The grand finale - GVL WBL #8

 

True to its name, the last GVL WBL was a cold one. Like really really cold. The location changed to Donaldson (~7-mile loop) due to possible ice/snow on the planned route. The start time was also moved back to 11am to give time for it to warm up. However, when we started the ride, it was ~32 degrees F and the wind chill was in the 20s (and the wind was gusty!). It was one for the record books for me - I have never biked in such cold conditions before! I was really proud of myself for doing the group ride and collecting a few more points before the podium ceremony at the Think Tank Brewery. The ride was "only" 35 miles (1:46). We did one warm-up loop and then it was time for the action - each loop had a designated group that was "sprinting". The women went on loop 3 and 5. The last loop also included the QOM/KOM. It was a spicy ride and the strong wind and cold made it even tougher. And just when I thought I was done and ready to defrost in the car, a group of ~8 riders were heading out to do the ~30 mile country loop. Just when I thought I had no more left in me (and my feet frozen), I found myself riding with the group and adding another 1:36 of riding time to my ride. I ended up with 67 miles (3:27) which made me happy because I didn't want Karel to one-up me by too much with his gravel ride. I managed to talk myself into a run off the bike (thanks Yannick for the accountability!) and ended up feeling somewhat good (and my feet finally dethawed around 1 mile into my 2-mile brick run).

Karel joined a group in Walhalla, SC (~75 minute drive) for another Southeast gravel recon (69 miles) and he said it was also very cold and there were some sections with ice/snow. 

And that's a wrap on another series of the Greenville Winter Bike League (GVL WBL). This was my second year participating in this group ride series put on by Debbie, Cate and Andrew of the Supra Cycling team. I attended 6 of the 8 events. I missed #1 because we were in Maui for our Xterra events. I didn't attend #7 because the location changed due to bad weather (snow) and I opted to stay indoors on the trainer. Unlike last year, the weather was not in our favor but I'm proud of myself for attending 6 of the 8 rides. Most rides had at least 20 riders and sometimes over 50. The ride starts at 10am from Trailblazer Park and the routes are typically 3-4 hours (~60-70 miles) with a SAG vehicle following the A-group and a designated store stop. Each ride has a specific route planned with a KOM/QOM and near the end of the series, a sprint zone. There are raffles prizes to be won and a points to be earned for attending. There is even a cash prize for winning the KOM/QOM (typically $40-$50!). There were so many incentives for attending, not to mention socializing and gaining a good amount of fitness. Every Saturday I found myself excited and nervous for the ride. But at the end I felt so accomplished - especially when the weather was cold, windy and dreary. This group kept me accountable to showing up no matter how I felt or how cold it was outside. 

The Supra team gave out awesome awards and a lot of great prizes. I placed 2nd in the women's category with my friend and riding buddy Carley in 3rd and Cate (the sprinting rocket) in 1st. I was also 3rd "overall" (it was actually Men Pro 1,2 category but Cate and I earned enough points to be counted in this category. Although I earned $150 cash for my placings, the idea of collecting points was a big incentive for me as I always arrived nervous and excited for the opportunity to give my best effort. 

Although I've finished every A-ride that I've started, no ride has been easy for me. Each ride takes me out of my comfort zone. And that's exactly why I love doing this series. 

A bit of background....
I did not grow up riding bikes. Karel and I met on a group ride when I was 24 and I was scared of being around others while riding. Karel was an experienced cyclist and I was a triathlete training for my first Ironman. I had a tri bike but I had no idea how to really ride it - I had no skills. Of course it didn't help that I lived in flat Florida as I could get away with bad riding habits and poor cycling skills. I was ok joining in on the local group ride but there was nothing too technical about the ride. The group rides were more about ego than tactics. 

When we moved to Greenville in 2014, I was forced to improve my skills. With ~1000 feet of elevation gain for ~1 hr of riding (unless you climb one of our many mountains, which could add another 2000+ feet of elevation gain in 2-7 miles) you have to have great skills, strength, resiliency, confidence and endurance to train outside in our incredible cycling playground. It took me several years to improve my skills, strength and confidence on my bike (triathlon and road bike) but it has given me so many more riding opportunities. Again, I am just so proud of myself for completing these rides. Aside from the socializing aspect and having good endurance, these rides showcase my weaknesses and that is why I keep coming back for more and more suffering. 

A big thank you to Debbie, Cate, Andrew and all the participating sponsors and support for putting on the GVL WBL series. 

