike camp.  Since starting this journey I find myself wanting to do things that I never thought I would.  One of those things that I am looking at completing is my first Triathlon.  I have not figured out which one but will share once I do.  But biking is the part of the Tri that scare me the most.  I am hoping that this camp will help me learn the basics and get past my fear of being clipped in.

So this was a 2 day camp that I will say went by very fast.  So first day was skills learning how to clip in and clip out and all the basics of biking that you would think you knew but when they are explaining, in my mind I am going WHAT!!  We got out and started the skills of riding and stopping, clipping and unclipping.  Well that ended abruptly when I stopped and failed to unclip.  Guess what happens when you fail to unclip yet you are no longer moving, yep you fall over.  This was not a good first impression for my fellow bike riders.  But did I say this was an all women bike camp and they were so kind and amazing it made getting back on my bike a no brainer.  But now that I had fallen it had me petrified of falling again, which made the next section of the class hard, getting on the road.  But there was no option the class must go on.  And it did and pretty much only with a few hiccups and by the end of day one we had done over 25 miles along the coast and it was truly best experience ever.

Day two, oh Day two you were interesting.  We started off with a quick meeting as we needed to get out on the road as we knew there was rain coming at around 4 pm.  So after a check of our bikes we were again on the road.  I have to say that the more I ride the better I feel.  Now don’t get me wrong stopping brings terror every single time.  I say to myself every time, unclip turn wheel brake and unclip… every single time. Todays ride was again along the coast and then off onto a bike path that was absolutely beautiful!  What is really nice about this camp is there is a SAG vehicle that is at certain points in the ride for emergencies and has nutrition stations set up.  Loving this as we get to a park and there is Robert with a little picnic set up for us.

Well Jo our Coach saved the best for last for Day 2, because as we got off the path we were now set to do the hills.  As much as I was scared of unclipping, I had the same feeling of terror for hills.  Could I get up them, what if I went so slow I fell over and then don’t get me started on going down the hill at a 100 miles an hour clipped into this moving vehicle.  We could opt out of the hills but well I could not do that, I am going to be a big girl about it.

I am so glad that I did but man were they hard. The first couple were smaller hills and I got up them pretty well.  The came the King of the Mountains that I seriously do not know how I got up.  There was a lot if standing in the saddle and praying that I don’t prove everyone wrong that you cant go slow enough to tip over.  I finally made it to the top of the hill and I could have done a happy dance but was still clipped into my pedals.  Would have been a good thing to remember a few minutes later when I was scooting up a bit only to not unclip when I stopped and yep down I go again.  After a short meltdown and a pep talk from my friends Angela I got back on the bike and off to finish the ride.

One more challenge did await me as we started the last few miles the rain that we were trying to beat caught up to us.  I have never rode a bike in the rain, well cant say that anymore, and going down was even more challenging but I did it.

We finished the ride with a yoga class and lots of hugs and “we have to ride agains!!! ”

This bike camp took me out of my comfort zone but I am finding that when I do step out I do miraculous things!

Next stop Ragnar Del Sol….