Last February I committed to doing this year’s Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. and Party (RSVP), a 200-mile trek north in August.

    (I wondered how hard you could “party” after riding this long over two days, but imagined it could be possible. I was up for the challenge.)

    I haven’t done a ride of this magnitude since riding the STP in 1990. I am now older, wiser and my body has revealed new ways to express pain over the years, so I did what I thought were four really smart things:

• I hired Seattle personal trainer Cheryl Marek to design a training plan for me.
• I signed for a 50-mile bike ride in June.
• I updated my bicycling gear.
• I rounded up riding partners.

    I now ride to work at least twice a week and have begun recognizing other regulars on the Burke-Gilman Trail at 7 a.m. on weekends. I’m sure I have become a whacko to my neighbors who see me charging – and gasping – up and down the same hill numerous times during my weekly 30-minute speed and strengthening regimen.

    Leading up to the RSVP, I thought it would be a good idea to register for the 50-mile portion of the Flying Wheels Challenge in mid-June to measure my training success. Cheryl thought that would be a good idea too, and embellished my training rides with what I thought were ambitious weekly increases, along with a gentle verbal push.

   “You’re already a little behind in your training, Carolyn,” she said in late March, “so you’ve got some catching up to do.”

    I’ve also needed to update my gear. Grubbing through my beat-up seat bag, I found my expired driver’s license from 1993, a repair patch kit that disintegrated in my hand, $65 in various bills I had randomly tucked into the pouch over the years and something that resembled a snack.

    I invested in a heart rate monitor which has helped me pace my workouts and measure my progress.

    One of the best things about committing to riding the RSVP is that I’ve reconnected with former riding friends and found new ones. Early on in my program, I rode alone for two hours on the Burke-Gilman. Ixnay on that.

    So there you have it. On Aug. 17-18 I’ll join 1,300 other dedicated souls as we ride to the great country of Canada. By Saturday evening, I’ll have done the RSV part and be ready for the P.

   Party on cyclists, I’ll see you at the finish.

Carolyn Price may be reached by clicking here.