Big Girl Pedals!

I think if I had gotten the clipless pedals from the very start I would have been less nervous about them.  Instead, I've been riding with cages for about 4 years.  Ridiculous.  It was one of the easy ways I could get by with the whole "I fake the triathlon thing" idea.  Don't want to give up enough of my running to do more swimming and biking, don't want to commit to clipless pedals, didn't get a wetsuit. 

Well, I got the wetsuit, and I started attending a weekly open water swim, and my swimming (and my confidence with my swimming) has already improved.

I got a new seat  which was better than my old one, and over the past few weeks my butt (sit bones, more specifically) has gotten more aclimated to the riding and time in the saddle.  I tried a few other models of the Adamo seat (the Race, the Breakaway, and the Road) but the podium seems to be the one for me.  I even did a 30 mile ride last night and wasn't incredibly uncomfortable!  Overall, I've been doing more riding each week.  Progress.

So the next step was to grow up.  Time for the big girl pedals.  I was nervous, I was certain I'd kill myself, but I was determined to make this switch.  Today. 

So I drove to our shore store that carries bikes and the co-owner, J, spent more than an hour with me -- we got the right shoes for me, he switched out the pedals, put my bike on the trainer and showed me how to clip in and out. Now you try, he said.

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod 

I climbed onto the bike and after a couple slips, I finally found the clip spot and got myself clipped in.  Rode, braked, clipped out.  Rode, braked, clipped out.  Did that a handful of times, both sides. 

Ok, let's try this.  We took the bike outside.

ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod
i'mgonnadieimgonnadieimgonnadieimgonnadie

I clipped in, rode away from J, and rounded the corner.  I noticed a grass area off to the side of the parking lot curb, and decided that might be a safe place to try to clip out for the first time.  I slowed down, braked, and tried to clip out.  However, I learned pretty quickly that's not the correct sequence to follow.  As my bike was stopping, then stopped, and I was just then attempting to clip out, I (of course) tipped right over.  I knew it was about to happen.  When your bike is stopped, you need to put a foot down to the ground to stay upright.  If your feet are in shoes that at that moment are attached to the bike, no feet are making it to the ground in time to stabilize the bike.  Well, here I go -- just like everyone says, "You're gonna fall!" 

I missed the grassy area (would've been helpful if I had ridden closer to that spot -- duh) and went right over onto the pavement.  Landed on my knee (that's already bruised from my fall while running a month back) and my right palm.  Apparently I rolled onto my right shoulder, too, based on the leaves J brushed off me later.  Almost immediately, I realized what I'd done wrong.  Clip out BEFORE stopping!  DUH!

I giggled at myself, got back on the bike, and successfully clipped in and out a few more times as I circled the parking lot.  I'm nervous as anything to do this again, but I will.  And I'm sure the more I ride, the more comfortable I'll get.  WIth all of it.