Upping my Pleasure

When it comes to riding a bike, people always ask, "How do you ride on that skinny little saddle for so long and not hurt, you know, down there?" Well, up until today, my answer was to tough it out, grin and bear it. I've gone through 3 different saddles this season, numerous pairs of different shorts, but to no avail. I've never really been much of a fan of the chamois cream, but I've used the cheap-o chamois butter increasing more this year, as every single ride has exasperated those nasty little saddle sores that never seem to heal. Well, today I decided to plunk down the $22 for a small can of Assos chamois cream. Supposedly it is the original and the best... I hoped it would finally do the trick!We headed to Sol Vista to pre-ride the Nationals xc course before next weekend's races. I lathered up with my new cream, pre-ride, and immediately the cool, menthol tingling gave me the comfort I was looking for! Actually, I was still skeptical, and as we set off, I could only wonder how long it would take for the pain and friction to set in.

I usually have most problems develop on the both the climbs and the flats, especially when my butt is glued to the saddle for long periods of time. Surprisingly, I felt nothing for the first half of the course, which climbed its fair share. In fact, after the first hour of riding I completely forgot about the fact that my ass is usually seriously hurting by now! What a feeling... a 2-hour ride that was actually comfortable!I'm seriously stoked going into the National Championships... I figure with the amount of energy I usually waste with my face plastered in a painful grimace and performing a "female adjustment," I will be going much faster now!