Sunday, March 31, 2013

It's the Easter Fairy!

Today's 22 mile ride taught me a few things:

1. NEVER ride without a water bottle again!

2. Yes those padded bicycle shorts DO make a difference.

3. Yes those padded bicycle gloves DO make a difference.

4.  When you ride on a glorious spring day wearing green fairy/butterfly wings, people tend to smile.

I am part of the November Project tribe (although I am now coming to terms with the reality that it will only be when school is out) and today was the Easter Hash Tag Run.  Last week, I had told the spin off group, the Boston Brunch Runners, I would make a bunny for the winner of the Easter Egg Hunt costume contest and drop them off today.  It gave me the opportunity to force me to ride into town where the race would be held and then ride home.  It was a good strategy for the first time breaking 20 miles.

Because everyone was dressing up to run in Easter colors and bunny ears and such, I wore my green fairy wings.  At one point on my ride, a little kid excitedly called out, "Look Mommy, it's the Easter fairy!"  Another decided I was a spring butterfly.  :)  As I rode along the river, lots of people called out, "Happy Easter!" Some people yelled out that I made them smile.  One woman even said my riding with my sparkly winds brought her joy.   As I got down to the Esplanade area, I caught up with the 4 mile race leaders marking the course, turned around and followed them to the final meeting place.  Most people smiled, laughed or asked about our costumes.  One lady fresh from church was rather rude because she could not understand how rude people could be and actually run on sidewalks.

It was a fun ride.  It took a little break waiting for the 9 mile group to come in so I could hand bunnies off to FJ before riding home to shower up and such.  It was good seeing folks I haven't seen in so long and bunnies have been delivered.

The 12 mile ride home was not as much fun.  I began to really feel my seat as I rode into the head wind blowing up the river.  The last 4 miles were even rougher as the wind got worse and my hands began to tingle where the handle bar grips meet the nerve in my hand.  My mouth felt sticky because I had not brought a water bottle with me and I could feel dehydration creep in a bit.  Yep, I really regretted wearing my running gear and not wearing bike gear today.  The last 2 miles were mostly uphill into the wind.  I pulled into the driveway glad I had put 22 miles into the book.

Overall it was a good ride.  I think that I'm starting to feel more and more prepared after a week of putting some miles on my legs.  Now off to shower.

Happy Easter.

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