MY CYCLING JOURNEY by Darryl Abbey: November 2011

Welcome to my cycling blog!

Thanks for visiting this site and for your interest in my cycling journey.

As a teenager and into my mid twentys, I worked in bike shops in the greater Boston area and developed a deep love of riding. When I went into the insurance business, I no longer had the time or drive to continue devoting energy to the sport and, consequently, I let it fall by the wayside for almost 18 years.

Around 1999, driven by a middle-aged need for exercise, I bought a new bike and started riding again: partially for exercise but mostly for pleasure. That lasted about two years and then the bike was back in the garage gathering dust until 2010.

Late in 2009, I learned that a close friend had been diagnosed with cancer and, shortly after that, I learned that his sister-in-law, also a good friend, had also been diagnosed. The fact that my Dad and my Mother-in-law had both been taken by cancer made me think about what I could do to support these friends and the many other folks I know whom I discovered had also been affected by cancer.

I am not good at being a care giver or expressing my concern for folks who are ill. I don't know what to do or say and I feel like I probably make both the person I am supposed to be caring for and me more uncomfortable than if I just left them alone. However, I did discover something I could do: ride my bike and raise funds to fight cancer.

I have become a big fan of the Pan Mass Challenge (a focus of this blog as you will see) and decided to participate in this event for the first time in 2010. This blog will give you an idea of my PMC experiences but, hopefully, will allow me to express my joy at having gotten back into the sport of cycling.

Through my renewed interest in cycling, I have made some great friends, improved my health and improved my outlook on life as well. Oh yeah, and through the PMC, I help fight cancer.

I hope you enjoy.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Cold Weather Riding

I have already mentioned in this blog that I am not a morning person. I will confess now that I am not a cold weather person either so I guess this makes me kind of a wimp when if comes to Winter cycling. I have some cool weather gear but when the temp is below 50 degrees, I start to lose motivation to get out on the road.

Don't get me wrong, I have a good Ascent fluid trainer and am perfectly happy to put in 60 to 80 miles a week in the comfort of my own studio (usually while watching football). These indoor rides are not just flat spinning exersizes: I force myself to get out of the saddle for high-gear sprints every five or ten minutes. Despite my efforts to tell myself that my indoor training is just as good, I know deep inside that it's not the same.

A good friend and fellow cyclist reminded me yesterday that "It's not the weather, it's the gear." So, time to go buy some real cold weather gear (balaclava, leg warmers, good gloves and thermal jersey) and get outside and do it.

I let you know how it goes................if it goes. The studio is awfully nice.