Ahhh, that’s much better…

So here are the two options with a new saddle:  1) tough it out during the break-in period (and end up breaking in much more than just the saddle,) or 2) get one of those foam or gel seat covers like they often have available for spinning bikes at the gym.  For Brenda, option 2 worked out just fine.

After her sit-bones were so sore from yesterday’s ride, we both knew (yes, I’ve been there before too) that she’d be in no shape to sit on that saddle for another 40+ miles today.  So last night we made a last-minute run to a sporting goods store to get one of those seat covers.  We got the last one they had, and oh, by the way, while we were there Brenda saw a very nice winter-weight long sleeved jersey that she thought might work out well. 

So this morning, with the temperatures in the mid-to-upper 40s we took off with her new memory foam seat cover and new long sleeved jersey.  Meanwhile, I made the mistake of dressing for the end of the ride instead of for the start of the ride, and I took off with only 2 light layers up top and no socks.  (The no-socks-thing comes from my triathlon roots—I got in the habit of riding with no socks in order to get through the transitions faster, and now I really don’t even think about socks when I ride.)  But I should have thought of them this morning—my toes were dang cold for the first 10 or 15 miles.

But it was a great 48-mile ride; her new jersey (with one base layer under it) was the perfect weight for this weather, and she was very comfortable with the seat cover over that new saddle.  In fact, while she was pulling the group down Lockwood she started to ride away from the group.  (When we go out by ourselves, Lockwood is one of our go-as-fast-as-you-can areas, and we try to keep up a very fast pace on that road.  She got out there in front and the autopilot kind of kicked in and she started an attack without even realizing it.)  But I chased her down and she dropped it down a notch to keep the group together.

Nice weather, great ride, and 198 miles in the first week of the year!  Not a bad start, eh?   (Even if I consider the New Years Day ride to be “last week” she still got in 153 miles.)  But now it’ll start to get tougher.  This week included two days off for me.  Next week is a full week of work so she’ll really have to be self-motivated to get out there.  Here’s hoping this mild weather holds up.