The hills are alive…

I took my first ride leaving from the driveway of my new home. And it hurt.

For those who may have missed the news, I recently moved from my apartment of solace in south Huntsville to a house of chaos in Madison. I kid, sort of. I moved into a beautiful home with three other lovely ladies, and there has definitely been an adjustment period. Four girls hovering around 30 come with lots of things — like five kitchen tables, three couches and three dogs. Oh, and lots and lots of boxes and kitchen items. But with the hectic moving schedule, riding has consisted of short rides or rides on the trainer after the sun goes down.

But finally, the bicycle made the move and I was able to find time to take her around the block to explore the new neighborhood. One thing about Madison — it’s a giant grid so most streets run parallel to other streets making bike routes quite simple to map. Plus, Madison is flat. Or so I thought until I rounded a corner for home and learned the hills are very much alive. And not with the sound of music.

They aren’t massive inclines like the route to Monte Sano, but they are slow and gradual. Needless to say, I learned a couple of things about shifting gears on this last ride. As much as my calves burned and my forehead poured sweat, I know this is good for me. I know it forces me to ride more and practice harder. I know it’s part of my training, and I know I will be better for it in the end. (Or better for it in October at least).

Victoria is riding 105 miles in October as part of the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes fundraiser. She’s been training since September and is currently up to 50 miles. She’s raising funds for her ride which will go to research and research-related education about type 1 diabetes. To support her, click here. Regardless of your ability to donate, she’d love to have your prayers for her training and the Ride in October.