My Plan for Returning to the Ride

The following is how I'm planning my return, everyone needs to devise their own plan.. including asking themselves if they want to return or if they are able to return due to the extent of their injuries.

It seems I've been missed since I'm not on the threads anymore talking about cycling, my rides or new tips and tricks... my reaction to people saying it is mixed... some appreciation and some guilt. Over 8 months have gone by and I'm no where near riding like I should be. I took vacation and I'll be damned if the temps weren't still around 99 with "feels like" temps well over 100.

Meanwhile I've been devising a plan to get back in the game... I have started a no carb to low carb diet to drop some of this weight. It's been working thus far and I expect to drop 10 lbs in no time. I have noticed that I have to make sure I'm getting all of the nutritional elements I need... especially potassium. Since I'm so new at this I need to do more work in learning what to eat and how much or when. For now, since I'm not riding, I've concentrated mostly on losing weight. Would you believe I've contacted 2 posters on craigslist to buy their indoor trainer and neither one will answer me or make arrangements?

Ok, anyway...
Step 1 - lose weight to make riding easier...
Step 2 - purchase an indoor trainer (aren't I sorry I got rid of that cyclops wind now)
Step 3 - ride indoors as much as I can stand it, but only for short durations at first (say 20-30 min)
Step 4 - Use steps 1 - 4 to help with dietary needs and adjustments for riding
Step 5 - Weather permitting, add outdoor rides on weekends that allow for basic training (which would be mostly flat areas with long sight distances)
Step 6 - rinse and repeat until I'm out riding distances again that I can join the group rides (which requires at least 40 to 50 miles)

Nothing is ever easy, that's just the way it goes. My friend said, on the phone the other day, maybe cycling is behind you... I gasped... no, I can't say that. I won't say that because it isn't so. I'm a planner, I don't know about you... but I like to plan things out and get them done. Right now I'm only on step 1 because no one will answer my damn emails to buy a trainer! Damn these people for posting something I want and not allowing me to buy it LOL - but seriously I can't afford to buy a brand new one right now :(

The last cool trick i passed on during a ride was the drop chain trick... if you drop a chain during a ride, pedal backwards and the chain should pick back up. I saw the trick somewhere, wondered if it worked... so when he dropped the chain I yelled out "Pedal Backwards." He did and we were both like holy crap! it worked! we pedaled on for a while thinking "how cool was that."

I think I hear a celery stick calling my name or something... not only do I need to lose to ride better, I need to lose just to fit back into my clothes! You know you're in trouble when only 3 pairs of jeans will fit and nothing else you own... guess I was lucky to have 3 pairs of fat girl jeans around... ugh

Happy riding everyone, enjoy it as much as possible as the winter is about to sneak up on us!

The Game Changer

Since the accident I've struggled to ride my bike. It's been for a variety of reasons, from available time, to heat, to "fear"... I hate to use the word fear because I'm not really afraid of anything. But in this case, fear is my friend. Someone I've recently spoken to, who races, said to me that an accident is a "game changer" for anyone who races or rides seriously. He was right... but my accident wasn't just some bumps and bruises, it was a head injury and sustained eye damage.

As someone who lives alone and supports myself I have to be realistic... a word I like to swap for fear. I live in Dallas, TX... one of the most cycling unfriendly places in the US. A co-worker had a serious accident recently and needed care-flight to the hospital for a broken femur. You know what she said? "I'm just glad I didn't have a head injury"... and she's already back to work limping. What caused her accident? A guy who saw a garage sale sign and was so excited he turned right into her crossing an intersection.

I've been seriously searching for jobs outside of Dallas and will likely get an offer within 6 months. I'm hoping that wherever I go I can bike to work and feel "safer" biking in general. Cycling had become important to me and when people speak to me they say my passion is obvious and serious... so why am I struggling to get on the bike and go anywhere? Why am I finding any excuse not to ride?

This weekend is of particular heartache for me, it's the HHH event... I did the event for the last couple of years and planned on doing the 60 mile to time myself and enjoy the beers. Instead, I lost my host family and didn't get any training in. Mostly due to injuries and my head and eyes... it still pains me to see other's posting about it and I didn't go.

