So, Cece continues to do all the above. And, she also knows that she has been amping things up a bit more lately. She feels great in every way! She has been pushing herself moderately ...and now it is time to amp up again just a little bit. Below is Cece's new friend Eleanor. They are on the cycle team together. She looks innocent enough right? Doesn't she look like Mary Poppins? So sweet. She really is sweet!
Cece ranted all the way home and emailed Eleanor telling her that she could not do those climbs. There were 19 miles of climbs between 7 and 10 percent grade....steep and long. The funny thing is, that these climbs made the climb Cece had put off seem like a piece of cake.
So, Cece and Eleanor negotiated an alternative route. Cece determined that she would do something she considered hard and almost impossible since Eleanor wanted to do the impossible. Remember, Cece is just amping up a bit! Raising her sights. Not shooting for the stars quite yet....just climbing for the past 3 weeks or so.....
So, the agreement was made that Tuesday they will climb Tram and Eleana Gallegos...one is 4.3 miles at 5-6% grade and the other is 1.3 miles with up to 8% grade. It will still be very difficult for Cece but it will be something she can manage. She has not ridden this ride in 2 years. They will still ride about the same distance, but she will get to work that day without having CPR administered...and it will not be 12 noon when the ride is finished!As they began. the sun was just rising. It was beautifully cool and Eleanor and Cece were met by a few of Eleanor's friends Trish and Chris who were triathletes. Off we went ...north on Tram and then up Eleana Gallegos. What a climb that is. It is interesting to watch the mind when you are suffering on the bike. It will either make or break you. It made Cece this time. She is corralling her breathing and relaxing through it and this helps her stay relaxed and focused as she suffers up. She is now comparing everything to the yoga foot in her stomach and nothing is that bad...so up she goes....breathing through the pain.
at one point Cece had to check her speed because she saw a sign for 30 mph. She was going 28...the others were going much faster!
We arrived at the bottom of Tramway all in one piece and began stripping off our clothing....into sleeveless..we all knew that the climb back up was long and hard and relentless. Again the mind is the worst enemy. But today the mind was relaxed and optimistic. Cece focused on moderating her breathing and was able to keep her heart rate much lower than it had been 2 years ago. All of us had a good day and good climbs and Trish was thrilled that she climbed so well and strong!
Sounds like a great ride. And cycling with a riding partner makes it even better.
ReplyDeleteoh I love Trish! She is the one who inspired me to join team in training -- I really wish she was on our team for Day of the Tread! --amanda
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