Taking it off road - my first group gravel ride.

Karel recently got into gravel riding and his immediate response was "why didn't I find this earlier?" 

This past year has really taught us to embrace the current moment and to take advantage of every moment. With such an incredible triathlon playground in and around where we live, we have kept our love for nature alive by finding different ways to use (and improve) our cycling fitness. Most recently it was the GVL WBL 8-week group ride series and now I've ventured into gravel riding. 

My first and second gravel ride was in Dupont State Forest. The first ride include snow, ice, mud and everything else - Karel didn't take it easy on me. Let's just say I learned a lot over 28 miles and 2.5 hours. My second ride was mostly gravel with a mix of roots, leaves and dirt. My third ride was on Friday (a few days ago), when Karel took me on a gravel ride adventure just outside our front door. We made our way to part of the Furman Cross Country course and then on the off-road trails around Furman. And then for the finale, Karel took me to the Gateway Bike Skills Flow Park in Traveler's Rest. 

Although I still have a lot of skills to learn, I am finding myself more and more confident on my makeshift Ventum NS1 gravel bike. Instead of purchasing a new bike, Karel purchased a few off-road specific items and can now turn my NS1 road bike into a gravel bike anytime. Here are the specs of my "gravel" bike:

• Ventum NS1 - XS (size 50)
• 650b wheels.
• Front tire: Maxxistires Rambler 27.5 x 1.5.
• Rear wheel: Continental tire Terra Speed 27.5 x 1.35 (650b x 35).
• Gearing: 36x52 front and 11-34 rear.
• Pedals: Look Quartz MTB.
• Shoes: Bont riot+ MTB.

Karel is a natural no matter what bike he is on and with experience in mountain biking, road cycling, triathlon biking and now gravel biking, he has been a great teacher for me. Plus, it's really fun to enjoy this new type of bike riding together as we both enjoy adventure and nature. 

Karel joined the Southeast Gravel group for two of their recent recon rides. Most recently (two Saturday's ago) he did an epic 70ish mile ride with over 7000 feet of climbing! After watching the preview video for the Sumter Forest Route in Clinton, SC. Karel and I felt like this course would be a good "intro" course for my first group gravel ride. 

We left our house on Saturday morning around 8:30am, dropped Campy off at my mom's house for his all-day daycare and drove the 51 miles to Clinton, SC. It was a quick and easy drive and one podcast later we were there. It was a bit cold (~30-ish degrees) and cloudy but over the past few weeks of riding with the GVL WBL group, I feel like I have good experience with dressing for the cold winter rides (I've learned a lesson or two from being cold from not dressing appropriately). The ride started shortly after 10am and the large group of gravel riders were off to preview the Sumter course. 

Ben and Boyd did a great job leading the way and giving tips and suggestion as we went along. Since this course will be an actual event/race in March, many people were getting their first preview of the course (along with a great workout). I had planned to do the 70-mile (long) version with Karel but depending on how I felt for the first part of the ride, I knew I would be able to branch off and do the shorter, 40-ish mile loop. I had the longer version in my computer to help with navigation. I'm thankful that every group ride has a route available to download into the computer. It really helps me know what's coming. 

The first part of the ride was on pavement and then we went onto the first gravel section. While my on-the-road cycling journey was filled with a lot of scary, doubtful and apprehensive first-ever moments, I felt somewhat comfortable on the gravel. I am still learning how to interact and trust my bike on the off-road but each time I get a bit more comfortable. I made sure to eat a bit more than normal (a bit earlier than normal too) to keep my energy up. I also had two bottles on my bike (each with ~240 calories INFINIT) that I sipped on throughout the ride. I made a third bottle at the refill stop at a church but didn't drink it. Although I was a bit underhydrated, I felt strong throughout the ride. I'm learning with Gravel that you have to take into account the lack of available fuel/hydration stops. Since it was cold, I knew I still needed calories. I didn't feel dehydrated but I also knew I wasn't drinking like normal (but I was still able to stop and pee twice during the ride). 

After we arrived to the split of the two courses (long and short), I was actually a bit more comfortable with our "small" group of 18 instead of the 50+ riders that started (not sure how many exactly but it felt like a lot). The ride was filled with some laughs like "don't get hit by the train on race day or else you will get disqualified" and a lot of other friendly conversations with the guys in the group. 

