So it's totally fitting that my husband should embrace Fathers Day with similar enthusiasm. Pancakes in bed? No problem. A little pressie? Of course. Permission to lie under a blankie on the couch and let me flap about with the kids? Hmph, I guess so.
But my husband didn't want any of that. Well, aside from the lying on the couch part.
No, my husband wanted me to race a road cycle time trial. For 25km's. You know - like they do in the Tour de France. A race against myself. And the clock.
Why? Don't ask.
I tried to decline.
I wasn't keen, to put it mildly.
But yet, I found myself this morning at 8am on the start-ramp - a stranger supporting the back of my seat as I hovered awkwardly on my pedals, trying desperately not to throw up. I succeeded. Just.
There were a surprising amount of other women there, and I wasn't half intimidated as I eyed their flash machinery and olympic-athletesque-bodies. What was I doing? I was about to be disgraced!
The first 6 km's were an adrenaline-fueled blur as I fought to control the nerves and concentrate on the task. The gravel on the road was loose; it was windy and at times I felt like I was getting nowhere. There is something surreal about racing against yourself and having to mentally focus your energy without anyone else around. I didn't have a trip computer so I had no idea how far I'd gone -- but my husband had the car and stopped intermittently along the course to tell me where I was at. The second 6 km's were fairly hilly and although I had shaken the nerves by then, I was feeling pretty tired and fighting the inclination to stop at the turnaround point and call it a day. I didn't, of course, and ignored my screaming legs to complete the remaining 12 km's. I crossed the finish line with nothing in me left to spare... I'd done it!
And I wasn't even 'disgraced' -- my time was well up there with the other women and I was actually competitive!
My husband wanted me to do it because he thought I could.
And it turned out I could, folks! I could!
And that's how Dan got his Father's Day gift.
Here's a little pic of Elli-Boo and Dan on Fathers Day - post ride, "sharing a beer" :)
What did you get up to on Father's Day?? Was it lovely?