Many people have had accidents and I believe all of us deal with them differently. Another friend was taken out by a runner on a trail (who didn't even stop) and broke his hip. He told me "I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for her"... his significant other who took care of him. That's another issue for me, I'm alone. I had to have my groceries delivered and couldn't leave the house, how lucky was I to have that option?

What does one do when their surroundings provides a near miss on a regular basis? How do you move past the worry that you'll end up dead.. or worse (yes worse). I have to be more cautious now because of the number of head injuries I've suffered. Not to mention the 10 lbs I put on and how completely out of shape I am!

I have some time off coming and it looks like temps will still be around 100, but I'm going to toss the bike in the car and try to find a place I feel safer to ride... Fort Worth has some amazing trails I'd love to explore... During weekdays they should be empty? I feel like a schizophrenic the way my mind fights with itself, all the various voices telling me to ride, or don't ride... I'm hoping a change of scenery will help push those voices away.

I'm hoping I can move past this and put it all behind me. It's been 7 months now and it still seems to fresh in my mind... clearly he was right, a serious accident is a Game Changer...

Fake it till you make it - starting over

I couldn't wait to get back on the bike to say I did... a huge milestone after a serious accident. I got back on even before my left eye was fully healed. As my heart rate went up, my eyesight went down. Not exactly what you want while riding in traffic, especially in Dallas.

I have lost some time, with summer approaching and hot temps starting earlier... the window is very narrow. Throw in work and home chores and it's limited... not optimal for getting back into fitness. I had to admit the truth... Not this year. There was a lot I had planned for this year, like the MS 150 and HHH, and would have done them... but now... Not this year.

Further, I had to realize something else... I'm just not into it yet. I dress out, I get on the bike, I ride... I have yet to experience the joy I use to while riding. The pure joy I felt on the road while hammering away is gone... for now. You can see it in my face...

I said to a friend "Fake it till you make it"... I've used this phrase before and it's provided success. I've used this with new jobs when I thought "did I over shoot this one? will I be able to do it"... guess what: Fake it till you make it baby. It means you do it like you know how... even if you're faking it... and one day you'll wake up and you won't be faking it anymore.

I'm not there yet... I still think so much about the accident, I still get so angry... I can see ok again now and I am somewhat normal again... whatever normal is. BUT, my fitness level dropped right off the cliff. Months off the bike and unable to do anything physical! Not even walk. My heart rate just struggles so much on rides and I feel terrible riding with someone else for fear I'm slowing them down or taking the joy out of their ride.

Last weekend we had a new pavement path open within 3 miles of my home... something I'd been dreaming of - flat training space. I went to check it out and I rode 24 miles total with mapping included... for a fleeting moment I thought I felt it, the joy of riding. But it was fleeting and made me long for it more.

At least now I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm hoping this fresh pavement will help me improve miles. I'm going to use some leave, hit the trails early... before people figure out they are there and make them unridable.

It's not over yet... I haven't made it... I'm starting from scratch after more than 2 years in the saddle and being a member of the century club. I can't even pull down 30 miles right now... I'm not there. I had 2 choices: Quit or Fake it till I make it

I choose the later. A view from those new trails below... why would anyone quit?

Someone said recently that an accident on the road or in a race is a "Game Changer"... he couldn't be more right. I had no idea how injured I was. I had no idea how long I'd be down. I had no idea how much it would affect the way I ride. All I want to do is go back to that day and decide not to ride... I want my joy back. Guess I'll keep faking it: when I wake up and I'm not faking it anymore... I'll let you know.

The Long Road Back

It seems so long since I've ridden my bike... it's going on 2 months. Today I start this post knowing that I've been limited on everything from work to driving through this whole two months. It's been hard to get any errands done and I've had to rely on friends to go places once in a blue moon. I finally got a new helmet, this time I upgraded.... hoping I'll never have to "test" it out.

So, with that out of the way I had to get up to the Oakley store to replace my lenses... $140 really? Shit...

During this time I've had a CT, Xrays, cast, eye appointments and drops, headaches, nausea, loss of balance and partial loss of vision. Each time it seemed like I was getting better something else got in the way. I stare at the bike and sighed... it sits and waits.

I've been working from home under a watchful eye on medical flex (I'm grateful for that option) and it's almost time to return to the office.

