tour

 

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

 

~ Albert Einstein

 

“I have always struggled to achieve excellence. One thing that cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it's not going to be satisfying.”

 

~ Greg LeMond

 

On March 2, 2014 I got an email.  It was from the Eagle Cycling Club of Napa informing registration had opened for “38th Annual Tour of Napa Valley on Sunday, Aug 17th2014” Immediately I forward the message onto my roommate and to El Beav.  The truth is I wanted to do the Tour.  Even if it was the lowest rung of the tour, I still want to Tour.  I im’ed El Beav and said do you think we can be up and riding 35 miles by August.  He emailed back and said of course.  This is what you need to do.  Go ride five miles this weekend, then add to each week and you will be well over the 35 by the time the Tour comes around. 

 

That is when my mind kicked in. My mind that is evolving, but evolving slowly, and it said, wait, you are too fat.  Let’s start slow.  Just walk and swim Will, you don’t want to get ahead of yourself.   I listened to myself.  I listened because I was scared.  You have to understand the last time I was on my bike back in Q1-2013 it hurt.  I hated every minute of it. There was no fun in the ride.  As I have said many times on this blog, the bike felt like it was trying to violate me.  My weight pulling down by gravity and that tiny little bike seat, yikes is all I can say. 

 

I cast away the bike.  I accepted the fact that I was too fat to ride.  I accepted that I need to take things slow and that I am not ready to ride.  I told El Beav that I was out.   That I would not be touring. 

 

The world moved on, as the world always does.  March became April and my health became a huge concern again.  We all know that I have been to a lot of doctor’s appointments in the last weeks.  I was worried that my ticker was giving out on me and that I was going to take the dirt nap.  As we know though this wasn’t happening, I was not dying.  I was instead reducing my blood pressure.  I was taking better care of myself.  I was starting to move.  Maybe even lost a pound or ten…

 

At the ripe old age of 38 I sat in a cardiologist’s office for the second time and I was told there was not real damage to my ticker.  That I was under stress and the key was exercise and lose weight for a healthy heart. 

 

I made up my mind in that office, in that time and place, I was returning to the Game.  The Game of Triathlon.  It’s my truest love and when I put time and effort into it, it always gives back to me.  I went out and did three training walks that week and two swims, including the brick I did yesterday. 

 

At breakfast with CP, JC, and RG (sometimes known are RR for roommate Rachel or perhaps b/c I made a typo.  Right, do you by that?) we decided at the high council meeting that we would in fact tour.  Yes tour we would.  Now we all have different reasons for doing this.  For example we all know Rachel and Janna want to do the race because at the water stop they make these tasty Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, complete with cookies, cakes, and all sorts of other goodies.   I am 76.4% sure CP wants to do it because of the BBQ afterwards, or maybe I just made that up.  I just know she is back and for that I am so happy I could cry.  She is back and awesome!!! I love you CP!!! As for me the “38th Annual Tour of Napa Valley” on Sunday, Aug 17th2014 will be the first tour of the rest of my life.  I want to do it because to me, riding is living.  To me riding is everything.  To me being able to move and have the wind in my face is life, real life.  Something, I have denied myself for too long.

 

Truth, in my humble opines the absolute most amazing feeling in the world is not the moment you crest a hill.  It is not the moment when you are going 40 mph with the wind in your face and the ground buzzing by so fast that you know if you fall wrong you are fucked.  No both of these are amazing feelings.  To me the moment of truth and true enjoyment comes when you are pushing up that hill, and push so hard you forehead pressing up against your helmet and you then next thing you know a shower of pure sweat is running down you face.  It is this moment, when the sweat is in your eyes burning them, and running into your mouth and all you can taste is salt, that you know you are alive.  I dream of this moment.  I both love and hate it as I have both loved and hated myself.  It is the pleasure of pain and sacrifice because with each push and pull of the pedals you are getting better, and you are living.  Really living. 

 

 It will be a wonderful accomplishment to do the Flat 35 at the Tour of Napa Valley.  I already see me finishing.  I do.  I also see RG and JC stealing all the cookies and cakes and filling backs full of goodies but you will have that from time to time. 

 

This I really happening people!  Watch the transformation! Come ride with US!        

Flat 35 Mile:

For those who don’t want to climb a bunch of hills, or ride a gazillion miles, we offer the “Flat 35,” a relatively flat course winding along rural roads through the beautiful vineyards of the Napa Valley wine country. This is the same course as last year, but with an additional flat and easy 5 miles to avoid the uninspiring U-turn at Deer Park Road.  Course: