I rode the Peloton

I am turning 60 shortly, I am on a bike from the 70s, although a very fine bike. It is a custom bike, steel frame and has some new updates; compact crank and shifters on the handlebars. I have been riding for about 5 years. Never got much better. I would do a ride here and a ride there. This past year my youngest son came home (he is 26) and rides a lot. I got motivated and starting joining him on the road. I road all winter despite two huge snowstorms here in the Northeast.

OK, so what, you say. Well what I say is that if you want to improve your biking you do not need a trainer, nor do you need an indoor windtrainer. You do not have to go to spinning class at 6 am. You do not need to go out and bike fast. You do not have to go to some computer driven training class indoors. All a waste of time IMHO. You don't particularly need the best bike on the market. If I can ride a steel frame with only 14 gears and manage to get better, your excuses will fall on deaf ears.

Today I decided to conquer my fears and went out with the B- group in my club. We did 47 miles. Biked from West Chester PA to Wilmington DE. The group was large and the group was moving. Somehow I managed to keep up and rode the fastest ride of my life. Plus it was hot today, almost 90 degrees.

Coming home I was actually in the peloton. Pumping away at over 20 mph. It was flat coming home.

What is the point of this post? The post below talks about toxic people in a female's life. Family and friends telling her she cannot do this and cannot do that. Some of the people closest to us give us the most toxicity. In subtle ways, they will discourage you.

Lucky for me, my son is just the opposite. He is constantly telling me to "do it" and stop making excuses. In his own way, he motivated me to bike and to bike well. When I was in the heat of the peloton I could hear his voice in my head. Come on Lib, keep going, keep eating, keep drinking.

I prepared for the ride as I knew this group would not stop to snack. I had all my snacks in a triathlon food bag on my top tube. I could grab food as I biked. This was key. I carried 3 bottles filled with Gatorade, no water as it has no calories. I refilled the bottles at our big rest stop with apple juice and downed both again. Plus I carried a small bottle of water in my back pocket.

Older women can ride and older women can get BETTER. All I have done is bike. Nothing special, nothing fancy. If you own a bike and are reading this, WHAT IS your excuse???