I still have issues with my eye, that may never change now, and I'm nervous to face those fluorescent lights. I can tell I still react poorly to fast moving images and lights. I have lost most of my near sight due to the accident. Before, I only needed the readers occasionally - After I can't do much without them up close.

So many people wonder why I've been down for so long, including me. But the truth is, I'm not a kid anymore and this wasn't my first concussion... I'm lucky, very very lucky. Each hour feels like a day, each day feels like a month.

I finally made it out... Here's the map my ride for a total of 6.23 miles.

Here I am 3 miles into a preselected place for breakfast tacos and coffee... I had intended to do the 16.5 miles around DFW airport... but when my friend canceled I decided to stay closer to home. I was shaking in the shower just thinking about dressing in my kit. During the ride, which was totally up and down, I was busy holding on for dear life. My left eye is not working properly at all and I'll be seeing a regular ophthalmologist soon to see if there is anything more I can do about it.

When it was over I got off the bike shaking but was glad I pushed myself into riding. I'll ride again soon, but the first ride is the hardest and it's over. To celebrate that I bought myself one (yes only one) glass of the bubbly...

The most surprising things to everyone was that a) I am still trying to heal completely and b) that I haven't been on the bike (which incidentally made them believe I must have been really hurt, not faking it).

I was reading a facebook post on a local cycling group page the other day. Just as I was about to click the like button I read all of these "anti-helmet" comments. I realized quickly that these were not like minded people and walked away from the page. I'm a big advocate of helmets... mostly because it kept my head from cracking open on the pavement. Do we need a law forcing us? I don't know... we seem to need laws for just about everything don't we? We seem to lack common sense all over the place.

But this post is about the long road back... A road I was able to travel BECAUSE I was wearing a helmet. I've taken the long road of healing back, but only been on a short ride so far... This year won't be about Hotter'n Hell, it's about surviving something and returning to the road. Getting back on the horse as they say.... it's the most important thing we ever do.

The cliche motivational statement here is -

"Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride" Eddy Merckx 

The Accident

I've heard the inevitable happens and that we should prepare ourselves for it. But I'm here to tell you that you can never prepare for an accident. The very word accident suggests that it didn't happen with planning or purpose.

Try as I might I have been as safe as I can... or so I thought. There was one nagging thing that I had not yet done... stop riding around White Rock Lake. I thought I was safe enough riding the outside loop and staying off the trail full of pedestrians, kids, dogs, joggers, etc. I couldn't be more wrong.

I was on my return lap north about 13.5 miles in right about here: location

note the slim lanes and the bollards keeping me off the right. It's a tight area where a cyclist can easily get over 20 mph but leaves very little room for error... i hadn't noticed that before. She stopped, right there on that little bridge and left me no options but to brake. I tried to stop in time, I failed... the following photos are graphic.

broken pinky

Side of the face the day of the accident. Doesn't look like much yet. 

A couple of days later with swelling and fluid build up under the eye.

The eye ended up looking like this and feeling a lot worse. I also struggled with my vision and on day 10 did not have a full recovery.
-------
I started this posted about a month ago and left it to see if I would bounce back quickly. I did not. 6 weeks past the accident and I'm still struggling with my eye and my head. I've been diagnosed with iris trauma and a severe concussion.

I would always see posts about accidents, some significant, and be amazed at how people got right back on the bike. While I'd love to get on my bike these days to clear my head and enjoy the weather... I have no balance. Hell, I'm banging around into things while walking let alone on a bike.

People have had mixed reactions of anger and empathy during this time and I've learned a lot about people I called friends. While I'm here waiting to get well and hoping to return to what I used to be... I'm dreaming of riding... I'm not afraid of the bike, the road or another accident. Maybe I should be? My first ride will be very scary I'm sure and I doubt I'll go very far! I'll be happy to get on the bike, ride it... shake the whole time but feel amazing when it's finished.

I have what I'd consider a ride partner... he said to me "yaknow, you read all these posts about how to crash and you think about what you'd do when this happens or that happens... but it's clear that it all happens to quickly to act like you'd be some ninja" I'm paraphrasing for sure... he'll laugh at that ninja part.

