Our last practice ride, and a picnic

Last Saturday we completed our final practice ride of the season, going a measly 50 miles along the PCH in Malibu. It feels great to be able to think of 50 miles as a 'short' ride.

We met up once again at Malibu Bluffs park around 8am to go over some Solvang details, and then we headed north for about 25 miles until we reached the main highway at Las Posas. The first half of the ride was deceptively easy. It was around 65 degrees with stunning sunshine, and I felt incredibly motivated and happy to be able to attend this last practice. However the minute we turned around and started biking south we headed into the wind. It was like we were biking uphill all the way home. The wind just seemed to steal all of my momentum, meaning I couldn't stop pedaling to cruise and give my legs a little rest. It was a little challenging and frustrating, but I wasn't about to stop. For one, I knew that I had done harder rides than this one. And two, we had an honored teammate driving our SAG wagon that day. This woman had survived cancer after four years of treatment, and then she signed up for a triathlon as soon as her doctor told her she was in remission. There was absolutley no way I could call this amazing woman and tell her "I don't really feel like biking into the wind today, can you pick me up?"

And third, I knew that as soon as I got back to Malibu Bluffs there would be a basket of these-

I need someone to ride in front of me on Saturday carrying a basket like this one. The ride would be so easy if I were chasing brownies the whole way!

Back at the park we had a great picnic with the next TNT century team. They're training for 'America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" with goes around Lake Tahoe. I refueled on cookies, beer and a variety of other carb heavy items. I also brought veggie dogs carefully packed in a cooler, as Coach Dave promised to bring his grill, though I think I may have been the only one to try them (I promise they're not that bad... when you cover them in cheese and ketchup).

Unfortunately I had to go from the picnic straight to work (well I did go home and shower first). I sure could have used a nap!