This year I added more cycling into my exercise routine. In 2011 I finished my first triathlon, a short or “sprint” distance that included a 10 mile bike ride. Prior to the triathlon I barely trained on my bike, and it showed. Prior to around 10 years ago I rode fairly often around Austin on my road bike, but I quit to focus on other things. Since I resumed running in 2009 and pushed that from casual 2-3 miles twice a week to at times 50+ miles a week, with a race here and there, and to date three marathons, I figured that incorporating cycling as cross-training might benefit my running. Adding triathlons then seemed a way to motivate me to stay on the bike, and also add swimming as another form of exercise.

I even bought a new road bike, to replace the one that I faithfully rode for 10 years, upgrading to a Cannondale CAAD10. While not carbon fiber, this bike takes off like a rocket when you apply any power, at least on flats and downhills. I find that my leg muscles that were so finely adjusted to running aren’t necessarily to my advantage when I climb hills. Still, I’ve working on increasing my mileage, going from 20 mile bike rides to 50+, then 75+, then a couple of a weeks ago 103 miles in one day, followed by 58 the next.

This marathon bike ride took place in an event called MS150, one of several such in Texas. This event, from San Antonio to New Braunfels and back over a weekend, aims to raise funds to find a cure for multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease. I rode as part of a group, though during the ride the group fractured due to different cycling levels, like many of the other groups in the ride. The first day gave the riders a choice of 70 or 100 miles, also called a century in cycling lingo. I’ve wanted for many years to finish a century, but never thought it possible. Due to a wrong turn on my part while riding alone, I ended up riding three extra miles. In retrospect, I’m not 100% it counts as a century, as the trip contained many rest stops, including one for lunch, and we took advantage of every single stop. The ride for the most part appeared relaxed, despite spending more than six hours in the saddle. The pain emerged around mile 80, when trying to catch up my group after my wrong turn, and then dealing with fatigue, anger, and hills the final 10 miles. I don’t think a shower ever felt as good as that night, after finally getting to the hotel from the finish line.

The next day I expected to be sore and tired, but we took off from New Braunfels early Sunday morning after a rain delay, and the first five miles zipped along. I passed several cyclists; it was not a race, but I had told the family I would be home by a certain time, and having started two hours after schedule, I had to make up for lost time. Then the hills arrived, and the headwinds, and my pace slowed to a crawl. Rather than skipping the rest stops this time as planned, I staggered into each one, drained by the constant wind and the endless small climbs. Not until the wind turned and the roads flattened the last few miles did I managed to return to my planned pace. Still, having covered the distance of a half-Ironman and more in a couple of days, I think I am ready to ramp up my triathlon training in 2013 and aim for a half-Ironman. The mental barrier is gone, and now I just need to combine all three events in one day, which no doubt is easier said than done.