Earlier this month I was honored to be a part of the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough experience. I seriously do not have the vocabulary to express how much I love this event. It is my favorite weekend all year! This year they allowed me to blog about my experiences training for a Gran Fondo and the event itself. Below is my entire series of posts from the Tulsa Tough website.
Let's Get Rolling - post 1
In less than two months Saint Francis Tulsa Tough will be
happening in our fair city! My
excitement about this event knows no limits.
But before I go much further, let me tell you how I got here.
It was a Thursday. I
received an email from Saint Francis Tulsa Tough about general goings-on and
among all the tidbits was a little blurb asking for Ambassadors. Oh my goodness!! I literally could not apply fast enough. And holy moly – I was accepted. Now, I’m not exactly sure what the judging
criteria was but really, that’s not the point.
The point is – I WAS ACCEPTED.
And then reality hit – hard! The
blogging would be the easy part. I love
Tulsa, I love riding my bike on the numerous trails, biking to brunch is one of
my favorite things to do, and I lead a semi-healthy lifestyle. The part that made me sick to my stomach was
the fact that as an ambassador for Saint Francis Tulsa Tough, I would be
expected to participate in an event – and not just the Townie Tour – but a real
live, honest-to-goodness event. Like a
race or a Gran Fondo. Holy crap! Up until this point, the furthest I had ever
biked was 14 miles, and that was stopping for beer – twice. Now all of a sudden I was looking at biking a
27 mile Gran Fondo event alongside professionals. I mean – for pete sake, I ride a townie bike
and I don’t own anything made of spandex. What had I gotten myself into?? So after my mini-breakdown, I put on my big
girl pants and decided I could do this.
I may not finish first (well, let’s be honest, me finishing first would
be a miracle) but I would finish.
Sunday was my first “official” training day. I made a game plan, I mapped out a route, and
I packed a bottle of water. My plan was
to bike north along Riverside to the 11th street bridge, cross to
the west side of the river all the way to Turkey Mountain, up around the
mountain, down 71st street and finally, finally, make my way back to
my starting point on the east bank. It
would be 15 miles in all.
The first part of my ride was easy-cheesy. The wind was at my back, the sun was shining
on my face, and it was a glorious afternoon.
Then I crossed at 11th and everything changed. No longer was I the elite athlete I imagined
myself to be just a moment ago. I was
pedaling into a strong wind. So strong,
there were a couple of times I honestly felt like I was pedaling backwards. But I kept going, not giving up.
I eventually reached the base of Turkey Mountain. Now, if you’ve never experience this climb,
it’s like scaling the north face of Mount Everest. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration
but that’s how I felt. I pedaled as hard
as I could but eventually I just had to get off my townie and push the bike the
remainder of the way. And to add insult
to injury, two men on unicycles passed me.
That’s right – unicycles!
The rest of my route was fairly easy. It was mostly downhill and once I crossed
back over the river, the wonderful wind that, just moments ago had been my
worst enemy, was now my ally, pushing me along.
I made it back to my starting point exhausted but exhilarated. I set a goal and I completed it. Granted, it took me 1:32 to go 15 miles and
somehow I don’t think that’s a very good time, but it’s not bad for just
starting out.
So I hope you will follow along with me as I prepare for my
very first Gran Fondo! Hopefully you’ll
be inspired to dust off that Schwinn and take it for a ride around the
block. The beauty of riding a bike is
that you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy it; you just have to step outside
and get started.
Training for My First Gran Fondo: Week 2 or How I Managed To
Not Get Off and Push! - post 2
Welcome back! For
those of you who read my first post, you know I’m training for my very first
Saint Francis Tulsa Tough Gran Fondo. My
goal is to do the Petite 27, which will be the furthest I’ve ever traveled on
my bike at one time. Last week I managed
to squeak out 15 miles in 1:32. My goal
this week was to do at least 17 miles.
Now, for all you professionals out there chuckling at my time – keep in
mind I’m attempting to do this on my Electra Townie 3-speed. Let’s be honest, this is a bike built for
cruising – not speed. The tires are
whitewalls and they are so wide and fat, the brand name is actually Fat Franks.
Sunday was again my “training” day. My planned route would take me south along
Riverside Drive to 71st Street, up to Turkey Mountain, along the
west bank of the river to the 31st street bridge to the Midland
Valley Trail, taking the trail to 3rd street downtown. I would then take 3rd through
downtown until I reconnected with the Riverside Trail and eventually back to my
starting point. According to my riding
partner, it made much more sense to travel clockwise because of the southern
wind. I still think he was yanking my
chain but considering he owns spandex and I don’t (yet) I took his word for it.
We set off and almost immediately we were hit with the wind
out of the south. Seriously – when will
it let up? It almost had me wishing for
those hot, humid days in July when nothing moves…..almost. But as someone very wise once said – “the
wind is nature’s trainer” – so we persevered.
