30 Days of Biking: Once More, with Feeling This Time

I discovered 30 Days of Biking back in September 2010. The premise is deceptively simple: ride your a bike every single day for a month. The challenge, repeated every April and September, began in Minneapolis and has spread globally.

Like many great ideas, this is trivial to explain but difficult to complete successfully. Indeed, I completed the challenge on that first attempt, but I have failed with subsequent attempts.

It's April 1, so it's time to try again.

Today's ride was easy, flat, low-key, and rain-free (surprising this time of year). My wife Kasia wanted to do some shopping at Molbak's, so we performed a routine we've repeated dozens of times:

• Put the bike on the truck.
• Drive to Molbak's.
• Go for a ride while Kasia shops.
• Meet back at the truck.
• Load Kasia's purchase.
• Load the bike.

Today's ride was a little different, though. Rather than just cruising the Sammamish River Trail, or the Thrilla in Woodinvilla Loop, I had other plans. I rode ~6.5 miles from Molbak's to the Redmond Athletic Club for an intense 30 minute "Metabolic Effect" workout. After the workout (and after collapsing into a sweaty heap) I slowly rode back to Woodinville.

Ready to ride

My legs are tired, my arms are tired, my core is tired, my hair is tired, my everything is tired. But it was a great day, and an awesome start to this 30 Days of Biking.

Distance:         13.48 miles

Clock Time:     1:07:30

Elevation Gain:     113 feet