Cyclist

Part II: Preparing for your First Century Ride, Ensure Your Success

Arielle Miller / Accountability, At Home Workouts, Athlete, Bike Riding, Celebrate, Celebration, Century Ride, Challenges, Commitment, Cycling, Diet, Diet and Exercise, Female Athlete, Fitness, Fitness Life, Goal Setting, Goals, Gratitude, Hard Work, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Road Cycling, Roadie, Sports, Strength Training, Training, Uncategorized, Updates, Women in Sports / Century Ride, covid fitness, COVID-19, creating routine, Cycling, Cyclist, Female cyclist, following a schedule, health and fitness, home workouts, live love ride, love your ride, making a schedule, road biking, Strength Training, we can do hard things, weight loss journey, women in sports / 0 comments

January 2, 2021

I’ve been an athlete my entire life and I am self-realized enough to know the limitations and things I am capable of achieving. As I have pointed out, showing up for something and respectfully being able to walk into it and away from it proud of what I did is paramount to me. So, as my time riding got more serious and focused, my friend Lizzy and I joked about doing a century. At first we laughed about it. Then we started talking more about it, and finally committed to actually doing one. And since we are in the midst of a global pandemic, we’d be doing this unsanctioned, not for any recognition, but because we want to do this to reward ourselves for our hard work.

Putting in WORK, a 60 miler for funzies on the Central Coast

Let me further break down this hard work to which I am referring:

First, since purchasing my road bike in late June 2020, I have rode it nearly every day since then. Yes, talk about one rapid love affair. I rode anywhere I could, as often as I could. And knowing absolutely nothing about the sport, I just rode. I rode to get time in the saddle, to learn how to shift, reacclimate to clipping in/out, riding in traffic, and how to handle my bike. I fell so hard and so fast for riding on the road that when I went to New York during August to visit my sister and niece for three weeks, I even brought my bike with me—true story.

Having never rode a bike in NYC before (despite growing up in NY), I blindly leapt into the unknown riding all over NYC because I love being on my bike and seeing and experiencing the world from “life behind bars”. In hindsight, this time in NYC was crucial to my growth as a cyclist. It catapulted me into handling my bike in tight spaces, riding fast, and changing flats without someone to help me. Upon arriving back in LA just three weeks later, I was a whole new woman. My confidence soared and my bike friends remarked at how fast I had gotten. And by fast, it is relative. Fast for a novice, but growth and progress are just that—metrics in the right direction.

In NYC on my last day of riding before returning to LA

Eventually my joy of riding evolved and I started planning weekly long rides with my friend Lizzy (who also doubles as my strength and nutrition coach). We thirsted for harder climbs and craved long days putting miles down on the road in the saddle. Saturday’s became our day. I made sure to get all of my school work and papers written for graduate school before their due dates so that I could ride. I know, I know—who have I become?! Getting a bike and wanting to adventure on it has been a wonderful motivator for me to stay on top of my school work while working on my doctorate. Truly, while I am very industrious and productive; like many people, I struggle with procrastination. Certainly, I have made great strides in adulthood while working as a teacher and teacher leader, but sometimes I get caught up in other things, thus not managing my time appropriately. Creating a routine for myself has been an integral part of my success as both a professional and athlete.

To further illustrate, as discussed by Northwestern Medicine, 2021:

Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle

People are creatures of habit, and routines offer a way to promote health and wellness through structure and organization. Having a routine can greatly improve your health.

Many people who don’t have any type of routine suffer from:

Stress. No routine often means having the constant worry of “when will I get it all done.”
Poor sleep. Without a daily routine at work and/or home, you may find yourself playing catch-up with yesterday’s to-do list. If you’re always behind on what should have been done the day before, you’re likely also staying awake worrying about what didn’t.
Poor eating. Unhealthy diets (like eating lots of fast food) become the norm if there isn’t time scheduled for grocery shopping. Quick, unhealthy substitutes become the next best food option.
Poor physical condition. Working out usually requires some advance planning.
Ineffective use of time. Often, no routine means you simply run out of time, leaving things undone and not making the most of your time.

