27.9.09

{The Ride}

Good evening all~
WooHoo....
I did the Apple Cider this morning and it was FABULOUS:)
I started the morning looking like this...
Dare I say excited to ride~
all full of excitement and anticipation~
Little did I know what the winds would have in store for me:)
There were so many riders everywhere that it was hard not to be inspired and happy!

Except you had to wait a long time to use tinkle town~My friend and I rode together for the first 50 miles...You remember her from last year:) The sag stops were wonderful and just full of happy riders ready for a little fueling. I ate more bananas than I knew what to do with....but they kept me going~
The ride was just wonderful! There were so many vineyards that I passed. The air just smelled of sweet grapes! Perfect since I was definitely looking forward to some vino after the ride!Me at the end. I don't think I could have been anymore proud of myself~All in all I did just over 76 miles....
in 5 hours and 20 minutes......burning a smooth 2500 calories!And that was with thigh burning hills the whole way after mile 26 and gail force winds. OK...they weren't gail force winds but they felt like it:)

I have to be honest that it's not the 100 miles that I really wanted but after last weeks 50 mile ride I knew I hadn't put in enough long rides to really be ready for 100. And that's ok!

People had asked me what I was doing this for...was I raising money for something....

NO....this was ALL for me. It was a very personal goal. Other goals are great too....but this was MY goal.

Six years ago this September my grandfather (who was the only father I had ever known) died suddenly and since then I really lost myself. I just didn't realize it until about 2 years ago. I realized that I was no longer doing all of the things that I really loved. Crafting, running, reading, just being happy. I really gained weight during this time and just didn't feel right with me. Two years ago I started on my journey to being happy again. I started crafting and began exercising again. BUT I still wasn't really happy with me. This year I decided to really get things in order ..... get healthy, become super active and be the person I know I always was and am. So I really started to focus on this ride and put all of my energy into it. This lead me into really thinking about what I was putting into my body and how that helped or hurt my riding. The more I learned and did, the better I felt and so the more I learned and did. It was really like a snowball effect for me:) I still have a ways to go.....but I know I am now on the right path again!! And that feels so good~ It has taken a long time and hope that anyone who has lost a loved one might give themselves a break for a little while.....but then realize that they can pick themselves up again....

Life does go on and it should:) Life is a journey and you never know where it's going to take you so as my friend says "buy the ticket and enjoy the ride."

Thanks for letting me share:)

So after all this riding, I cleaned up as best I could without a shower..... And ended up at The Stray Dog, where they still had the upstairs patio open!! YIPPEE~

I was tired and a little stinky but I didn't care.
I got my vino and pizza! Vegan, of course~

I also got to see how proud my honey was of me! Who knows maybe i'll inspire another rider. {hint hint, honey}

Just remember...no matter where life takes you, through all of the ups and downs, just remember it truly is a journey! There would be no ups if there weren't downs! So enjoy all that life has to offer and go out there and go after something that you really want! You won't be dissappointed...even if you don't meet your exact goal! Ok .... I am off to bed now! Have a super happy week:)

17 comments:

  1. congratulations! So glad you met on of your goals :)

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  2. Congrats from me too! Life truly is a journey of "self" discovery.

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  3. Hi friend
    I am so happy you met your goal! We did it ! I am ready to do the 75 next year! We had a beautiful day except for the hurricane winds :-) I am tired today

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  4. WOW. Awesome. All of it. I am so happy for you. I know how happy I am when I am just feeling good and playing tennis weekly and maybe running SO I KNOW you must be feeling good tenfold because of what you have accomplished!!!

    Thanks for sharing your story. It is very easy to lose ourselves for so many different reasons. And so hard to get back. So glad you are!

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  5. I know exactly what you are talking about - it's easy to get lost along the way but it feels so good when you get back to being the person you want to be.

    Congrats on the ride!! Nothing feels better than completing a personal goal- Great job!

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  6. Good for you! That is an amazing ride. Love that you wanted pizza afterwards. xoxo

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  7. Ok ms. daisy.......you've inspired the hell outa me!! I'm going to start walking-running again tomorrow. Was in for my annual physical today and my doc shook her head and told me to basically get off my ass!! Duh. Then I come home and read your most uplifting post.....I'm gonna do it. I want to run in a marathon within the yr.
    I'm going to keep your smile in my head when I begin in the am!!!
    Thanks and congrats!!!!!!

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  8. Great job ladies!! What an accomplishment!

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  9. Hi everyone!!!
    Thank you so much for your kind comments. I truly appreciate them.

    Trust me...if you put your mind to it...you can do anything!!! Things like this are a million times more mental than anything else:)

    And yes...pizza and vino are my rewards for anything and everything:)

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  10. congrats on achieving this personal goal..and making happiness happen for yourself along the way..you rock!!!

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  11. thanks for sharing. you have inspired me doll! I am trying to get back on the fitness train, I fall off the wagon about every few months but I am back on right now. I like what you say about striving to be the person you are : active , happy, crafty etc. Great post amiga!

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  12. Wow, congratulations! What an AMAZING accomplishment. I think it is wonderful that you did it for yourself!

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  13. Aw! That's wonderful! Congratulations on your ride but also on all the changes you've made to your life. Inspiring story!

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  14. Props to you for keeping so fit...
    And it sure looks like its quite an experience and real fun too.
    Me? I always try to be fit ... the spirit is willing but the body is weak, you know?

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  15. Congratulations! What an accomplishment :-) I would love to do something like that someday!

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  16. I enjoyed reading your story! Very inspiring, especially the personal goal part. I'm definitely going to try a century, maybe in the spring.

    Keep riding!

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Hello.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! I really appreciate your thoughts:):)