So, in daydreaming/planning/fantasizing about this trip I run into the same memory each time: the Oregon bike ride. Very few people reading this will know what I'm talking about.
Basically, summer after high school graduation, two of my best friends and I went out to Oregon and traveled around by bus. And one leg of the trip was from Cannon Beach to this smaller town south, which due to poor coordination of public transit, we had to take a taxi to. One of my friends left all her photo gear (lenses, camera body, etc. effects) on a picnic table in Cannon Beach. And we realized this after we'd finally made it to our next town. Luckily some good soul returned all her gear to a nearby bed+breakfast, all we had to do was come pick it up.
Our only option was to bike those 24 miles round-trip, so we rented some bikes the next morning and did. I was still rowing at that time, so I was in pretty good physical shape. That ride was still really dang tough. Almost sweating just thinking about it. But it was one of those things that sucked so much it was funny. And besides, punctuated by the beautiful cliffside views of the Pacific Coast, things could've been worse. Sure is easy to say that from the comfort of my pajamas and this mountain of pillows here on my bed.
Anyway, right. So that was 24 miles, and it took us about 7 hours (cyclists, save the scoff). This trip, I'm looking at 50-60 miles in that same amount of time.
Note: a decent portion of those 7 hours were spent waiting for, ehm, one particular friend to walk her bike up the inclines, so.....yes.
And I don't row anymore. If there were such thing as anti-rowing, I'd consider myself a varsity anti-rower right now. My life is landlocked and pitifully sedentary; I spend most of my time staring at a computer screen or books. I have the water consumption habits of a raisin and whenever I do go to the gym, I spend half an hour beforehand downloading "upbeat and fun" music to sweat to.
You get it: I have my work cut out for me.
I've been functionally non-human (zombie-illness status) since Thursday of last week and am slowly getting better. I came down with something really terrible last week that I'd best describe as, well, death. That's what a 24-hour migraine and 48 hours of no appetite feels like, anyway. I'm definitely on the up this week and will likely be the full 100% this weekend, so training can begin Sunday.
And I guess this is my training plan:
(athletes and more legit cyclists, please feel free to comment/suggest changes/give advice on this. please, 'cause I feel like I'm just sitting here flopping my hands all over the keyboard with great ambition and little grasp on reality.)
Sep: 20 mi every day except Mon + Wed.
Oct: 25 mi every day except Mon + Wed.
taking the second week off 'cause I'll be in Portland.
Nov: 20 mi Tues, Thurs + Sat.; 30 mi Fri + Sun.
taking last week in November off because of thanksgiving and finals, thus anticipated hell.
Dec: I don't know -- it'll be finals and I'll be megastressed and scared of everything and not sleeping, so we'll see how that goes.
Definitely thinking of investing in an indoor bicycle trainer stand (something like this) to not only get accustomed to riding my bike long distances and breaking in that saddle (vs. cycling at the gym), but also just for the convenience of not necessarily having to leave my home/driveway if I'm really busy, tired, the weather's bad, etc. etc.
Kind of pricey, but maybe it's worth it?