He's right and I've done a lot of thinking since it happened. What would I do if I got more seriously injured? How would I work or pay my bills? Who would help me, I'm alone, single, no family... there is no one. I know now I should buy the short and long term insurance right away... it made me think about friendship, money, physical needs, the future. Would I give up the bike? No... but I intend to make sure I'll be ok if I ever have any accident again. ANY accident... we don't like to think about it, we don't want to plan for it because we think it will invite it... but I'm here to tell you - do it.

I'm likely going to buy an indoor trainer again... a stand still. I have rollers but that was a challenge when I was 100% let alone now... I'm going to buy one and now use it all the time. Fitness, practice, safety and just an overall good tool.

I hope you never suffer an accident, that all of your riding is incident free. I wish you the best experience in the world that cycling has to offer. I just know that I'll ride with my eyes open and be more prepared, you should too.

The Blog That Never Was HHH 2013

I had all the best intentions to write a blog about my second trip to Hotter'n Hell in 2013. However, the blog ended up the same way the trip did. Remember that song, "It's never as good as the first time" by Sade? Well... that's how I felt the second time around. I did the usual post registration shopping and didn't really find anything I needed, except claustrophobia! I guess I didn't actually need that did I?

Wait, I lied... I did find one thing that matched my bike that I had to have...

This year I had a treat for myself... some massage and a chiropractic adjustment!

Then back to my host families house for dinner.

I went in the am as usual and found myself completely unexcited this year... the crowd was all there:

I was meeting new people and getting ready... putting on the smile for pics and trying to do my Jersey proud, but my heart wasn't in it.

I met some cool folks and rode with them for many miles.

Here I am with my buddy Chris, we rode together for 64 miles of the 100. A fellow former Marine we had some great laughs along the way, one booboo and 3 chain drops for me and one flat for him! 

That's what happens when the bike flips into your leg.... at the 30 mile stop with some chain drops, thanks to the guy who fixed it from Bike Mart.

Chris and I split up at the 64 because I didn't want to slow him down anymore... you can see from this photo just how dazed I was at the end of the day and it actually illustrates how little enthusiasm I felt like I had.

2013 was a great year for the route, weather and roads... my complaints were related to 2 issues, to many newbys dropping trash on the route and a complete lack of SAG this year. There was no one running the roads like 2012 to pick up people dropping... people waited more than 2 hours for a ride from the 70 mile point. There were a couple of serious injuries this year, I managed to avoid them all and the million and one water bottles dropped on the route. Bottles, moist towels, banana peels, etc all dumped on the damn road by complete amateurs.

I felt very unprepared for the miles this year and I have no solid excuse for that. I knew what I was getting myself into and didn't have all that magic anticipation... I'll go back next year, but I think I'll skip the 100 miles for the 100k. I want to go for the experience and fun... to enjoy it all without being completely toasted and the major event being over.

It took me all of this time to write this blog because I just didn't feel into it.... just like the ride. I can't complain however since I ran into someone not many miles from me who rode with me for 64 miles... we'll do some more riding events together next season and that will be awesome. You never know who you will run into, where they will be from, that's one of the best parts if you go alone.

I'll go back in 2014, but this time it will be more about the event and party then the road itself... wish me luck!

I hate it when they're right!

From the last Blog of "when life gets in the way" many of you may know that times are stressful right now. Not just for me... I wrote the blog because they are stressful for lots of people. Whether it's stress related or you just love your adult beverage... we drink. Some of my friends lately said "Yeah, it becomes habit after a while." To hit the happy hour, or to have that drink after work to unwind... or whatever.

All the info I've seen related to Drinking and Cycling has always been to skip the former if you want your performance to increase. As much as this seems like a no brainer... do we really want to give up the booze? I know I didn't...

As I watch the scale creep up and my miles drop I had to say enough was enough and put down the bev... so long my fine crafted beers...

or my favorite (lately) of wine

It was time to make a change.

So, my first no drinking ride was yesterday and I hated to see how much energy I had, how much faster I could go and generally how amazing I felt! It just didn't seem fair... Even a drink or just two was slowing me way down. 3-4 MPH at least...

With August around the corner I'm training for the HHH 100 and told everyone "I'm not having a drink until after this ride"... the shock and awe are just ridiculous. Do you know how hard is it to say no to a drink? So... for some encouragement, he's some important info I got to experience first hand (Thanks to another blog with some great info).