We finally made it to the 71st street bridge and my one and
only goal at this point was to make it to the top of Turkey Mountain without
having to get off and push. AND I DID
IT!!! Sweet goodness, I did it!! Granted, it’s a much more gradual climb than
the “north face” version but still, it’s a climb! By the time I got to the top I wanted to lie
down in the cool grass and die, but I was too overjoyed (and winded) to do much
more than gulp down some water.
We headed down the mountain to the west bank and sadly, it
was at this point that I would reach my top speed for the day. The ride along the west bank is
spectacular. It’s not as crowded as the
east side and some of the views are absolutely stunning. Plus that wonderful, wonderful wind was now
at my back. Now this was what cycling
was all about! Between you and me – when
I’m riding into the sunshine and the wind is at my back, I swear I feel like
I’m 9 years old again.
We crossed the pedestrian bridge and started on the Midland
Valley Trail. This trail has undergone a
recent renovation and the bike path is wonderful. We took this trail all the way to 3rd
and Madison and then cut through downtown to reconnect with the Riverside Trail
at SW Boulevard.
The last part of our route was not quite as pleasant. I was tired, my legs were burning, and that
ridiculous wind would not let me be. But
I finished and I felt so accomplished and victorious. Making it up that hill at 71st
street was so exhilarating – I had a celebratory beer at the end of my
ride. Okay, maybe it was two beers, but
I earned them. My final tally for the
day was 18.08 miles in 1:58.
And I’ve learned a few things in my two short training
sessions –
1.
Sunscreen is your friend! Don’t be foolish and think because it’s a
cloudy day you’ll be okay. You
won’t! You’ll get a sunburn and it’ll
hurt and you’ll be cranky to all your friends and loved ones. And then you’ll peel.
2.
Hydrate!
Hydrate! Hydrate! Water is your friend! You are not a camel.
3.
Even though my bike seat is very cushy, it’s not
nearly cushy enough. I now see the
appeal of padded bike shorts.
Next week my goal is to actually ride my bike to another
town! So if you see me out riding, give
me a shout of encouragement. I’ll be the
one on the baby blue Townie with white tires that could possibly fit a small car.
One More Month - post 3
Hello, again! In less
than a month Saint Francis Tulsa Tough will be here and I am positively giddy
with excitement!! Are you ready? For those of you just now tuning in – I will
be riding in my very first Gran Fondo event and I’ve been diligently “training”
for a month now. My training plan so far
has been pretty basic – get on my bike and ride a little further each
time. And when I’m feeling especially
athletic – try to make it up the “north face” of Turkey Mountain without
getting off to push. By the way – I
still haven’t managed that goal – but I do get a little bit further each
time. Small victories, people, small
victories.
As I look at the calendar, a little bit of anxiety is
creeping into my gut. I feel like I’m running
out of time to train and will I actually be able to ride the 27 miles on my
Townie? And how bad will the hills
be? And will I be the last person to
cross the finish line? And how sore will
I be? Fortunately for me (or
unfortunately, depending on where you stand) once I make up my mind to do
something, there’s really not a lot that will persuade me otherwise. So – 27 miles it will be.
Since we last chatted, I’ve explored a few more trails and
continued to meet the goals I set for myself – mainly riding my bike all the
way to another town!! One chilly
Saturday I took the Katy Trail into Sand Springs. I had never been on this trail before but it
looked easy enough on the map. And the
map was right – it was a very easy ride.
However, what the map failed to mention is that it wouldn’t be the most
pleasant or scenic route. All I’m saying
is, it would have been better had I not been riding solo.
A fellow cycling enthusiast biked with me one evening after
work. She calls herself my “trainer”
and has taken it upon herself to make sure my form is correct and that I’m
cycling “properly”. I’m not entirely
sold on her qualifications but I will say, riding alongside her, I had my best
time to date – 20.87 miles in 1:53. Now,
maybe it was her coaching or maybe, just maybe it was the relatively level
trail and an almost complete lack of wind but either way, I’ll take it!
I even took the advice of my fellow Saint Francis Tulsa
Tough Ambassador, Stephen
Lassiter and rode my bike to work a couple of times. This took a little advance planning on my
part but it was well worth the effort!
It was such a huge stress reliever to bike home after work. I got a little exercise, enjoyed the
beautiful afternoon, and I felt so environmentally friendly by not using any
fuel.
And, holy goodness, I even broke down and purchased my first
official pair of cycling shorts. I think
I can honestly say they are probably the least attractive thing I’ve ever worn
in my life and I will also agree that it’s made all the difference in the world
on my….booty.
So now – I’m off to ride.
See you on the trails!
How One Night Changed My Life Forever - post 4
The year was 2010 and I had never even heard of Saint
Francis Tulsa Tough (yes, as a matter of fact, I was living under a rock). It was Friday night and with nothing better
to do, some friends suggested we head downtown to check out the Friday night
races. I’m not going to lie – my first
response was “Are you serious? We’re
going to stand on a sidewalk and watch a bunch of people ride their bikes in a
circle?” But standing there, in the
middle of the intersection, with the cyclists whizzing by and the crowd going
nuts and the palpable energy, I realized I was witnessing something
spectacular. My life would never be the
same again. After about 15 minutes I
turned to my friends and said “That’s it, I’m buying a bike”. And two weeks later that’s exactly what I
did. I walked into Lee’s Bikes and
walked out with the love of my life – my Electra Townie.
