First Ride of the Season. Clipless pedals 1: Heather: 0

Or as I like to call it: I didn't know my skin could turn that color.

Saturday I took my bike out for the first ride of the season. It was a gorgeous clear day with warm weather, and I knew there would be a lot of people out on the bike trails so I got up and on the road at 7:30am.  In retrospect I probably should have spent some time getting used to clipless pedals again. 

I got my first set of shoes and clipless pedals last season, maybe a month before my last race of the season.  Everyone told me I'd fall, and I didn't believe them. I practiced in a trainer at the bike shop for like an hour.  I told my foot exactly what it would need to do, and I felt confident that I would not be like everyone else. Oh humility, how bitter you taste!  I fell less then a mile from my house in the middle of a busy intersection.  I had to stop suddenly and couldn't remember how to unclip and I tipped right over. I couldn't even look at the cars around me, I knew they would be laughing. If I was in their place I would be laughing. I only fell one other time after that, when I was making a U-turn and removed the wrong food from the clip.  I hit my head that time and was reassured by my trusty helmet. Yep, always going to wear one!

So flash forward to Saturday, gorgeous day, finally have a spring triathlon on my calendar and motivation to get out.  I felt great, was cruising along at a pace that was pretty good for me.  I got to my 40 minute turn around spot, unclipped the inside foot this time and turned around. Right when I was about to go forward and back towards home I suddenly started to tip to the outside. Once you start tipping over the only thing to do is to twist your body so something soft and fleshy hits, and I succeeded in landed in my ample hip/behind.  The worst part about falling like that are the witnesses.  Cars were stopping, a runner going by was trying to commiserate with "we've all been there" and all I wanted to do was crawl into the shadows and lick my mental wounds.  I made good use of the stop, had some water, checked myself over for injuries and then headed home, deflated. 

I think the second worst part of falling is that it takes the joy out of the ride.  The rest of the way back I'm thinking about how my hip hurts, and how I hope I don't fall again.  I'm nervous about getting back on my bike. I even went to the bike shop to see if an upgrade in pedals would make a difference (answer: no).  The only way to keep from falling again is to practice.  I don't have a trainer at home but I do have a husband who can hold my bike. In fact, he offered first, which is why I adore him.  I won't have a chance to get back on my bike until Bike to Work Day in April.  I'm quite nervous about riding in a group and not being used to the pedals, so I'll need to squeeze some time in before then.  Wish me luck!