1. Poisons: Most of the alcohol in the beer heads to your bloodstream and is immediately treated as a toxin by your body. Toxins end up in our liver... I don't know about you, but my liver needs a break! I think it might be easier to put that drink down if I picture a glass of bleach?

2. Feeling that Buzz?: The liver metabolizes the alcohol using enzymes, but there are only so many to work at a time. So, when you hit capacity, the excess hits the blood stream and gives you that buzz... while damaging the heart, brain, organs and your "I'm so fabulous" switch on. You are not fabulous... neither am I.

3. Glycogen doesn't get converted: So much for the level sugars and proper glycogen stores... as the enzymes are working against the mighty toxin this process just steps aside for a while. So, I'm guessing the more frequently you drink... the more this process doesn't work and thus the beer belly was born! Nothing like it when your legs are bouncing off your belly while you ride... right?

4. Fat stores increase: I'll guess this one is really dependent on your frame and overall performance standards. I mean Fromme could use a couple ounces of fat... seriously. But the rest of us "regular" folks DO NOT need any help in the fat storage area. Such a serious affect on the blood sugar level process only equals an increase in weight and all the problems that come with it! How silly is it that we try to shave a gram off our shoes, cleats, lbs off the bike and we're carrying an extra 10 lbs/k/stone?

5. Chips and Dip?: It has been proven time and time again that our "choices" when drinking are um... less than stellar? Well that goes for what we eat as well. Otherwise healthy people who eat organic and lean find themselves neck deep in tacos, chips, burgers and the like when drinking. All of which increase the carb and fat problems! I won't address any of those other poor choices we might make while drinking!

6. Sleep and Slumber: As a world champion sleeper this one pisses me off the most! As your body tries to rid itself of poison and the blood sugar levels are raging war... you toss and turn all night. There is no "deep" sleep, no rest for your brain and therefor a totally crappy day following (whether you are riding or not).

7. Dehydration: As we experience record temps in the US this one is pretty important. I pay close attention to how much I'm sweating when I ride and making sure I drink plenty of water. I'll stop at the fountains to cool down with water whenever I can. Hormones control excess urine production on a regular basis... but when you drink alcohol (or coffee) those hormones take a break and you wee wee wee all night long. No liquid = no sweat = heat stroke...

8. Muscles & Testosterone: A guy problem? not exactly... lack of sleep leads to a reduction in human growth hormone production... and drinking in general hampers testosterone production... but = less muscle gain. Even for women testosterone is important for muscle growth, but mood is also affected.

9. Cortisol: The evil cortisol, used for fight or flight in the body, is also linked to fat gains in all the wrong places. Apparently, drinking increases the production of this lovely gem... keeping you in a heightened state of excitement AND affecting your belly.

With all of that I'm most convinced by the ride itself... by how good I felt on the bike mile after mile and even watching my heart rate stay lower than other rides. As I've struggled to ride for the last couple of months I was working against myself with no good reason.

Giving up the booze isn't easy. I'll have to train my friends not to invite me to drink, or happy hour. I'll get them used to me driving and ordering club soda or virgin something. But what I won't do is give up that feeling I had this weekend on the bike. I just wanted to ride forever... no alcohol is worth that and I'm sure my doctor would agree!

When life gets in the way

This blog will likely touch on a more personal level for those of us who are struggling right now in general. But we all struggle sometimes to find that balance. Lifes balance is an existential thing in general. Work/life or kids or financial or riding/hobbies.

I'm experiencing some major struggling on all fronts right now - work, home, riding, health. In this vain in it's fair to say that one or more is affecting the other.

What do we do when this happens? How do we cope and ride and survive without extra guilt over not meeting any of our intended goals? Without the "life could always be worse speech"... I like to talk in terms of our own reality. When things are bad in my house it doesn't make me feel better to think about poor kids in Africa starving (sorry kids in Africa)... I just have to map out a plan and do it. That's the engineer in me and I'm happy for it. Each in our own way must deal and this blog is dedicated to that struggle.

Work... not everyone has that easy schedule or is retired and can cycle any ole time they please. My days are 9 hours without the commute time and by the time I get home I'm zapped of any energy. 

