I am NOT Ready for the MS 150...

BACKGROUND: Biking used to be my favorite form of exercise. I would bike 2-3 times a week, either a long distance or a short ride. I enjoyed it immensely. My dad and I biked together a lot. In recent years, we have enjoyed the (perhaps dangerous) activity of tying our dogs to our bikes and taking them for "rides." One time, we took Brutus, our boxer-dane, too far, and he got very tired and wouldn't go any further. Every year, my dad rides in the MS 150. He's currently training for this year's, which is in a couple weeks. GO DAD, I am so proud of you!


<--My baby Brutus all sprawled out. BACKGROUND PT 2: THE DIABETES DAILY SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE
Over on DD (see above link), David, one of the co-founders, has issued a challenge for the month of September. It's not really specific, just challenges each member to pick one thing to better themselves in the month of September. I chose exercise, because let's face it, this is something I rarely do. In the past 4 years I have gained 40 lbs. I am sick of it! So I have decided to endure the pain and suffering that is exercising and challenge myself this month.

Yesterday, I failed. I was supposed to work out at my school's new rec center, but it has still yet to open (hopefully it opened today, but I won't be on campus to find out). When I was planning on going for an evening walk, my bg dropped to 58. Ugh, I hate you diabetes.

PT 3: THIS MORNING
This morning, like most every morning, I started out with a BG around 250. Around noon, it was still in the upper 100s. I was FRUSTRATED, to say the least. This happens to me almost every morning! Nothing I try fixes it. SO. I decided to go for a bike ride.

BIKE RIDE:
I had it in my head that I would make it a 30 minute ride, then decided on 20. "MY" bike has a flat, so I took out one of my dad's 1234 billion bikes. (Ok, he has six). After adjusting the seat (I had to put it ALL THE WAY down - shorty!) I took off down my street.

So after about 3 minutes, my heart was pounding, my legs were aching, and my chest was heavy. "Guess I haven't ridden in a while," I thought to myself. But I pursued on. I made a loop around a cul-d-sac and almost decided to head back home, when I decided to go for the hill.

"You can do this! It's not that big of a hill." (I do live in the Ozarks, a mountain range in southern MO, northern AR and eastern OK, but Springfeild is on a platau. It's mostly flat.)

So I started up the hill. I came to the top, where there was a stop sign. I checked, no cars. Time to proceed. My elbows, having been locked for 10 mintues with my whole upper body weight pressing down on them, were starting to scream at me. "UNLOCK US, PLEASE!"

Dang, I haven't biked in a while! This hill is tiny! What the heck is wrong with me? I was sorely dissappointed in my physical ability.

I continued on. Down the hill. I looked at the next hill, looming in front of me. It was bigger than the last one.

I can do this.

My legs ached. My elbows screamed. My butt yelled. My lungs wanted to give up. My ears hurt from the chilly wind blowing into them. My body said STOP. But I said no. I made it up that gosh darn hill. And Darn it if I didn't make it home.

It turned out to be a 20 mintue trip. Hurray! I reached my goal. But when I got inside, my bg was still 165.

Dang it.

UPDATE: THE REASON THE BIKE RIDE WAS SO HARD IS BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE LOW. I NEGLECTED TO CHECK THEM. I WILL AIR THEM UP AND TRY AGAIN ON FRIDAY. I HOPE IT'S EASIER!