Nine times out of ten it is completely excellent to have a husband who also runs, bikes and swims. A husband who pushes me to my limits and beyond, a husband who understands why I want to eat pasta three nights a week and don’t keep sweets in the house. A husband who knows what it’s like to give up most of your Sunday to a long run, a husband who can converse for hours about lactate thresholds and electrolyte replacement. And then…well…there’s that tenth time, when it leads to a day like yesterday.
The Hubs and I are kid-free this weekend (I take back almost every nasty thing I’ve ever said about my in-laws; they adore my children and take them off my hands for a few days every summer), so we planned a nice long bike ride on a beautiful nearby bike trail. The Hubs is training for his first Half Iron distance tri and this weekend called for a 50-mile ride. Since my previous longest bike ride was a 20-miler and I ride significantly slower than my beloved, we agreed to do our own out-and-back distances, but meet up several miles before the finish and ride in together.
The bike trail is an athlete’s dream: the main path is over 30 miles long (and there are miles and miles of offshoots), the scenery is fabulous since it follows a river, it’s nicely paved, clearly marked, wide enough to ride two abreast, and there’s a hard dirt shoulder for runners, too. It’s a moderately challenging path, with lots of hills and twists and turns. Most of my experience with the trail has been as a runner, so I was really looking forward to approaching it this time on wheels.
We set off nice and early from the bottom of the trail, our thought being that the net downhill on the return would make the day a little easier overall. We stayed together for the first two or three miles, but I knew The Hubs had a time goal in mind, so I cut him loose to ride at his own (much faster) pace. He said he would call me at his turnaround, so I could turn around also, then we’d meet up about ten miles from the end.
Even though I thought I might take a leisurely ride and just enjoy the trail, as soon as I started pedaling I started to push my pace. Bike in the distance? Well, you know I have to chase that slowpoke down! Here is the inherent problem with being a racing athlete (even an average one): the competitive juices never stop flowing.
The Hubs called me just about when I expected he would, so I turned around and started chasing people down the hill, too. I arrived at our meet-up spot a few minutes before him, so while I waited, I got off my bike and stretched my legs a little. When I saw him approach, I smiled broadly and waved, ready to enjoy a chat on our ride back together. He braked abruptly next to me and snapped, “I thought you would just keep going and I would meet you!” and then took off. TOOK. OFF. I didn’t even have my feet on the pedals and I had been dropped. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
I didn’t take this turn of events very well, I admit. I spent several miles contemplating divorce or dismemberment. I plotted revenge and I swore I would never, ever get over being this angry. When The Hubs was waiting for me at the end of the trail there was some swearing from me before I initiated the Silent Treatment.
After numerous heartfelt apologies from The Hubs (which I ignored because – hello! – I was the wronged party here and I was planning on pouting all day), he explained that he had been playing leapfrog with a group of cyclists all the way down the hill and he just couldn’t let them pass him without giving chase.
Oh.
Yeah, okay, I totally get that. And just like that, all was forgiven.
Final stats for the day: 42.62 miles @ 16.9 mph.
MCM Mama says
I guess it’s a good thing my husband isn’t particularly athletic in the “compete in races” sense. He rides/walks/hikes for enjoyment and exercise, not to “win”. That’s ok as I have enough of a need to compete without him being part of the equation. ;o)
gmontalvo13 says
hehe, it’s only today i appreciate my boyfriend is not an athelete. that would piss me off too!
of course my silent treatment would have lasted longer! π jk
love the new layout!
Heather says
So funny. My husband doesn’t run, bike, anything – and our occasional arguments about my time commitment to such endeavors has led me to consider divorce or dismemberment a time or two. π Great job on your bike ride!
Average A says
I love that your hubs can can converse with you about all of this! The solution that works for me?? Date long distance. π That way I can’t bore him with all the time I put toward myself & my training… π
Kerrie T. says
Bwahahahaha! Not competitive over sports, no, but pretty much everything else. Mostly over who does more housework. π
Michelle says
Back when my husband and I were both really fat (I was 230, he was 250ish), we both started losing weight. He lost 55lbs in about 4months and it took me 12 months to lose the 75-80. We got pretty competitive but it was pointless since it’s much easier for men to lose weight.
gmontalvo13 says
There’s an award waiting for you on my blog today! Be sure to check it out!
LMC says
I totally get you! My husband and I both run. We run together all the time and we often compete with one another. Sometimes it’s friendly competition and sometimes, I pout! π I totally love that my hubs and I run together and I say 9 out of 10 is awesome!!