HILLS!

One thing Florida doesn't have is hills, unless you go to the north, but in Southwest Florida there are no hills. It's flat! The only hills that I ever encountered were overpasses. The overpasses over golf courses or the 5 bridges on my ride around Estero Island. The last bridge on the around the island ride is 130 ft tall! But one thing that Philly does have is plenty of hills!

This mornings ride was getting my legs in hill shape. Since I'm not sure of my route I've been riding for time. I have 60 minutes to ride so I go out 30 minutes turn around and head back. This morning I took a new and improve route. This route was one where I thought I wouldn't have a soccer mom talking on her cell phone while beeping her horn at me to get out of the way because she is late for work after dropping the kids off at school and day care. So the first few miles are down hill then up hill then flat then up hill again. It seem more up hill than down on the way out. I didn't have 10 miles on the speedo so I road a couple of loops around a neighborhood to get to 10 and started back. (Actually I got a little lost). Did I mention that on the way out I saw 37 mph? That should have been a clue but hey I'm from Florida.

The ride back started down hill, 27 to 30 mph then a nice uphill followed by some more uphill then a brief down followed by a huge hill. I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest hill. At the top was a traffic light and thankfully it was RED! It was good to stop take a drink and get some air. Then on to a downhill followed by a flat the a GIANT HILL worse than the first! I was afraid I was going to have to stop when I saw the speedo at 8 mph. But with burning legs, thumping heart, grasping for air I made it to the top! I made it back to my apartment in my allotted time of 60 minutes but I did feel like I got a good workout. Tomorrow I'm going to run that course so I can get my running legs in hill shape!