Endurance and Road Blocks

What is endurance?  Defined it is "the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way." 

That sums up my experience lately of working through "road blocks" toward the goal of Cycling X-country.  I go through daily mental gyrations and doubts about this whole process.  The least of my worries is training on the bicycle for my goal.  What has been making me wake screaming at night and causing panic attacks is sharing my experience of PTSD with people.  It has reopened Pandora's Box of nightmares, sort of a catch 22 in this process of bringing awareness to PTSD.  I was perfectly happy having come to a place of peace in my life, not really feeling a need to revisit my past.  Now, with awareness-bringing being part of the fundraising process, I am re-experiencing some of the symptoms of PTSD.  Great :-(

So, riddled with doubts about how to proceed, I'm just taking it one day at a time.  Yesterday, I deleted the donation button on my blog because I was emotionally done with fundraising.  Today, I'm considering putting it back on.  I feel confused.

Another "road block" I've encountered is not being able to get more than a month off work – the ride is two months across the Southern Tier of the U.S.  I love my job and don't want to lose it.  So what do I do?  Change my goal to a shorter ride?  I don't know.

So, maybe the road blocks will also have a detour sign that will lead me to my destination, just not via the route I originally thought.  Or it might take me to a new destination that is unexpectedly wonderful.  We'll just have to see.

Merry Cyclemas

A Sensitive Subject – Women's Bits and Cycling

I recently had a UTI (urinary tract infection) and have become very aware of the necessity of a good bike seat and the use of chamois creams.  When I had my bike fit by Mike Baretta at Revolutions Cycling Center in El Dorado Hills, he mentioned the importance of sitting properly on the bike seat so that the soft tissue isn't being squished.   Pretty sure Mike didn't use the word "squished," not sure what verbiage he used.  It's when the soft tissue has ongoing stress of pressure and friction that irritation occurs.  At the time I thought my bike seat was fine, but now after several months of riding on it I am demoing a Specialized (above) seat from Mike.  It has a vent cut through the seat to prevent pressure.  Also, it is important to have your sit bones measured to make sure you get the right size seat to support you correctly.  Since, as Mike says, there are only five points of contact with the bike, and the place of most pressure is the seat, it's necessary to have a good seat, the right size seat, and the right positioning on the bike.

Next thing I learned is that a good chamois cream isn't something only wimps use; it's really needed to reduced friction on those tender bits.  After doing some searching and reading online I decided to use Assos Cream from Switzerland.  Now, all these creams have great names, like Butt'r or Booty Balm or Gooch Guard, a sense of humor about your bits really helps.  So I used Assos Cream and seriously, it really helps.  Don't mess around thinking you can tough it out like I did, get some chamois cream!

Of course, there are other common sense things you need to do to care for your bits.  Drink lots of water and pee after you cycle.  Clean padded bicycling shorts every time you ride and change out of sweaty shorts after the ride and put on cotton panties after you shower.  I also drink cranberry juice or take CranActin with D-Mannose to help prevent UTIs too.  Stay healthy and happy cycling.