Date Night: Cycle

We live close to a lake. A big, beautiful lake with a bearably long lakeside trail. Perfect for long runs! Distance running is currently a solo activity, until Brooklyn is conditioned, so Tyler and I have resumed a common hobby: cycling.

It is becoming a weekly date night. When he gets home from work, he loads up the bikes and the gear, and we head out! I try to do my dinner prep ahead of time, so that we're not grumpy, starving, and an hour away from much-needed calories post ride. As it is, we usually don't eat until 8:30 on Date Night: Cycle. 

Once upon a time I was avidly cycling with my good friend, Erin. She was the "super cyclist" (as Ty calls them as they swoosh by us with their speedy sleekness), and I was the tag-along learning the ropes. I picked it up while training for a sprint triathlon. Again, once upon a time. 

Orlando has a few good bike trails, but after Ty experienced the Greatness of the Nashville trails, he was ruined. I am happy to report that he is regaining his love for his self-propelled bike. I am a rookie all over again, but I don't care. This is our together time. Our joint hobby. Team Welsh. 

Tyler and I have been laughing at just how incredibly unprepared we must appear to the "super cyclists." The first time we rode together recently, my gear cable snapped, and I was unable to shift out of high gear. A few days at local bike shop fixed that, but I'm afraid even a good mechanic can't solve all of our (read: my) rookieness.

Still don't believe me? Let me explain.

1. My bike computer is out of battery, so I record our distance on my GPS running watch. 

2. He doesn't have a computer. 

3. We have a single water bottle that we share, even though we have three holders between us. And we may have left that single water bottle on the counter last time...

4. I have no bike shorts. This, friends, is the ultimate no-no, and for good reason! Comfortable saddles don't exist (at least in my price range, though I'm not sure they do at all), so the butt padding is highly necessary.

5. Ty is a champ, but I am getting smoked by the hills here. (Don't laugh; Orlando had maybe one hill. Singular.)

Conclusion: I am a runner and a wife. Cycling is a fantastic way to cross train and spend time with my husband. 

(Yes, I made it around the lake in running shorts. Handicapped much? It was painful, but 100% worth it!)

As you can see, I'm the real issue. I'm quite certain that Ty would ride much easier and faster without me. But I'm so glad he encourages me and encourages our date night rides! Here's to hoping we can guard this memory-making activity!