My New Wheels

If you're an athlete by nature then you know the meaning of 'stoved up' and you especially know how it feels to be out of shape and then try to push your body a little harder than you usually do. Trying to regain that ability that was once easy to come by, now takes a lot more effort to achieve. For me, the last few weeks have been a real treat - and I'm not being sarcastic when I say that. I'm sore beyond sore, but it feels so good to push myself more than usual. I haven't been in my usual running routine. In fact, for the past two months I have pretty much stopped running altogether. Sadly, I have lacked motivation to trot along the trail and pretend I am in shape... Until early September I was basically just playing ultimate frisbee pick-up games on Sunday evenings and that was the extent of my exercise for the week.

Things changed about three weeks ago when I bought a new bike. My good ole Huffy could still get me around on two wheels, but the amount of work needed to get from point A to point B was painful. I picked up a Specialized Hardrock 29er and I can't believe how easy riding a bike is now! Instead of 'have to' I now 'want to' ride my bike around again. A ten mile ride is nothing - whereas before, well I would have been hurting! Not that I'm not hurting now, but it's because I actually ride my bike and push myself - instead of pushing my bike!

Not to mention, I hook up the child trailer to my bike and pull the boys everywhere. The 50 pounds behind my bike is MUCH easier to ride around with as well! I think the boys like the bike rides too and with the light I mounted on my bike, along with the trail system here in Kearney, we can ride late into the evening before we have to come home. We have taken a few trips for different things - sporting events, family visits, and just getting out for a bike ride on a nice evening.

Last year, Laura and I decided that new bikes were going to be our Christmas presents to each other, so almost a year after making that decision we are halfway done. That's not a bad timeline if you know how I shop and delay decisions... At this rate, Laura should have her bike by sometime next summer.

Until again

-=Nolan=-