Making it happen gets harder as the weather heats up and it will be well over 100 degrees here when I'm arriving home. I have to get very early rides in the summer. Or... this year has been 

Rain... rain... threat of rain and more rain. 

Some of you have family obligations... adding more pressure to the struggle and guilt. 

Money... either a lack of to take of your family, bills, obligations or even a lack of to buy cycling supplies for your hobby! I mean we're not crazy enough to give up food/bill/mortgage to buy anything for the bike. If you did you'd be back to the guilty part of this loop!

Finally... we get to depression, something many people suffer from and it's a self feeding loop. This is the end of the loop for me. Before I would allow myself to pop some pills or let my emotions get the best of me I look at my bike. I know that, more than anything else, riding will fix more than it breaks. 

There is something indescribable about pushing yourself to physical limits and giving your mind time to rest. The worry will be back, but the peace and quiet from the road will help clear my mind. Sure, that guy honking at me, trying to run my over is all of part of the fun. When I can push myself to get on the bike it helps me feel less of those things above. 

I'm not going to say that cycling will save the world from ruin, but I think that more physical activity... even walking... is the way to improving our general mental condition. The bills will be there when we get back, but we can have some peace for a short period of time and it helps you re-group! Our minds need a break... so go for a walk, run, ride and let everything wait. Take your spouse, your kids, your dog and let the rest wait. Instead of that bag of chips, or snack from the machine... go for a walk. Get up, get out and move... I promise, it works. 

What kind of bike are you?

I've been wanting to write this blog for a while now. A fun exploration of the kinds of bikes available and what they may or may not say about us. I'll warn you up front that I'm liberal in my bike choices... I'm a bi-bicyclist lol

 THE ROADIE: The road bike is a very common choice and comes in a variety of frames - steel, carbon, titanium, aluminum and a mix of the above. This style can be used for commuting, group rides, solo rides, racing or standing around looking cool!

When you own and ride a road bike with matching kit you are usually thought of as the "Lance Armstrong" wannabe, snobby, uptight cyclist (partially guilty here since that's my bike). I suggest real cycling clothes and helmet, matching is up to you!

THE COMMUTER: or grocery bike (yes it's my bike), with baskets and the "mattress" seat. This bike is for the casual ride and/or the rider who has a place to be and stuff to buy. Some people like to ride these with their tiny pooches in the basket, but my dog is 14 lbs which is to heavy for the front and he hates riding in back :(

Baskets can be on the front, back, sides of the back wheel and these come in single gears or multi! No matching kit needed and depending on your city you may not need a helmet.

 THE MULTI-TASKER: The hybrid was my original choice when I was deciding is I'd "Like" to cycle frequently and can offer lots of riding choices. It's more rugged to go on dirt trails, but not as heavy as the mountain for riding on the road. I rode this for a bit and didn't worry about "hurting" it. Once I realized I might actually get into this thing, I moved up to a road bike.

Mountain kit or road kit optional on the hybrid. Street clothes are ok, but if you plan on doing serious trail work, I suggest a real kit and helmet.



THE ANGRY RIDER: The mountain bike rider is someone who likes to get dirty and beat the hell out of their bike! These bikes are made for harsh environments and rugged people who don't mind breaking bones on occasion. Designed for the off-road activity and exciting unknown they aren't for the faint of heart.

Lots of people race mountain on pre-designated off road trails, usually in a time trail race (how many laps in X time). I suggest a full mountain kit and especially a helmet!



THE BEND-DOVER: The time trial and/or triathlon style bike is for the lean in and race kinda person. These bikes are designed for fast movement and training of specific muscles. The geometry is intended to help rest muscles you may need for the swimming and running aspects of triathlons and provides a super aerodynamic riding posture... unless you have hips like mine.

A full road bike kit is suggested, especially a helmet... matching would also be suggested lol. Those TT and Tri folks are special ;)

THE DOWN LOW: The recumbent bike is usually something "driven" by the more mature rider. I ride with folks on these and they like to wear sandals and talk about how much their ass DOESN'T hurt... The one down side I'm told is that you can't move in the seat on the long ride... Lots of funny jabs we take at each other (Roads and Recumbent)... but it's all in good fun.

Yes some come with a windshield, kinda pimp right? Wear any damn thing on you like, I suggest a helmet on these since you'll likely be on the road!



