Not even sure who I am anymore...

In my last post, I told you that I was planning to ride 45 miles in Pelotonia. If you don't follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you may not know that indeed I DID IT! It was damn hot, but I did it. I was fortunate to have my sisters-in-law, Stephanie and Cynthia, and my niece Lauren riding with me, plus the best cheering section!

Let me tell you, when riding with thousands of other cyclists, wearing bright orange pants is a great way for your companions to be able to find you!

It's not too late to donate to Pelotonia. If you were thinking "I'm gonna wait and see if this bitch actually finishes," I don't blame you. The link to my fundraising page is here, and fundraising goes until October 5.

One week after Pelotonia Aaron and I rode 30-ish miles, but then I didn't ride again for another two weeks. Between the heat and stuff at work, it just didn't happen. But we had signed up for a ride on September 1 called Bike the CBus Plus, a metric century (62 miles) around Columbus. Not only did we do that, we also rode to and from the start/finish, which was about 8 miles round trip! Again, another hot and humid day, and the last mile or so going home was in pouring rain. But we made it!

When we got home, Aaron said "we should ride again tomorrow," to which I begrudgingly said "yeah, I know." We're planning to do a three day ride around Lexington, KY later this month so I knew he was right. Oof.

The next day we drove about 40 minutes away and rode 20 miles on some HILLS! I have a hard time climbing so it was good practice for me. The picture below shows our route; the squiggly line is some rolling hills on a recently paved road, which was pretty fun.

Riding on country roads, I wanted to make sure I was visible.

Mission Accomplished

This past weekend was a wash out, so no riding, but I'm anxious to get out again. Seriously, sometimes I say to myself "who ARE you?"


Stay tuned,

I might only have one match, but I can make an explosion

Say whatever you want about Rachel Platten's "Fight Song," but I like it. You might think it's a cheesy pop song, but it inspires me and gets me fired up. And for those of you (like my husband) who don't know what I'm talking about, here it is:

For those who don't know, this Saturday I'll be riding my bicycle 45 miles in Pelotonia, which is a fundraiser for cancer research. 100% of donations go directly to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (more commonly known as The James).

I first rode in Pelotonia in 2011 after my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. I had every intention of riding again, but my own health issues got in the way. This year I decided to get back on the bike. I really enjoy it and I wanted to actively be a part of Pelotonia.

To prepare for this ride, I started cycling to and from work. It's between 5 1/2 and 7 miles one way, depending on which route I take. I don't always do it every day - if I have an outside meeting or something for which I need to be "presentable," I'll drive. Then on the weekends I've gone on longer rides. One Saturday I rode 20 miles and I heard "Fight Song" at about mile 15 and I'm telling you it really pushed me.

Last weekend I rode in a cerebral palsy fundraiser called Pedal with Pete and I went 50 miles! I got a flat tire just a few miles from the finish, but luckily the SAG wagon helped me out and I was able to get that 50. So now I know I'm capable of the 45 miles I've committed to this weekend.

In the last month something in me has changed. I find that if I go more than a couple days without getting on the bike, I miss it. If I'm having a bad day, a bike ride will (most of the time) make me feel better. Who knew?! OK, a lot of people knew, but it's still kind of crazy to realize it for yourself.

Part of what "Fight Song" is about is how one person can have a huge impact. And that's true in so many ways. If you're so inclined, please consider designating some of your charitable dollars toward Pelotonia. My fundraising page is https://pelotonia.org/inittogwenit. No donation is too small. Thank you to those who have already donated - you'll get a more personal thank you after the ride. And thank you in advance for all of your support, monetary or otherwise.

51.22 miles and still smiling!

Showin' My Books - January '18

I'm certain I read more than two books recently but I don't think I've been updating Goodreads. That's OK, because the two I have read were well worth talking about.

Final Girls by Riley Sager - I very much enjoyed this book. "Final Girls" refers to the sole survivors of slasher-movie-style massacres, and now someone appears to be targeting the Final Girls. There was something that kept me from giving a 5 star rating, but I can't put my finger on what that was. However, I read it in two sittings, so that says something.


Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate - I read this for my IRL book club, even though I knew I couldn't make the meeting. This novel is based on the true story of children who were kidnapped and sold from the 1920s through the 1940s. It is heartbreaking, devastating, and beautifully written. There's a minor romantic subplot that I thought was unnecessary, but it didn't detract from my love of the book overall.

Currently reading: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.


What's on your bookshelf these days?