The Best Laid Plans of Mice and SJ's.......

i am by no means an athletically minded person.  i am clumsy to a point that would be comical...if it wasn't so often painful. i never played sports in high school. any time i've gone to the gym it was like i was possessed by a demon. with a bad temper. that had tourette's.

yet somehow, i convinced myself that pedaling my way across the eastern shore of Maryland seemed like a good idea.  so a few months ago, tony and i signed up for the "seagull metric century".  100 km....or 62 miles (i know my limits, and a full 100 mile century is a little beyond my feeble grasp).

those of you who know me are right now asking yourself "is she serious? a bike ride? over 10 minutes? impossible".  but for serious. i've been training since july for this ride.

now you're probably asking the next logical question "why? why sara jean would you do this?" well i'll tell you. two words. two words that i feel are the answer to many of life's problems. peanut butter. i love peanut butter. and will do pretty much anything for it. (mahjong and i are alike in that)

a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is one of those wonderful things in life that we are blessed to have in childhood, but rarely allow ourselves to indulge in as adults. so i promised myself...for every training ride i did that was over 30 miles? i got to have a peanut butter jelly sandwich. whole wheat bread. peanut butter on both sides. blackberry preserves in the middle. putting the peanut butter on both sides solves that pesky problem of the jelly soaking through the bread. genius. that's how i roll.

i was like putting a carrot in front of a horse. all those hills. all those aches. all those pains. i pushed through them thinking about my wonderful pb&js.

but alas, mother nature had other plans for me. for the first time in it's history.....the seagull ride was cancelled!!!!!!! heavy rainfalls and strong winds made the conditions too hazardous for wimpy little bike riders like me....so my daydreams of sitting on the roadside noshing on my sammiches....were dashed.

but i am way too stubborn to let something this go without a fight. as soon as the skies stopped crying on northern virginia, i got on that bike, and pedaled back and forth on the trails here until i hit my goal of 62 miles. AND I HAD MY VICTORY PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY!!!!!!!!!

one of the luxuries of living where i do is access to the W&OD trail. it runs about 44 miles from arlington to purcilleville in virginia. many moons ago it was a train route, and now makes for a most convenient bike/running path. and the towns it runs through have been smart enough to set up small cafes and breweries along the way.

the weather last sunday was perfect riding weather. blue skies. crisp enough to wear long sleeves, but not yet chilly. the leaves were just starting to change their colors, and a few are even falling onto the paved bike path.

here's the bib from our registration that i SHOULD have been wearing the weekend before. i'm keeping it for bragging rights.

this is photographic proof....i can balance on a bicycle! for at least a little bit....sorry world for showing you pictures of me in bike shorts.....

we stopped at one of those great little restaurants off the trail i mentioned for a bite to eat. doner cafe in leesburg serves authentic german street food. here we have curry wurst with pommes and kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes) with apple sauce. soooooo tasty. and just what i need to fuel the last dozen miles of our ride!

here's a picture of me and my boo (for this day he was serving double duty as personal trainer and motivational speaker) with the odometer proving that we accomplished our goal! and with two added miles for extra credit!!!!

and finally me in my "victory stance". i made it!!!! and am still standing!!!!!! and not in tears!!!!!! and am going to eat all the peanut butters and jellies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!