The ride was a mix of long stretches of gravel mixed in with a several miles of pavement. The nice thing about the gravel bike is that it feels somewhat like a road bike on the road, even with the thicker tires. 

The ride was really pretty as we were either covered in trees or exposed in a large field with only the gravel under us. There were potholes to dodge, tunnels to pass under and even a river to cross - my first ever river crossing was a success! 

With each mile I was learning more about me and how to handle my bike on the off-road. 

         

The group ride was really helpful as I could watch what other people were doing. I was always paying attention to how others took a turn, climbed a hill, descended or managed the sketchy sections. Plus, Ben, Boyd and a few of the other riders were always pointing out any rough-road sections and letting us know what's coming. Because I'm still learning, knowing what's coming next is really helpful for me so that I can be prepared. 

After a quick stop to refill bottles at a church, we only had about 23 miles left in our ride. I couldn't believe it! I never looked at the time and my computer only showed the route. When we finished the ride, I couldn't believe that we had covered 70 miles in right at 4 hours. It went by so quickly!

I really enjoyed my first gravel group ride and this was just another reminder that my brain and body is really suited for diverse, nature-filled and dynamic courses. Sitting in aero, being by myself and with my own thoughts or settling into one tempo for several miles is just not my style of racing. Gravel riding has confirmed to me that I belong on challenging courses that are filled with nature, hills, technical aspects and the opportunity to see/be around other people. I am still a triathlete and I love the sport of triathlon but this past year has taught me that I love being a triathlete because of the people I get to meet and the places I can see because of my fitness. So yeah, I'm thinking IM Kona is not in my near future. Five times on that magical island was enough - it's time to venture out to other racing adventures and opportunities. 

I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself! Not only was this my longest ever gravel ride (4th ride on my makeshift Ventum NS1) but it was my very first gravel group ride.

I learned a lot of new skills, met new people, saw new scenery and had a fun time. With so much focus on the road under me, I still can't believe how quickly the time passed by.

I’m incredibly grateful for my body and health - and for Karel helping me build confidence in my off-road bike handling skills.

My message to you...never deprive yourself of feeling proud, empowered and strong. 

In a world where it’s so easy to be impressed by others, don’t forget to impress yourself!

If you are looking to "race" or test your skills off road, you can tackle the course that I just rode on for the Southeast Gravel event on March 13th. 

GVL WBL #8 - The Grand Finale

Thanks to the Greenville Winter Bike League, I had reason to get on my road bike at 10am every Saturday for the past eight weeks. I also had the accountability to layer-up and venture out in the cold weather for 3+ hours week after week. I only missed one ride due to the weather (we had a rain/snow the night prior and the roads were a little icy so I went out on my own solo ride). What started out as an opportunity to socialize with other people turned into so much more than I had imagined. I met new people, stretched my comfort zone, challenged myself in the designated QOM and sprint zones, improved my cycling skills, discovered new bike friendly routes, won some money (woot woot) and braved the cold winter conditions - all on two wheels.

Here's the schedule (and routes) for all eight of the GVL WBL group rides.
Here are the route links to the last two rides: 
GVL WBL #7
GVL WBL #8

The last ride was a tough one. It was a smaller group of around 30 cyclists and we covered 63 miles in cold (in the 30's), cloudy and windy conditions. The ride went on a beautiful route near Jones Gap and we rode on two new roads that I had never been on before. Karel didn't join me on this ride because he ventured to Walhalla, SC for a super duper hilly 69-mile gravel group ride. I can't wait to show Karel these new routes as they will be perfect for our future training camps. 

                                       

Around 21 miles in, we had our KOM/QOM segment. The climb was relatively short and not overly steep but it sure did give my legs some attention. Once we regrouped, it was time for the "sprint" part of the ride. We rode several loops on the River Falls Road Race course - a beautiful 5.6 mile loop (although it was cloudy, it was still pretty with rivers, trees and mountains in our view). Each category had the chance to race one lap while the rest of the group rode the course behind the racing group.
Lap 1 - Women's and juniors (scored separately)
Lap 2 - Amateurs (category 4,5, and unlicensed)
Lap 3 - Pro 1,2,3
Lap 4 - Masters 40+

 I "raced" the women's category and gave all I could. I ended up 3rd and totally smashed myself on the final climb (the end of the loop). I tried to go with the Pro group but I got dropped pretty quickly. It was fun to challenge myself and to test my abilities. It was a cold ride and I struggled near the end. But thanks to the positive energy of the group, we all rallied together and stayed strong until the end. At the end of the ride, it was time for raffle prizes and cash prizes for the category winners. The organizers of this group ride did such an exceptional job of putting together a safe, fun and challenging 8-week series. It was extra special that the ride started/finished just 3 miles from our house.