ALL STYLE: For any rider it's about the fun, the enjoyment, the time on the bike... and in that vain you can find all kinds of cool rides out there. Hand built, Old school like this one... We just love bikes... and you can't tell me that when you see someone on an odd or unique bike you don't form an opinion of the rider!




As a roadie I like to make fun of myself... to see just how silly we are... check out this cool vid, it's one of my funny fav's:

Who needs Directions?

I'm the type o gal that just opens the box and starts putting things together... I might end up looking at a little something, but I'm terrible about following the rules. Tab A, Slot B, whatever! There are lots of training models out there and tons of theories about how to be or become your best... but I would rather find it through trial and error. Knowing that I'm not joining some racing team tomorrow, I figured I got time... right?

This year, my second season on the bike, I decided to up my game a bit with some new pedals and a heart rate monitor. I figured I could track my progress on a spreadsheet and see if it's helping my rides. Today I took my new toy for it's first spin. I don't like wearing the watch... so I'll have to figure out how to mount it on the handle bars.

I put in 25 miles and burned 1281 in calories. Avg speed was only 14 mph, but I was more interested in paying attention to my heart rate... scary thing:

That seems kinda high? No? It's obvious that I'm terribly out of shape and find it amusing that I'm paying for gadgets to tell me so! This is the Polar FT40 model and I think I'm going to get some good use out of it. The guys at the store told me I should do my heart rate first thing... to get the real "resting" rate. To be fair, they weren't clear about that in the instructions :) I also noted this unusual clicking noise and thought something was wrong with my bike... no, um, my heart was gonna explode and the watch was telling me to slow the F*@&%&K down. Nice right? Didn't need instructions for that shit, let me tell ya!

I also slipped into something a little more comfortable today, the new Time iClic 2 Carboflex pendals :)

I found them to be firm and you need to apply pressure to be "in" these babies. You also had to be firm in the turnout. I'm wondering if this is the design or if they will get easier in time and wear. I am very pleased with the ease of entry in terms of automatic placement. Your foot just finds this baby... ahhh, so nice. But, I would have ridden longer if I'd gotten the cleat position better. Mile 22ish I noticed some burning pain in the knee... and try as I might to adjust for a longer ride, I had already irritated it to much. :(

This year is going to be a year of trial and error for me as I try to find the right mix of calories, protein, carbs, etc for an improved year. My goal is to be able to stay on the bike shortly after HHH this year, unlike last years major Bonkout... If I had only put in a recovery ride I may have been ok.

I don't find disappointment in learning as I go, I find it to be one big adventure that takes my mind of stress and work and whatever else. I imagine that most people who got on the bike didn't have world class trainers, physicians, dietitians, etc telling them what to do. For the rest of us, it's about the ride itself. I do think the heart rate monitor is a huge asset, it helped me listen to my physical responses better than I previously did. I was more aware when I was reaching a red zone and not afraid to back off for fear of looking like a slacker.

I don't know about you, but I ride to live and sometimes live to ride. I'm 43 now and I know people in their 30s having heart attacks and dealing with health issues they should be able to overcome. I do this for me, my stress, my blood pressure, my sanity, my weight... it's one thing I've invested in that I can stick with and feel good. Since I don't much read directions or listen to what just anyone has to say... I don't push my thoughts on my friends either. We can only direct our own lives, choices and thoughts... and no one, especially me, wants directions from anyone else.

The Competitive Weight

What do you do when you look in the mirror and realize something has gotten out of hand? That you are disgusted at what's looking back at you from the mirror? Winter weight, stress weight, drinking weight... all staring back at you. I was pissed! How did I allow myself to get this way? Who the hell is that in the mirror, this fat person who looks like a slob? As a former Marine I am pretty hard on myself. I'm damn sure not going to put on my USMC jersey looking like some fat ass... I'm seriously not that picture of fitness you see in the HHH thread.

So, I made a decision, it was time to make a serious change.  went out and invested in a serious masticating juicer and a massive amount of veggies... Day 1 - A slow start with getting the machine ($259) and lots of stuff to put in it. Come on, you haven't seen that many green things in one place! No funny comments about those cucumbers either...

