Facing my completely unsubstiated, abnormal fear

I posted last night that something exciting might be happening today. IT FINALLY DID!

I got my bike! I didn't want to say anything until it was finalized because of my weird fear of the jinx, but I got it! My Dad was nice enough to chip in for my Hanukkah present and Mike was nice enough to take me shopping and share all his biking expertise with me.

Triathlon here I come!

Eric and I just went for a 3.39 mile bike ride. For some reason my gears wouldn't work, but it was still fun. Also terrifying. 

About 7 years ago I went for a bike ride and totally wiped out on a windy downhill. It wasn't that dramatic, I got majorly scraped up and was all bloody, but I didn't break anything or suffer any serious injuries (or really any injuries). I'm a major wuss though and since I didn't do the smart thing and get right back on, I've been absolutely petrified of bikes since. I already have waaaaay too many irrational fears so signing up for this triathlon is a way of reducing it by one. 

Not quite there yet - my hand was throbbing from gripping the break during downhills. Also I had a full blown panic attack. Ok two of them. Like seriously hyperventilating. I'm really not coming off too well in this post. 

I did do one other bike ride this summer and I was scared but not THIS scared. That was on a trail bike with a much thicker wheel and on a much flatter course. Like I've already complained about on my runs, our neighborhood is super hilly. And the wind was gusting up to 24mph. 

So, now I've let out all my ridiculously overblown fears on the internet, and we all know I am even cooler than you originally thought. But I STILL DID IT!!!