My husband had to work all this weekend so I decided to change up my own routine a bit. At 8:00 Saturday morning I loaded up my bike and headed to my sister's house. My husband and I live in rural New Kent county, Virginia, about 20 minutes east of the City of Richmond (state capital). My sister lives in Ashland, VA, a small town about 20 minutes north of Richmond. The town is very bike friendly (I can't tell you how many bikes we passed) with much of the town being 35 mph or under.

This is my older sister, the runner, (I also have a younger sister, that's right I'm a middle child. Never would have guessed it would you? Right.) and she is always ready to do something especially if it involves physical activity. She is even more willing to get out and get moving if it involves getting me to exercise, she just wants us to be healthy and she never lets me down when I ask her to join me. So, I get to her house, unload my bike, fill the tires, adjust my seat and we're off.

It was just shy of 80 degrees with a nice breeze blowing. Add in the giant oak trees lining the streets and it was cool and comfortable. We started by heading to the opposite end of town past the elementary school then looped through a new subdivision. Now, having someone exercise with you makes it much more fun but, add to that a change of scenery and the time really flies by. The next thing I knew we were zig-zagging our way through the streets and through and hour of riding.

When we looped back towards her house we had a decision to make; head back in or ride down one more road and back. Now this road is approximately 1 mile long and...wait for it...uphill BOTH ways. I am not exaggerating on this one. The road starts high, drops in the middle and goes back up on the other end so there is this big dip in the center. Well, I was out of water but still feeling good, not too hot or fatigued, so I said, "Let's do it."

Unfortunately, there is no shade on this road and at this point we were past 10:00 and well above 80 degrees. Now, I think that when you start something you have to finish it so there was no turning back. On the way in, the last hill you have to pull before turning around is a short but steep climb. The bike was down to 2nd gear and I was barely moving by the time I got to the top. We stopped briefly to allow me to catch my breath and then started back. My plan was to use that steep hill to my advantage. I geared up and started pedaling hard. Well let me tell you, I was moving. This is the only time I can think of where being heavy comes in handy. You see, I can gain a lot of speed going down hill and when I pedal that fast I am flying down the road (hoping I don't crash and scrape all my skin off). All that speed going downhill allows me to coast quite a distance uphill. The last part of the road was no trouble as it was a slight upgrade similar to my walk at home.

We headed on back to my sister's to cool off and rehydrate. I cannot stress the importance of proper hydration. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated and at the very least will end up with a really bad headache. (Trust me on this one, I had a terrible headache by the end of the evening.) So don't be foolish, drink, drink, drink water, Gatorade, Powerade, Propel, etc. before, during and after activity. To give you an idea of how much sweat came out of me, I had a layer of salt on top of my skin when I dried off. A cool breeze can be a blessing but it also disguises how much you are actually perspiring.

We checked out our course on mapmyrun.com and as it turns out we completed about 11 miles in about 1 hour 25 minutes. I had a great time and it went by so fast. So, if you are having a hard time getting out and getting motivated enlist a partner or two. It distracts you from the task at hand and the time flies by as you just enjoy each others company. It's Sunday and I am going to have a rest day. I am trying to line up my workouts to match the interval training schedule I want to begin. I may head over to my in laws' house and go for an easy swim or I might get on the Wii Fit for fun but there will be nothing strenuous today.

I have to hit the grocery store today too and stock up on some essentials. I want to thank all of you again for reading, sending positive feedback and the great tips. You're right, preparation is key. Not having the right foods around leads to making the wrong choices. I'll take some time on Sundays to pack up healthy snacks to have with me at all times.

I am also excited to hear that at least one of you is moving again too, keep it up! (You might want to try the Wii game Let's Dance, I think that's what it is called, I hear it's great.)


This was a great end to a week that started off very challenging. It just goes to prove that sticking to it pays off. So with a refreshed outlook on exercise I move into my 3rd week. I'll keep moving and hope you will too. And if you see her out there moving just remember...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.