I started with a horrible breakfast filled with bad stuff... saying I needed the energy for yard work I had planned (Yeah I can see you rolling your eyes from here)... but that damn bacon is so good. I thought of it as a "Last Supper" in terms of the last time I would eat that much crap at any one time. I did that yard work, several hours of leafing and mulching etc and had me some juice. My friend was over and tried it... even she was like "hey, that's not bad"... I broke down and had some pasta for dinner to have carbs in the system for tomorrow's ride.

So, the plan was no coffee, no alcohol, no meats, no meat products. Whole fruits and veggies and the juice... 7 days I stuck to this. I also limited overall calories to under 1200 per day. After the 7 days, I opened things up to healthy items beyond the first limits, but still no meat, no alcohol and very little processed foods if any. I set the calorie allowance to 1600 a day, but tend to stay well below that.

At day 11 I lost 6.2 lbs... I'm already fitting back into my clothes again and I don't look like that pig I saw in the mirror 11 days ago! I notice that my waist is already much slimmer, that's a bonus.

What am I really after? To somehow figure out what my competitive weight is and get there. I intend to keep the fitness up full time next year... not letting this get away with me. I found this article, click here, to be great information for figuring out these magic numbers with plenty of additional info! So step away from this blog when you're finished and pick something to change about your eating habits today... Good luck to you, good luck to me! I have another 10 lbs to go before I'll be happy and more before I reach my competitive weight... depending on my ability to balance muscle weight against fat loss. :) Let's face it, its easier for all of us to ride when our weight is under control.

Finally...

Well here I am in March with 3 straight days off and all I can think about is riding my bike. I'm guessing that is a great thing. It means I haven't lost interest and that is important to me. Friday I put in some time:

It was a rough hour and 15 with the damn winds over 24 MPH and gusts around 30. Almost got blown the hell over a couple of times. But, as I watched those other guys fly by me with the wind at their back (bitches) I thought... I'm training harder! Grabbed this shot when I stopped for some water.

This was the most shade I could find and get a break from the raging wind. As soon as you leave this point on the lake your cheeks are wobbling from the wind in your face again. I must have pushed myself sufficiently, cause I started to notice some cramping... pickle juice to the rescue!

Stopped at the local bike store and picked some up. I realized on this ride that I was nowhere near hydrated enough or ready for the ride... but, I did it anyway and damn sure enjoyed it. I took today (Saturday) for home stuff... mulching, leafing, watering, etc. Hard labor in the sun and wind and didn't miss the ride since the damn gusts were 34 MPH today. Tomorrow I'll put in two hours and still have mulching to finish and watering to do. That should burn some calories. I started juicing today... be sure to check out the OMG I'm Juicing Blog.... I'll probably lose my mind as well as weight!

That First Lap was a B!tch

It's February 16th and the feels like temp is SHIT... the temp says 48, but we have a wind out of the north bringing an ice cold chill. I pedaled down to the bike shop and felt that my normal winter long sleeve wasn't going to cut it. The guys at the shop were like "what, you don't have a base layer?"... um, no... and you all should know since you sell me every damn thing I buy? It was funny to me anyway...

So, long sleeve transfer base layer... check. Off I go with everything I need to stay warm... except that ice cold wind cut my lungs like blades. I mean it burned... I suppose if I lived in Maine this would be nuttin... and I'd be smart enough to have some kind of mouth cover. I pulled my 10 mile lap and was done for the day. I wasn't "cold"... but my lungs were burning from ice cold air and my nose was running like a faucet.

Now I know you fellas have this snot thing down... or so I thought cause my friend at the shop talked about finishing his rides and being covered in it? Really? ewwww I carry paper towels for this and usually have to blow about twice a ride no matter what the weather. So its never an issue... but on a day like today I was all over the road trying to keep a dry face. ugh

Meanwhile I could tell I hadn't been on the bike in a couple of months! Not only do I look like a marsh mellow in my bike gear (good lord)... but my muscles were like WTF are you doing? All that huffin and a puffin actually felt good... I found myself thinking ahhh, now I remember why I liked this.

Best part is that tomorrow it will be 70 degrees... and 72 on Monday. I have off till Thursday and will be riding each day... but the next two days I'll be putting in as many miles and my legs will take me. Without that ice cold wind I should be able to stay out for hours and remind my body what it was like! I'm not going to take next winter off, that's for sure!