HP02 Update: All I need is my hot pants

In the case of HP02, Nacho's brilliantly plagerized quote applies perfectly; thoughts of victory must overcome the feeling of near and certain death. The good news is that this weekend, bike expert extraordinaire-Nacho transformed a dusty little trash heap of a bike into a speed machine. The bad news is, being on the roadbike is a TOTALLY different experience then the mountain bike! Its so far down in the front- it feels like my hands & wrists are going to fall off! I nearly turned back 5 minutes into the Capitol Crescent bike trail, because I thought for sure I was going to die!! The tiny tires and light frame of the bike turns any wrong shift of weight into a huge ballance issue. I am telling you, the first 20 minutes of it was pure torture!! But once I made it to Bethesda, my ballance started getting better. I wouldnt have survived without chanting the team motto the entire time. Pretty soon ballance was the last thing I was worrying about, and could just glide along!

My total ride was only 11 miles, and I would have gone further, if it werent for my aching neck and hands!! MUST find something to cushion that pressure, because I am not going to be able to turn doorknobs tomorrow (and I think I have a permanent stiff neck). I am anxious to go on a ride with coach Nacho, so he can critique my 'form'. I have GOT to be doing something wrong!

Training Plan: This week I am going to spend time practicing clipping in- I can get the first one in when I am stationary, but it takes me 6 or 7 tries for me to get the other foot clipped in once I am moving. And I just have to practice on the new bike every day. And lastly, HP01's sagely father brought up the issue of the transition. I have to practice running down the street with my bike barefoot, to train for this critical element of the race. HP01's neigbors should be warned that next weekend she will be training for the transition as well, which means she will be running down her street in her wet swimsuit, barefoot, as her dedicated swim coach times her and the dogs cheer her on. Welcome to the neighborhood, new next-door neighbors!