For all of you avid cyclists out there you know exactly what I mean when I compare a road bike to a sports car. I ride a Bianchi Talladega road bike, that my oh so wonderful hubby, Jordan, bought for me after our second daughter was born. It's a smooth, yet stiff, very responsive ride. There is only one problem... I absolutely refuse to attach my daughters tag-a-bike to it! It's not meant for that kind of work! It would be like attaching my dad's 5th-wheel to a Porsche. You just don't do it! But here's the issue, I want to ride with my daughter. It's an absolute blast hanging out with her on the bike! And as much as I love cycling, I don't want to give up the better part of a Saturday to go for the endurance ride I know I should be taking to stay in top shape. What's a girl to do? I would like to propose you can achieve a great endurance ride by taking a shorter than usual training ride on a semi! A semi? you say... Yes, a semi!
The recipe:
1 Very heavy "townie" bike
1 Tag-a-bike
1 47 pound 5 year old
1 6 pound family dog in the front basket
1 Beautiful, hilly, 15 mile ride
Would you believe this past Saturday my husband and I had an awesome "endurance" training ride while hanging out with our two daughters (ages 5 and 8)? That's right. We pulled our two bruiser bikes down from the racks and attached the girl's tag-a-bikes to them and road the 15 mile Time Trial route of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. I went so far as to put our family dog, Charlie Brown, in the front basket! We were a sight to see! I was no longer riding my "sports car" of a bike but I was now riding a semi!! But that's what made an hour and 45 minute, 15 mile ride into an awesome endurance ride. This is why I will do it again...
1) Increased Mental Agility as you plan for and anticipate, "unscheduled lane changes" that your little person will inevitably create every single time she turns her head!!
2) Improved Bike Handling Skills Let's face it, this semi does not respond the way your sports car does! When those unscheduled lane changes occur you can't move agilely back into place. You cannot over correct or you fly one way as the dog and your 5 year old fly the other. And I can guarantee they won't want to get back on!
3) Forced In The Saddle Climbs If your semi includes a Townie as mine does, you may have front suspension. This means that you cannot create any power on a climb. The minute you start climbing out of the saddle and pulling on the bars to get extra power you create vertical force. In other words you bounce. Your 5 year old will not enjoy this ride and neither will the dog! You are forced to sit in the saddle and grind your way to the top of the climb. Ouch!
4) 15 Miles Turns Into a One Hour and 45 Minute Ride The pros did the time trial route in just over 31 minutes. Our family ride took three times that long! And I wouldn't have it any other way... well, maybe that's not exactly true. I am looking forward to the day when both girls can be on their own road bikes and we can do the family ride that way, but until then, this was awesome!
This ride, was the perfect balance! Jordan and I got a great endurance ride in, we continued to instill in our girls the importance of staying fit, and we spent time together. So the next time your workout schedule is driving you away from your family, stop and ask the Lord for some guidance. I pray He shows you some innovative ways to incorporate family time with staying healthy. I would love to hear of your ideas!! Blessings, Kristina
