Hi, Kate here from New Brunswick Canada, hence the nick "Brunswick Kate".
New to adult cycling, but amazed that I'm actually still doing it in September because I'm a lazy exercise phobe first class. Somehow, I've tricked my brain into thinking this is just fun and not exercise.
Primary use of the bike: commuting with an eye to cycle touring for next summer with the family. I've never had much interest in racing but the guys down at one of my local bike shop have been encouraging me to try it out because there are so few women involved in racing around these parts "Commmmmoon, Kate, if you manage to stagger across the finish line, you're guaranteed a top 5 finish...what's to lose?"
Our daughter, on the other hand, is keen to try a bike race next summer. She'll be 8 in November and the "Bike Guys" have been super encouraging to her because despite her youth and small size, she's turned out to be one heck of a trooper on a bike. Last weekend, she and Dad went out and did a 40 km run. Mom was benched for the ride due to work requirements and a nasty boil where I meet the bike saddle. Can you say "ouch"?
So while I'm not much interested in racing myself, I must confess I've been thinking that "a century really isn't impossible". I think next spring we might go out and meet the folks in the local cycling club just to see what they're like. If they're "hard core racers", we probably won't fit in but if they've got enough "tourist class" folks like us, we'll probably sign up for some of their organized rides.