Weekend of Firsts

Don't you just love firsts? Your first crush, your first kiss, your first car, your first house, your first flat tire on a bike ride, your first case of burnt feet on hot asphalt, your first runner's bathroom stop on the side of the road in the bushes...Bring back great memories.

Experienced the last three all in this past weekend. Friday I skipped my early morning ride that I had moved from Wednesday. So when the opportunity to ride in the afternoon presented itself, I of course said yes. WE were supposed to meet at 2:30 pm, but of course Big Poppa and Reeb were running late. Reeb had a flat front tire that they had to change. So finally around 2:50 we take off. The ride went downhill from there. Big Poppa's chain kept coming off if he would try to switch to his big ring in the front. So 3 or 4 times in the first 10 miles he had to stop to get his chain on. Then at mile 12, Reeb has a flat on her front tire. Word is the only smart one so we use his tube and co2 to fix the flat. 5 minutes later we are off again. Mile 14 and I get a flat, my first one in 2 years of riding. No more tubes so we call a friend of Mickey's who is on his way from BR to our side of town with their kids. We decide on a meeting point and I take off my shoes and start to walk.


If you have ever heard the analogy about putting a frog in hot water and he jumps out vs. putting him in cold water and heating it up and he'll boil, then you can relate to my burnt feet. Since I took my shoes off, but left my socks on, the asphalt didn't seem all that hot. Then about half a mile down the road, I feel blisters forming on the bottom of my feet. Oh yeah, my feet were burnt. They hurt for about two days and made me skip my long run on Saturday. Lesson learned. After my ride finally got there, we take off and I get a call about 2 minutes into the car ride. Reeb's front tire has flatted for what is now the third time in one day. No more tubes of course, so we had to go pick her up. Not the best bike riding day, should have stayed home...

So then Sunday evening rolls around and since I skipped my long run on Saturday, I had to do my 6 miler on Sunday. My feet still hurt of course and it was raining due to this little Tropical Storm called Fay, but I had to tough it out. Actually the rain and wind were kind of nice. Besides the wet shoes and no MP3 player, it started off as the perfect run. Then about 2.5 miles from home, it hit me. You know the feeling. The feeling of, if I don't find a place to do this it is going to be a long and nasty walk home. Other times in the past I had been blessed by near by port-o-potties due to home construction. Not so lucky this time. Ducked in behind a local neighborhood sign that had me hidden from the road on three sides. Only one direction could produce a car that could ruin my already miserable experience. Just thankful that it didn't have to end up being some one's front yard. Did my business and was actually helped by the rain. Didn't even have to sacrifice a sock. Had all the oak leaves I needed right at my disposal. Finished off the 6 miles at 9:15 pace.

Monday I swam 1400 yds (recovery week) and did core workout, Tuesday I ran 6 miles at lunch and today I bricked 15 miles and 1.5 miles before work. Needed to get in another 4.5 miles running tonight, but alas I didn't feel like it. If the hurricane holds out, then we are heading down to Morgan City for the weekend. Going to be tagging along with TriCajun for a 60 mile ride in south Louisiana. He was nice enough to offer some company for my long ride which I am having to do near his normal riding territory. Just hope I don't bonk and embarrass myself...