After that I started reading everything I could about Saint
Francis Tulsa Tough. I was
enthralled. How could this amazing event
have been happening all this time without me knowing about it?!?! Not only the Friday night races but the
Saturday events, the Townie Tour, Cry Baby Hill?!?! Why did I not know about Cry Baby Hill!?!?!
Ever since that fateful night in 2010, I’ve eagerly looked
forward to the “big weekend” and each year my involvement grows a little
more. In 2011 I participated in my first
“official” ride – the Townie
Tour, a family-friendly, 8-mile bike ride (and yes, I did get beat by an 8
year old girl on a fixie). In 2012 I added
a volunteer stint to my activities (if you have a few free hours – VOLUNTEER – this
amazing event does not happen without many, many volunteers) and 2013 looks to
be the best year to date – the Friday night races, my first Gran Fondo,
volunteering, the Townie Tour, and doing a little sightseeing on Cry Baby Hill.
So when the big event rolls into town (see what I did
there….”rolls” into town), get off your sofa, come downtown, and check it
out. It will change your life
forever. Besides, what else are you
going to do – watch a rerun of Law & Order?
Wait! When Did I
Become A Cyclist?!? - post 5
Sweet goodness – Saint Francis Tulsa Tough is almost
here! I just can’t believe that in less
than a week, thousands of cyclists from across the globe will be descending on
Tulsa to see if they are Tulsa Tough.
It’s going to be a busy, fun, exciting weekend. Are you ready?
When I started on this journey two months ago, I had a
general idea of what to expect. I
figured I’d volunteer a little, get a sweet looking t-shirt, check out the
crowds, and maybe, you know….ride my bike a bit. What I wasn’t expecting was how much cycling
would become a part of my life.
After just two months of working towards my goal of my first
Gran Fondo – I’m hooked!! When I’m in a
sporting goods store – I gravitate towards the cycling clothes just to see what
might be in stock. I no longer suffer
from lycrophobia (fear of spandex). I
catch myself trolling eBay and Craigslist for a deal on a road bike (not that
I’m giving up my Townie but one can never have too many bikes). On a pretty day, all I want to do is go for a
ride. What happened?!?! I used to be content with riding my bike a
couple of miles every Sunday. But that’s
all changed. I want to explore all the
trails this amazing city has to offer. I
want to see Tulsa from a different point of view. And I’ve even gotten my mother on board. At 62, she has started riding again and has
even signed up for the Townie Ride on Sunday.
And now, it’s here.
The goal I’ve been working towards low these many weeks. My nerves are already getting the best of
me. Just thinking about lining up at
that starting line makes me jittery. I
can’t wait to cross the finish line – exhausted and elated all at the same
time. I may not have the fastest time on
the course but I’ll have the best time! I’M
SO EXCITED (cue the Pointer Sisters).
Take a chance! Come
out and see what all the fuss is about!
But be warned – you may find yourself trolling for a new bike….
I DID IT!!!! - post 6
I did it!! That’s right, I
completed my very first Grand Fondo (the Petite 27) on Saturday and I’ve never
felt more accomplished or proud. I’m not
going to lie – it wasn’t a cakewalk (at one point I was the VERY LAST rider
–and no, I am not even kidding) but I kept going and when I crossed that finish
line – well, I just don’t think I have the words. My time for the ride was 2:11. Not too bad.
And I just want to thank everyone who sent out a word of
encouragement. You have no idea how much
it meant. My fellow Ambassador Nicole –
your kind words on Friday really touched me.
I even had one rider pass me on Sunday and say “you’re the one with the
Blue Townie. Keep going, you’ll be
great”. And that’s just what I intend to
do. Next year I’m doing the 40!
The rest of the weekend was pretty spectacular as well. The Friday night races were just as
breathtaking as they’ve ever been. I
just can’t imagine someone watching the races and not getting excited about
cycling. And I don’t care what anyone
else thinks – cyclists are BEASTS! I
don’t think there is a tougher class of athlete out there.
Sunday was just as fantastic!
My 62 year old mother rode in her first Townie Ride and she did
great! Let me tell you how proud I am of
her. She seriously had not been on a
bike in almost 40 years and just started riding earlier this summer. When I started talking about the upcoming
Saint Francis Tulsa Tough weekend she asked me, “Do you think I could do the
Townie ride?” I told her she could do
anything she set her mind to and that’s precisely what she did! I’ve never seen anyone so happy to receive
their medal at a finish line.
All in all the weekend was a raging success. Tulsa is so fortunate to have people who see
what can be and the determination to make it happen. And I am so thankful that Saint Francis
shares that vision and continues to provide the tremendous support that they
do. I love Tulsa and I’m proud to call
it my home.
Here’s to 2014 Saint Francis Tulsa Tough being even better! And until then, I’ll see you on the
trails. Keep cycling!
