Thoughts from a swimmer: Aero this

So last year's tri season didn't end as fabulously as I would have liked and I made some resolves to spin more this winter and ride my bike on the indoor trainer. I added aero bars for comfort on the trainer (and really for reading!) I ended up just watching Sherlock Holmes and other TV shows while biking but I digress. Aero bars are an alternate set of handle bars which as the name implies makes you more aerodynamic. Some say its more comfortable...nothing on a bike seat is comfortable.

On Thursday we decided it was time to take the bikes out for the new season. We have Orlando 70.3 coming up very quickly and really need to get ready for the 56 miles coming up. We wanted to get in a ride before taking the bikes into the shop so we could tell them what to fix and such. Over the winter we bought a Honda Pilot for lugging our bikes around and the hubby engineered up a way to keep them upright and stable.

Outfitted in Christmas presents a new bike top from Mo and arm warmers from Erinn I was ready to go! We decided to do the BWI bike path which is a little over 10 miles around, that way if there was anything significantly wrong with the bikes we weren't too far away from the car and if they were good we could always do another loop. The only downside to this loop is the stopping and starting to cross streets but there were a few flat parts with grass on each side for me to try out my new aeros. I have horrible balance! My Wii Fit asks me if I trip a lot and insults my balance. I asked the guy in the bike shop for the aero bars that would make me the sturdiest, he laughed at me...It took me a few flats to get up the courage to put my right arm then my left into the position. I had a lot of falls when I first got my clip in peddles and I was prepared for more falling today. Once in position I wobbled! And back on the regular handlebars I went but I didn't fall! I tried this a few times each time getting slightly straighter and heading less for the grassy areas. Towards the end of our ride I even went around a couple corners (wide ones). Could I do this in a race? Well if I am at the very back again with no one for miles than probably but if it is congested than no because I would definitely cause a domino falling of bikes for sure! Everyone talks about how much easier it is to ride in the aero position, how much faster they are, and how much less energy they feel...um yea no. In our 20 mile bike ride probably less than a mile total with all my little snippets of aero riding together...oh well...at least I stayed upright!

showing off the new shirt and arm warmers

So after dropping off the bikes we headed to Luna Bella ( hocofood@@@) in the Hickory Ridge Village Center. We hadn't been there since I lived on that side of Hoco so it was time to visit. I got an awesome salmon dish and the hubby got some cheesy pizza. I order dessert, a cannoli. Usually I am safe from him eating my dessert with the cannoli as he isn't a huge fan of ricotta...but not today, I had to share. I think we will definitely be back to Luna Bella sooner rather than later! 3 years was way too long to wait, it was quite yummy.