Our friend/athlete Alvi who joined me for most of the rides. 

As for Karel, he drove an hour away for his gravel ride. This was a "drop ride" which meant you need to stay with the group or else you are on your own. Karel said he paced himself better for his group ride (compared to the one he did a few weeks ago) but he was still pretty spent when he was done. He said the group started off big but got smaller and smaller as the miles went on. There was a lot of climbing and descending on his ride and while the climbs were tough, he really enjoyed the downhills. I found my ride super cold but Karel said that his ride was super duper cold because they were climbing up into the mountains. 

Although I joined the GVL WBL ride and Karel joined the Southwest Gravel group ride, there were several other group rides in and around our area. We are so lucky to have so many safe and bike-friendly routes in our area!

I managed to do a run on the treadmill after my ride but then again, I am not sure if I was actually running. My feet were pretty frozen so I wasn't sure if I was actually running on them. Karel had an hour drive home after his ride so he arrived home shortly after I was making my post-workout meal.

Reflecting on the GVL WBL group ride, every week I found myself anxiously nervous for the unknown. Riding with cyclists (most of which race) was tough - I was constantly feeling challenged - mentally and physically. I am really proud of myself for braving seven 3+ hr rides with a strong group of 30-80+ cyclists over the past eight weeks. That’s seven opportunities of seeking discomfort.

I really embrace the idea of stretching the comfort zone. I wasn't always like this. Karel has helped me welcome discomfort as he has put me in a lot of uncomfortable sport-specific situations (primarily on the bike). While many of these situations often started with some type of argument from me being scared, I thanked him at the end for helping me discover my capabilities by doing something that was scary to me. For the record, I cried during my first ride here in Greenville as I found it too hard and too hilly. Thankfully, Karel didn't let me give up. 

Every time you put yourself into a new and unknown situation, you are training your brain into something better and stronger than it was before.

With each stretch of the comfort zone, you increase the number of opportunities you will be able to take in life because you have gained the ability, confidence and options to do more things you’re comfortable with..... all because you had the courage to seek discomfort.

I learned a lot over the past two months as the GVL WBL group ride started as something uncomfortable and while it never became easy, I learned to become good at discomfort - week after week after week. And I had fun doing it! 

Here are some tips I've learned to help you become better at stretching your comfort zone: 

• Seek discomfort - Don't be afraid to be uncomfortable. When you try something new, you are learning. You are becoming more than you were before. Discomfort may cause you to make mistakes, reveal your weaknesses  and fear failure but discomfort is a sign that you are growing. 
  
  
• Take charge of your self-talk - Just because someone else is faster/stronger than you, than doesn't mean that you are bad or slow. Just because someone is having a great workout, this doesn't mean that you are having a bad workout. Just because someone looks differently than you, this doesn't mean that you need to change the way that you look. When self talk is negative, it doesn't help you move forward in a way that helps you challenge obstacles. If anything, it moves you backwards because you fail to recognize the progress that you are making or your unique strengths. Learn to reframe negative, self-defeating thoughts in a way that encourages growth and motivation. 
  
  
• View discomfort as an opportunity - Find your tribe (people you feel safe around and give you energy, instead of stealing it away from you) and let others help you stretch your comfort zone. It's easy to feel confident in your safe and controlled environment - one that is repeatable and predictable. While there's nothing wrong with being in your comfort zone, it's important to put yourself into situations/scenarios that you have never faced before. And then learn from them. It's easy to run away from a challenge when you are by yourself. When you are with others, you are more willing and likely to face a challenging scenario. And it's great to have the support of others who are there to celebrate your accomplishment along with you. 

Feeling discomfort from something that is unnatural or uncomfortable isn't a sign that something is wrong. It's likely a sign that you are trying something new and different. Just like physical training, your brain will get better at managing uncomfortable situations the more you put yourself into them. Being scared or uncomfortable isn't always fun but it sure is fun to feel that comfort zone being stretched. Before you know, BOOM - you have stepped outside of your comfort zone.

Remember: What was once uncomfortable becomes comfortable....only if you are willing to seek discomfort.