Once I nailed down and freed up my Saturday’s, I examined and really dialed into my daily and weekly schedule. It looked something like this with occasional changes due to work commitments and/or poor air quality in LA:

Monday and Tuesday	– Usually Peloton, ride outdoors if time and weather permitting – Add walking if and when possible for at least 1 hour	Strength training
Wednesday	– Usually Peloton, ride outdoors if time and weather permitting – Add walking if and when possible for at least 1 hour	Cardio only
Thursday and Friday	– Usually Peloton, ride outdoors if time and weather permitting – Add walking if and when possible for at least 1 hour	Strength training
Saturday	Long bike ride adventure	Cardio only
Sunday	Recovery ride or walk	Cardio only

This schedule emerged in order to ensure I was getting in my training as outlined by my coach to keep me working towards my goals: fat loss and to maintain my strength. Many people battle getting in their workouts and it’s not because they don’t want to workout, but because they lack the ability to create a routine and then follow it. For me, the schedule is my lifeline, serving as a non-negotiable. Sure, occasionally a strength day gets pushed a day—but I never miss a workout. I never make excuses to skip the work I know needs to be done and the work I know I will be glad I committed to. Like anything else worth pursuing in our lives, it requires planning, dedication, sacrifice, and follow through. Our fitness, health, and wellness should be at the very top of our commitments and priorities because if we do not take care of ourselves inside and out—how can we be of the best service to those in our professional and personal lives? Just something to think about.

During the entire 15-week period which was the duration of my first semester as a doctoral student, not only did I maintain my schedule; but it allowed my weight loss journey to continue. At present, I am down nearly 35 pounds! The structure provided by my meal plan, fitness programming, and routine allowed me to actively work towards my aesthetic and athletic goals while thriving in the workplace and school. As time passed and I became more fit, my desire to push and test my limits grew greater.

My Saturday bike rides became longer and more challenging. Once terrified of elevation and the hard work it demanded of me, I now yearned for it. This transformation led me to feeling like I was finally ready after 6 months of riding my bike and training regularly for my first century ride. In fact, every time I thought about it, my heart fluttered with nerves and delight.

Was I really ready for this? Could I do this? What if I failed?

I was ready. I mean, it’s like anything else that is terrifying that we pursue—is one ever truly ready? There is only one way to tell and that’s by hurling oneself wildly outside of one’s comfort zone to see. Yes, I could do this, I was doing it, and I am going to complete it. And if for whatever reason I cannot and do not achieve what I set out to accomplish; then it’s an opportunity for reflection and growth.

Hell yes. I am doing the damn thing to do it—not to set any records, not to be the best, not for any recognition but to show myself how far I have come and reward my hard work with a hard effort as testament to my personal journey of self-improvement.

I had the time in the saddle. My body was physically ready—or so it felt like it was ready. And the date and location was set—Lizzy and I would drive to Palm Springs on Saturday, December 19, 2020 and spend the night. On Sunday, December 20, 2020, we’d wake up bright and early then tackle the 100-mile planned route with our Camelbak’s filled with water and food, and ride through the desert entirely unsupported…

How would we do? Did we have enough food? Enough water? What if something happens to one of our bikes…? And oh God, where will we use the restroom????

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss the conclusion of this series, Part III: Preparing for your First Century Ride, We Can Do Hard Things

Part I: Preparing for your First Century Ride, Respect the Process

Arielle Miller / Accountability, Adventure, Athlete, Awareness, Bike Riding, Celebration, Century Ride, Challenges, Cycling, Female Athlete, Fitness, Fitness Life, Goal Setting, Goals, Lifestyle, Road Cycling, Roadie, Sports, Sports Training, Training, Women in Sports / Bike riding, Century Ride, Cycling, Cyclist, female athletes, Female cyclist, Girls who ride bikes, Hard work, road cycling, we can do hard things / 0 comments

December 30, 2020

On December 20, 2020, I rode my very first century ride—100 miles.

