Now I'm really kicked off!

Yeah - a stupid play on words, but...

Yesterday marked the official training ride kick-off for AIDS LifeCycle 7! This being my first official event with ALC and San Francisco Aids Foundation (SFAF) as a cyclist, I didn't know what to expect. But it was much of the same I came to know as a Roadie last year - friendliness, compassion, team work, love and support.

I got up pretty early for a Sunday, got all geared up and rode 7 miles from my house over to the Sports Basement (only the most awesome sporting goods store in the Bay Area, with several locations to serve you!). We had stretching, some snacks, a safety speech and then were off around 11am.

We rode out of the Presidio, up onto the Golden Gate bridge and across to Marin County. I have to say, if you bike or run or even walk decent distances for enjoyment or exercise, you should really go across the GG at least once. This was my first time outside of a car and the weather was PERFECTION. I only wish I had brought my camera. But I'm still such a newbie that I need all my concentration on the bike itself. Next time!

Then we wound down into Sausalito and into Mill Valley, stopping at a coffee shop that was our mid-way and turn-around point. There's a little bit of a climb up to GGB and it's a slow slope up to the half-way point on the bridge itself. But off the bridge, it's a series of fun downhills into Sausalito. The rest of the way to the coffee shop was relatively flat and lots of fun. However, if you truly double-back, those downhills coming in are hills you must climb going back.

Oh shit - my poor thighs almost burst open. Granted, to most people they are probably not that severe and I imagine in another month or two, they won't seem so bad to me too - but let me say that they were a mental and physical challenge. But I didn't bitch-out. I made it up all three of those hills without walking my bike up a one of them - YAY!!!!

We made it back across the bridge and back to our kick-off site. We hung around and I talked to some people I knew from ALC6 and met some new people too! I met a guy early in the day before ride-out who is a newbie for ALC and we chatted and rode together the whole day. Turns out that he lives directly across the street from me and is also into tennis (which I'm starting to pick back up)... so I've got a new buddy in the hood to sport around with... BONUS!

I'll try to get back often to keep a running log of my training progress and challenges.

Recap -

Day - Sunday, 10/28
Event - ALC7 Kick-Off Training Ride
Event Distance - 19.7 miles
Commute Distance - 14 miles
Total Distance Today - 33.7 miles (longest to-date!)
Total Training Distance To-Date: 120.6

Last year as a Roadie I had the option of raising money at my own discretion. I did raise money - a total of $2490 - WOO HOO! This year as a cyclist, I have a $2500 minimum and have made my personal goal $4000.

TO DONATE TO THIS WORTHY CAUSE - PLEASE VISIT MY FUNDRAISING HOMEPAGE