As part of what my boyfriend and I call “Spring Training,” we have been using our Sundays to take nice, long, exhausting bicycle rides to places around the area.

Last Sunday, the destination was Pittsburg, Kan., a 55-mile ride round-trip and the longest bike ride I had ever attempted in one day.

The weather was less than ideal, but tolerable, although I could have definitely done without the pesky headwind on the ride home.

We stopped for a quick breakfast at Cowboy Bob’s in Asbury, Mo., and, once we reached Pittsburg, at Chatters/House of Wings for lunch and beer.

The weather forecast threatened a 30 percent chance of rain for the ride home, but we stuck it out.

Although I may have cried a couple times from exhaustion and frustration at forcing the pedals on my fixed gear, single-speed road bike to keep turning against the wind, it felt pretty wonderful to make it back home to a hot shower, sweats and the Game of Thrones season premier.

If you don’t have a bike, I would strongly encourage you to consider buying one by saying this:

There is really nothing more empowering than being able to get yourself to a destination and back with nothing but your own body’s power and endurance.