One hundred miles. WOW. Honestly, even days after accomplishing this feat, I still haven’t been able to wrap my head around the fact that I did something like that—ME.

I pedaled, on a bike for 7 hours and 20 minutes through the desert with my good friend Lizzy Picardi, unsupported with just the water and food we could carry and WE DID IT.

Lizzy and I gearing up to head out for our Century Ride!

We did it without the help of anyone else and that’s not to say it wouldn’t have been nice or that we were unprepared by any means. Being able to do something like an unsupported century ride in the desert where the first 50 miles were literally in the middle of nowhere takes a great deal of planning, conditioning, confidence, and what I would like to say is a respect for the process.

And that is exactly what I want to focus on here—a respect and reverence of the process when embarking upon an endeavor like this. First, riding 100 miles IS A BIG DEAL. When I started riding my road bike in late June, early July of 2020, the thought of being able to ride that far for that long was so abstract I couldn’t comprehend it. Like I saw people doing these rides, or heard from friends about ‘the century they did once and how horrible it was’ and I nodded, then responded with, “Wow, that’s so cool” but not only did I not truly understand it, what baffled me the most was how people seemed to brag about how unprepared physically they were to ride 100 miles. Almost like a badge of honor, I continue to hear and learn about how many people have rode 100 miles without riding more than 20 miles. And sure, I applaud your can-do attitude, but it’s like the student in my class who does zero work the entire semester then during the last two weeks of class, asks how they can raise their grade and if they can make up all the work.

The day I bought my bike, “Best Girl” on June 27, 2020

Ummmm, NO, you cannot condense my four-month course to two weeks; and the fact that you think you can is insulting, devaluing the work of others, minimizes the planning I’ve invested in your education, and is a blatant lack of respect for the time, effort, and perseverance that comes with navigating through content and projects for an extended period of time.

The same is with endurance sports like running and cycling. The training IS the process. The training IS the journey, not the race day. Anyone can show up and run 26.2 miles and ride 100 miles. But what kind of showing are you putting up? How do you feel during the race? How do you feel after the race? The purpose of sport is not to wreck yourself and proudly brag about that time you didn’t train for a marathon but ran one anyway. If the aim is to gloat about how tough you are for doing these things, I implore you to look a little closer and dig a little deeper with the lens of looking to respect the process.

The Angeles Crest, with 4k+ of elevation on December 26, 2020

Respecting the process means putting in the work, the daily work; the real training which is the grind of being athlete that sets you up for success. Anyone can show up for one day, but I dare you to train and show up 6 days a week, sometimes for two-a-days when life is hitting you hard, when you are tired, when you are simply not feeling it; but alas you do it anyway.

Respecting the process means you look at those 100 miles the way I did: Something I want to do, but I want to do it well. Because the way I see it, if I am going to do something in this world, I cannot and will not show up and embarrass myself. Period.

But, respecting the process is about tapping into your WHY. Why do you want to run a marathon? Why do you want to ride 100 miles? Knowing and understanding your why becomes your North Star, your guidance on those days when you don’t want to train and show up. I have found that a fierce conviction and anchoring in my ‘Why’ is what drives me to train to the best of my ability. So, what’s my ‘Why’?

I like working hard to show myself that I’m strong and capable. I like doing hard things I’ve earned through my hard work. And through my hard work, I hope that I inspire other people to do things that are unfamiliar.

That’s my ‘Why’, take some time to think about yours. Like reallllllly think about it beyond the surface of needing accolades and likes on an Instagram post. Because the truth of the matter is this: When you are hitting the pavement, there is no one there alongside you. It is just you, your body, your thoughts, your training and preparation, and that’s it. It is during those parts of your competition where your want becomes a must. Therefore, respecting the process is about respecting yourself enough to know that you are worth investing the time into your physical and mental self so that you can be your best self for that race or ride.

Stay tuned for Part II: Preparing for your First Century Ride, Ensure Your Success!

Part II: Preparing for your First Century Ride, Ensure Your Success

Part I: Preparing for your First Century Ride, Respect the Process

SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG