Packing for the trip back home to Wisconsin tomorrow. Bike helmet, check. Bike gloves, check. Polarized sunglasses, check. Sunscreen, check. Windbreaker, check-check. (No granny sweater this time!) It's surprisingly fun organizing the suitcase and tote bag for a trip where you know you're going to be active.
I have only two goals for this trip home. 1) to hold my baby niece (the "Princess" in the title, if you haven't already gathered that) as much as possible and 2) to ride my bike whenever I am not busy accomplishing goal #1. That's it, and the mere smallness of the to-do list pretty much guarantees the awesomeness of the next five days.
To be perfect accurate, I am actually RE-packing, having just returned from a trip to Laramie for my very first board meeting as a newly minted arts council trustee. I cannot believe how informative this trip was. I mean, of course, there was the whole art thing. Very, very interesting. But I also picked up all kinds of other good information regarding health and fitness.
One of my fellow trustees, Janelle, and her husband (whom she introduced as her "spousal unit", which amused me no end) are uber-fit. Janelle is a serious and impressive athlete. She runs marathons. Real ones. She also does cross-fit training and follows a nutritious regimen that combines Zone with Paleo. (Yeah, I purposely threw those out casually like that to make myself sound "totally down with" the trending nutrition lingo.... feeling oh so cool now.) But seriously, I actually DO know what both those things are, in no small part thanks to Janelle.
Zone nutrition looks at your body type and goals and determines what percentages and combinations of proteins, carbs, etc. you need to combine throughout the day to meet your dietary needs in the most efficient way. The Paleo Diet refers to... well, what it sounds like. My brother likes to call it the "Caveman" diet -- meat, vegetables, fruit. So, Janelle (whose body fat percentage is about 6) does the zone percentages, but tries to fulfill them with Paleo-approved foods. (I hope I have that right. Janelle, if I need to, I will print corrections later.)
I told her in no uncertain terms that I am not fooling with the Zone yet. Waaaaay too much math and science for this intellectual lightweight. However.... given my recent foray into gluten free and anti-inflammatory nutrition, I want to try Paleo for one month (30 days of June) and do some journaling and analyzing with it. I think the protein will be especially good as I prep for this ride.
And, as a concession and nod to Janelle and spousal unit's crazy good health and athletic prowess, I am willing to at least do some reading about the cross-training trend. BUT... remember that this is being said by the woman who, two days ago, managed to open HER OWN CAR DOOR, scrape it across her calf and take a nice chunk of flesh out of said calf. And that's not even mentioning getting INTO the car today and hitting my head on the side of the window as I got in. Worrisome.
Another trustee told me in passing that she doesn't eat dairy. I asked immediately about her digestive system, because frankly despite my Wisconsin dairy queen genes, I'm starting to present symptoms that seem suspiciously lactose intolerant. The woman said that a naturalist told her that all kinds of skin problems, including eczema and even acne, have been attributed to dairy. When my co-trustee cut out the dairy, the skin problems went away. I have all these crazy little dry skin patches that I keep attributing to the dry Western air -- but what if they are being aggravated by dairy, especially if other symptoms are suggesting my body doesn't like it?
It's all a little overwhelming and confusing, but also empowering. I think we have a lot more control over how our bodies function, rejuvenate, age and perform maintenance than we think we do, by controlling what we put into them. I do know that by limiting my refined carbs and replenishing vitamins D and B12 in my body, I cut down more than 80 percent of the body pain I was having. That's not coincidence.
So... I am going to read a lot more about this. I'm going to experiment with Paleo over the next month. But first I am going to hold my baby niece and ride my bike.
(A girl's gotta have priorities...)
Oh... and excuse the randomness, but I promised (read: threatened) to immortalize my brother's snobby-snob intellectual elitism in this blog. I was COMPLIMENTING his writing skills and made the mistake of comparing him to Ernest Hemingway -- who, apparently, is not the RIGHT kind of literary genius and ergo it offended my brother's sensibilities to be lumped in with him. So then I told Matt he could cast his lot with Joyce James, who was a PERVERT among other things. I'm still getting smacked down for that one. What-EVER... Ok, James Joyce, not Joyce James. You knew who I was referring to.... next time I will just compare you to Stephanie Meyer and be done with it.
Okay.. enough sibling bickering. Night blog -- next post will be from lovely Milwaukee. (And PS. I did sneak the granny sweater into the suitcase... but I won't ride with it -- promise! I'm just kind of all Linus about it now...)
Friday, May 31, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Consistency Is Not Always A Hobgoblin....
I had a really good conversation with my brother, Matt, this weekend regarding training for the ride in September. Matt has raced his bicycle on the national circuit for years and years, and thinks nothing of getting on his bike for a 20, 40 or 60 mile ride when the mood strikes. (Might I add that he lives in the Bay Area of California where the climbs are monumental and deadly??? Astounding.)
"Jaye," he said, "it's really about the consistency of getting on the bike every day, regardless of the distance and time." He explained that pretty much anyone who can ride can do 50, or 75 or even 100 miles on one given day. The challenge after that is getting BACK on the bike the NEXT day.
True that, as my aching butt bones will attest to. His point is well taken, especially when Day 2 becomes Day 3 and 4 and beyond. Doing it every day now is going to get me into the habit that will carry me through 8 solid days of riding later.
Take that, Emerson, I thought smugly. Hobgoblin of little minds, indeed. There is a place for consistency. Of course, in the middle of my smugness, I had an internal debate over whether that is, in fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote, or whether it belongs to his contemporary, Henry David Thoreau. What on earth did we do before Google? And good thing I stopped to look. While confirming that Emerson coined the phrase, I also noticed that I had omitted one tiny word from his quote. What Emerson actually said was, "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." That makes a big difference. Fine. The transcendentalist is right on a technicality.
Back to the point, I am trying to work on consistency. (Not my strong suit, incidentally.) Hence today, when time got away from me and my planned 75 minutes on the stationary bike (we are back to rain here) got whittled down to 60, then 50, then a paltry 40 potential minutes. At that point, I asked myself if it was even worth it to change clothes, go to the Rec Center, get on the bike for barely more than half an hour, rush home and shower to make my 6 PM meeting.
So...thanks, Matt. It was totally worth it. I worked hard for 35 minutes on tough intervals, got my heart rate going, built some thigh muscle, and rejuvenated my energy level. When I get home tonight I will do some core exercises and stretch, finishing up what will turn out to be not a terrible workout day. It may not have been perfect (I am learning -- see my previous post about all or nothing) but it was a another small step toward a big goal. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time. I can do this.
Nite, blog.
"Jaye," he said, "it's really about the consistency of getting on the bike every day, regardless of the distance and time." He explained that pretty much anyone who can ride can do 50, or 75 or even 100 miles on one given day. The challenge after that is getting BACK on the bike the NEXT day.
True that, as my aching butt bones will attest to. His point is well taken, especially when Day 2 becomes Day 3 and 4 and beyond. Doing it every day now is going to get me into the habit that will carry me through 8 solid days of riding later.
Take that, Emerson, I thought smugly. Hobgoblin of little minds, indeed. There is a place for consistency. Of course, in the middle of my smugness, I had an internal debate over whether that is, in fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote, or whether it belongs to his contemporary, Henry David Thoreau. What on earth did we do before Google? And good thing I stopped to look. While confirming that Emerson coined the phrase, I also noticed that I had omitted one tiny word from his quote. What Emerson actually said was, "Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." That makes a big difference. Fine. The transcendentalist is right on a technicality.
Back to the point, I am trying to work on consistency. (Not my strong suit, incidentally.) Hence today, when time got away from me and my planned 75 minutes on the stationary bike (we are back to rain here) got whittled down to 60, then 50, then a paltry 40 potential minutes. At that point, I asked myself if it was even worth it to change clothes, go to the Rec Center, get on the bike for barely more than half an hour, rush home and shower to make my 6 PM meeting.
So...thanks, Matt. It was totally worth it. I worked hard for 35 minutes on tough intervals, got my heart rate going, built some thigh muscle, and rejuvenated my energy level. When I get home tonight I will do some core exercises and stretch, finishing up what will turn out to be not a terrible workout day. It may not have been perfect (I am learning -- see my previous post about all or nothing) but it was a another small step toward a big goal. One foot in front of the other, one step at a time. I can do this.
Nite, blog.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Rockin' the Granny Sweater (Or, MY FAVORITE BLOG POST YET!)
I rode 15 miles of State Highway 233 today, starting up at the City of Kemmerer reservoir and finishing with a ride through town. It was, in a word, glorious. I mean, seriously SO much fun.
Adam and Aislynn and I had a wonderful afternoon with Mark and Doris out at the Fox Farm today. Doris fixed a delicious vegetarian meal. We sat and talked for a long time and then took a walk around their property with their seven huge sled dogs and our little 7 pound Charlie dog. We sat and enjoyed the fresh air some more, and I talked about starting my ride for the day. I was concerned about the wind picking up, and Mark wisely suggested I have Adam drive me up country so I could ride all the way back with a nice tail wind. It turned out to be a great idea.
Of course, as Adam dropped me off, I wasn't so sure. It was a loooooong ride out, and I was so tired I was dozing in the car on the way. Then, when we reached the drop off point, I realized I didn't have a windbreaker or even a hoodie with me. All I had was my little button down baby blue sweater -- that's right, my granny cardigan. I cavalierly tossed it in the back seat, only to sheepishly pull it out again and put it on when I stepped out into the westerly winds. Even a granny sweater, I decided, was better than bare arms. I also found I forgot my expensive, polarized cycling sunglasses. Adam kindly offered me his.
"Honey," he said, as he took my bike off the car rack, "you're crazy."
Instantly I felt a little alarmed. "Why?" I asked.
"Because. The sun is going down, this road is very curvy, and there is NO shoulder for the entire way."
I shrugged, even though I was scared. It was 6:09. I told Adam I'd have sunlight for at least two hours and it would be okay. I got on the bike, and as I started out, Aislynn shouted from the car window, "Bye Mommy! Don't get flattened!!" Nice. They passed me and were gone.
Well, the good thing about cycling is... it's a great activity for quitters. Especially in Wyoming. I mean, you're 12 miles outside of town. There's virtually no cell service, no stores, no gas stations, no restaurants. What're you going to do other than grit your teeth, accept the reality of the situation and keep moving forward? (When I was training for the sprint triathlon two years ago, I remember I was expressing all my doubts and worries to my friend and coach, Fred. What if my ankles can't handle it? What if I get too tired? What if I can't do the 3.1 mile run? What if, what if, what if? Fred said, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. One step at a time." It worked then, and it's still great advice now. Just keep moving forward.)
And then an incredible thing happened. I started riding, felt the tail wind, looked around me at the beautiful landscape and realized I was thoroughly enjoying the ride. A few miles later I came riding around a bend and there, parked in a public access area, was my dear husband and sweet daughter. As I rode past them, Adam yelled, "You're a rock star!!!" Aislynn was waving wildly from the passenger seat. I had the hugest smile on my face. It really was going to be okay. I am so blessed to have the support system I have -- my family, my friends. Everyone has been so inspiring.
Once again they passed me and drove away. As I watched, they ascended up a huge hill. Huge. That I was moving toward. And had to go up. Oh my word. "Come BACK," I silently screamed as they disappeared over the top. One step at a time. I gritted my teeth and got to it. Down to the granny gear that matched my granny sweater.
But I made it over. And over the next one. And the next one. Up hills and down hills. And you know, rolling hills are a great antidote to a fear of speed. When you're riding down a hill that is followed by a steep climb, speed is not only your friend but your much needed ally in the challenge ahead. Everything really is relative.
I was in high spirits. One minute I was riding along singing, "Moving long the highway, moving along the highway, moving along so life won't pass me by", and the next, inexplicably and perhaps inevitably, I was singing, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, the facts of life! The facts of life!" (Yeah, no idea where that came from, but I suspect it might have been the granny sweater.)
Almost before I knew it, I was facing the final big climb leading back into town. It was the first time I had ever attempted it, and I had some serious doubts as to whether I could get up it or would have to get off and walk my bike. As I approached, I noticed a large group of cows to the left of the road near the top of the hill. It seemed they were regarding me, and rather skeptically at that.
They are watching me, I thought. They are going to know whether or not I make it. "Okay, cows," I yelled. "I am going to climb this hill ON MY BIKE." I shifted, down, down, down back to granny gear. My thighs were burning. "Cows!" I yelled, "I am GOING to make it up this hill." (They looked on with boredom.) I rode further -- was about half way at this point. I pedaled and pedaled, sucking wind like O2 was leaving Earth forever. "Cows!" I gasped, "I AM doing it!!!" Ha ha. Haaaa. Ha!
And then.... I could see the top of the hill. And then I was ON the top of the hill. And then I was OVER it. I looked to the left in triumph and thought, "Oh. Wait. Those are actually llamas, not cows." (True. Dumb city girl. Apparently prescription sunglasses are a must-purchase before September. Along the same vein, soon after I was coming up on some road kill and thought, Wow.. that is an interesting fur color. Now, is that someone's cat? Or a rabbit? Or maybe is it some kind of fox? Or... and then realized, IT DOESN'T MATTER, you goof. Just go around it and move on!)
I was back in town before I knew it. As I passed the Event Center where I spend most of my days, I let out a huge "Woot!" and "I DID it!!!!" I wanted to throw my arms up in the air the way you always see cyclists do in the movies when they cross the finish line. Sadly, I lacked two things -- confidence and balance. But my spirit soared anyway.
And then it happened. As I rode through town, for the first time, the thought came to me, clearly and with certainty: This is doable. I am going to do this. I can, I can, I can.
Even in a granny sweater.
Adam and Aislynn and I had a wonderful afternoon with Mark and Doris out at the Fox Farm today. Doris fixed a delicious vegetarian meal. We sat and talked for a long time and then took a walk around their property with their seven huge sled dogs and our little 7 pound Charlie dog. We sat and enjoyed the fresh air some more, and I talked about starting my ride for the day. I was concerned about the wind picking up, and Mark wisely suggested I have Adam drive me up country so I could ride all the way back with a nice tail wind. It turned out to be a great idea.
Of course, as Adam dropped me off, I wasn't so sure. It was a loooooong ride out, and I was so tired I was dozing in the car on the way. Then, when we reached the drop off point, I realized I didn't have a windbreaker or even a hoodie with me. All I had was my little button down baby blue sweater -- that's right, my granny cardigan. I cavalierly tossed it in the back seat, only to sheepishly pull it out again and put it on when I stepped out into the westerly winds. Even a granny sweater, I decided, was better than bare arms. I also found I forgot my expensive, polarized cycling sunglasses. Adam kindly offered me his.
"Honey," he said, as he took my bike off the car rack, "you're crazy."
Instantly I felt a little alarmed. "Why?" I asked.
"Because. The sun is going down, this road is very curvy, and there is NO shoulder for the entire way."
I shrugged, even though I was scared. It was 6:09. I told Adam I'd have sunlight for at least two hours and it would be okay. I got on the bike, and as I started out, Aislynn shouted from the car window, "Bye Mommy! Don't get flattened!!" Nice. They passed me and were gone.
Well, the good thing about cycling is... it's a great activity for quitters. Especially in Wyoming. I mean, you're 12 miles outside of town. There's virtually no cell service, no stores, no gas stations, no restaurants. What're you going to do other than grit your teeth, accept the reality of the situation and keep moving forward? (When I was training for the sprint triathlon two years ago, I remember I was expressing all my doubts and worries to my friend and coach, Fred. What if my ankles can't handle it? What if I get too tired? What if I can't do the 3.1 mile run? What if, what if, what if? Fred said, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. One step at a time." It worked then, and it's still great advice now. Just keep moving forward.)
And then an incredible thing happened. I started riding, felt the tail wind, looked around me at the beautiful landscape and realized I was thoroughly enjoying the ride. A few miles later I came riding around a bend and there, parked in a public access area, was my dear husband and sweet daughter. As I rode past them, Adam yelled, "You're a rock star!!!" Aislynn was waving wildly from the passenger seat. I had the hugest smile on my face. It really was going to be okay. I am so blessed to have the support system I have -- my family, my friends. Everyone has been so inspiring.
Once again they passed me and drove away. As I watched, they ascended up a huge hill. Huge. That I was moving toward. And had to go up. Oh my word. "Come BACK," I silently screamed as they disappeared over the top. One step at a time. I gritted my teeth and got to it. Down to the granny gear that matched my granny sweater.
But I made it over. And over the next one. And the next one. Up hills and down hills. And you know, rolling hills are a great antidote to a fear of speed. When you're riding down a hill that is followed by a steep climb, speed is not only your friend but your much needed ally in the challenge ahead. Everything really is relative.
I was in high spirits. One minute I was riding along singing, "Moving long the highway, moving along the highway, moving along so life won't pass me by", and the next, inexplicably and perhaps inevitably, I was singing, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, the facts of life! The facts of life!" (Yeah, no idea where that came from, but I suspect it might have been the granny sweater.)
Almost before I knew it, I was facing the final big climb leading back into town. It was the first time I had ever attempted it, and I had some serious doubts as to whether I could get up it or would have to get off and walk my bike. As I approached, I noticed a large group of cows to the left of the road near the top of the hill. It seemed they were regarding me, and rather skeptically at that.
They are watching me, I thought. They are going to know whether or not I make it. "Okay, cows," I yelled. "I am going to climb this hill ON MY BIKE." I shifted, down, down, down back to granny gear. My thighs were burning. "Cows!" I yelled, "I am GOING to make it up this hill." (They looked on with boredom.) I rode further -- was about half way at this point. I pedaled and pedaled, sucking wind like O2 was leaving Earth forever. "Cows!" I gasped, "I AM doing it!!!" Ha ha. Haaaa. Ha!
And then.... I could see the top of the hill. And then I was ON the top of the hill. And then I was OVER it. I looked to the left in triumph and thought, "Oh. Wait. Those are actually llamas, not cows." (True. Dumb city girl. Apparently prescription sunglasses are a must-purchase before September. Along the same vein, soon after I was coming up on some road kill and thought, Wow.. that is an interesting fur color. Now, is that someone's cat? Or a rabbit? Or maybe is it some kind of fox? Or... and then realized, IT DOESN'T MATTER, you goof. Just go around it and move on!)
I was back in town before I knew it. As I passed the Event Center where I spend most of my days, I let out a huge "Woot!" and "I DID it!!!!" I wanted to throw my arms up in the air the way you always see cyclists do in the movies when they cross the finish line. Sadly, I lacked two things -- confidence and balance. But my spirit soared anyway.
And then it happened. As I rode through town, for the first time, the thought came to me, clearly and with certainty: This is doable. I am going to do this. I can, I can, I can.
Even in a granny sweater.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
High and Dry Is OK By Me
Strangely enough, I find myself with two different post topics today. That doesn't normally happen, but I already had one in mind this morning, and then.... I had this GREAT day!! So, I think I am going to post about my day and then lightly hit my topic, and hopefully this won't turn into an epic novel, or an epic anything, for that matter.
Such a great day. NOT perfect, a la my last post, but close enough to feel really, really good. So...things I did right:
1. Made lots of progress on a new and exciting work project that is nearing completion and will be great for the community where I live. (Shout out to Press S. for the great advice about having two homes and loving them both.)
2. Ate a super healthy breakfast, a marginal lunch and a super healthy dinner --- tracked everything and stayed within my daily points allowance. Also got in the requisite amount of fruits and veggies, liquids and healthy oils. WHOO HOO.
3. Rode 5 miles on my bike, which isn't a lot, but it was TO THE GOLF COURSE, where I then played nine holes with my husband and daughter, and walked the vast majority of the course rather than riding in the cart. I'll take swinging the clubs and walking in conjunction with a fun little ride (although that means I need a really good ride tomorrow to make my weekly goal -- I think I can do it.)
And can I brag on myself here for a minute? I was a ROCK STAR on the golf course... excellent drives that were straight and long... some really good putting, and very decent hits in between. In fact, I think I earned my best score ever in a game. Amazing fun.
OK.. now to my topic.
I HATE being wet. I mean, showers are good, and pools are nice and hot tubs are heavenly.... but the whole wet due to rain, sleet, puddles thing is one of my great discomforts and irritations in life. (Side story: my mother always insisted I was potty trained by the time I was 18 months old. Not surprisingly I can't remember first-hand. Whether or not the timeline is accurate, my mom thought the reason I trained so quickly was that she used cloth, not disposable, and I absolutely hated sitting in a wet diaper.) These days, an encounter with a puddle that leaves me with wet tights inside my Mary Janes can put me in a terrible mood faster than you can say, "Squishy Toes".
And now I have chosen to ride, in September, one of the wettest routes in the continental US. To be fair, I didn't choose it for the weather. I was standing in a really quaint bookstore in Bainbridge Island, WA, and started thumbing through a book called, "Bicycling the Pacific Coast." I had just finished Wild by Cheryl Strayed and was so impressed by it, but knew I could never, with my ankles, take on that kind of challenge. But cycling -- that I can do because it's so low impact. I loved how the authors divided the ride into four pieces (which could be done together or over several trips) and gave a turn by turn guide to each segment. Each piece is between 250-400 miles. I also knew the sense of accomplishment I would feel if I could do one of the four sections, and also what prepping and training would do for my body. The mission had been conceived and accepted by the time I paid the $17.95 for the book.
It wasn't until later that the 163+ inches of annual rainfall to much of the Washington route began to sink in. Have I mentioned lately that I live in WYOMING -- in the high DESERT?????
I'm still in. All in. But now I am really researching rain gear and trying to figure out learning to ride in wet weather given that I live in a state where somewhere in July the ranchers are ready to do naked, fervent rain dances in front of a campfire if they think it might open up the skies with precipitation. So, if anyone has suggestions or experience with this, I am all ears and looking for advice.
Thanks, Blog. All things are possible, if not expedient.
Such a great day. NOT perfect, a la my last post, but close enough to feel really, really good. So...things I did right:
1. Made lots of progress on a new and exciting work project that is nearing completion and will be great for the community where I live. (Shout out to Press S. for the great advice about having two homes and loving them both.)
2. Ate a super healthy breakfast, a marginal lunch and a super healthy dinner --- tracked everything and stayed within my daily points allowance. Also got in the requisite amount of fruits and veggies, liquids and healthy oils. WHOO HOO.
3. Rode 5 miles on my bike, which isn't a lot, but it was TO THE GOLF COURSE, where I then played nine holes with my husband and daughter, and walked the vast majority of the course rather than riding in the cart. I'll take swinging the clubs and walking in conjunction with a fun little ride (although that means I need a really good ride tomorrow to make my weekly goal -- I think I can do it.)
And can I brag on myself here for a minute? I was a ROCK STAR on the golf course... excellent drives that were straight and long... some really good putting, and very decent hits in between. In fact, I think I earned my best score ever in a game. Amazing fun.
OK.. now to my topic.
I HATE being wet. I mean, showers are good, and pools are nice and hot tubs are heavenly.... but the whole wet due to rain, sleet, puddles thing is one of my great discomforts and irritations in life. (Side story: my mother always insisted I was potty trained by the time I was 18 months old. Not surprisingly I can't remember first-hand. Whether or not the timeline is accurate, my mom thought the reason I trained so quickly was that she used cloth, not disposable, and I absolutely hated sitting in a wet diaper.) These days, an encounter with a puddle that leaves me with wet tights inside my Mary Janes can put me in a terrible mood faster than you can say, "Squishy Toes".
And now I have chosen to ride, in September, one of the wettest routes in the continental US. To be fair, I didn't choose it for the weather. I was standing in a really quaint bookstore in Bainbridge Island, WA, and started thumbing through a book called, "Bicycling the Pacific Coast." I had just finished Wild by Cheryl Strayed and was so impressed by it, but knew I could never, with my ankles, take on that kind of challenge. But cycling -- that I can do because it's so low impact. I loved how the authors divided the ride into four pieces (which could be done together or over several trips) and gave a turn by turn guide to each segment. Each piece is between 250-400 miles. I also knew the sense of accomplishment I would feel if I could do one of the four sections, and also what prepping and training would do for my body. The mission had been conceived and accepted by the time I paid the $17.95 for the book.
It wasn't until later that the 163+ inches of annual rainfall to much of the Washington route began to sink in. Have I mentioned lately that I live in WYOMING -- in the high DESERT?????
I'm still in. All in. But now I am really researching rain gear and trying to figure out learning to ride in wet weather given that I live in a state where somewhere in July the ranchers are ready to do naked, fervent rain dances in front of a campfire if they think it might open up the skies with precipitation. So, if anyone has suggestions or experience with this, I am all ears and looking for advice.
Thanks, Blog. All things are possible, if not expedient.
Friday, May 24, 2013
It's Not All or Nothing -- Cheers to That
This is a hard post for me to write. I'm going to say something here that some people will understand and others just will not. I label myself a "Frustrated Perfectionist". Anyone else feel like that? I want to do things perfectly and I can't because I am soooooo far from perfect. BUT.. my standard for myself is such that when I can't do whatever task perfectly, instead of taking the imperfections and keeping at it and seeing it as part of the process (or, a la this blog, the Journey) I just want to quit or start all over.
I think it's actually a kind of neurosis. I mean, I can't tell you how much time I waste rewriting post it notes, phone log entries, even notes from meetings, because I HAD TO CROSS SOMETHING OUT on the page. What is that, anyway????? It's totally the C in OCD. Wait. Or is it the O? Both?
I remember when my sister and I were doing Weight Watchers a LONG LONG LONG time ago. (Yes, this weight loss thing has been back and forth for me forever.) Bec was ultimately way more successful than I was on it because if she "cheated" or got off track, she just kind of shrugged and got back on. She would get tempted and eat a pastry in the morning at work, but by noon she was back on track and finished her day better. I, on the other hand, would get off track, and then, because I didn't want ANY blemishes in my day, would pledge to have a perfect day the next day, but then my whole day after that was shot as I gave myself permission to stay off all day because I knew tomorrow would be "right". As if somehow I needed the artificial boundary of a new day to draw a line under the whole event, to turn the page and start anew. Crazy and dangerous.
When I track, if I eat something I shouldn't, I am more likely to stop tracking and start the next day again than to simply enter it, re-evaluate how many points I have left (or even dip into that extra little weekly pot of points that we all get)... and where does that get me? Not closer to any goals, that's for sure. Must get honest and transparent with MYSELF.
So how does this all relate to my preparations for the PCT? Well. Last night I was a little tired and sore from the cycling the night before. I thought about getting on my bike just around town but also wanted to grill a "good dinner" with protein and vegetables. Then I thought, maybe a walk with Charlie (our dog) on the walking path would be a good alternative after dinner. Aislynn and I stopped at the grocery store where I purchased some very choice steaks. I had great produce in my fridge from the previous day's drive to SLC.
We got home and I looked at my dining room floor... it's bamboo and there were little Charlie footprints all over because it's been uncharacteristically rainy. That's where things took a turn "south". I decided that instead of exercising, I would take an evening and get my house in order.
OK.... what is wrong with that? Nothing. Totally reasonable, and actually, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping are ALL good activity. But somewhere in my brain I had the conviction that I should be cycling or exercising rigorously. I couldn't make myself go with the perfect Plan A, so I "threw out" the night, which led to a series of bad decisions from that point on that included everything from NOT grilling the protein and vegetables but grazing on carbs throughout the night to drinking diet soda (trying not to drink carbonation) to eating dairy, which I have learned my digestive system is not good with, to staying up waaaaay too late and not getting a good night's sleep. I didn't even finish all the cleaning I wanted to do (although the floors did get swept and mopped.)
Why? Why? Why not just clean the house, practice the cello, do some journaling and turn in early for a good night's sleep while eating healthy food???????
And here I am, first thing in the morning, EVEN AS I AM BLOGGING THIS, drawing a line under yesterday and telling myself that "today I will be perfect". Hello?!??! A bachelors, a masters and a graduate certificate and I can't figure out this very basic and obvious pattern of self-sabotage????
So, as I start my second cup of coffee (thank you, awesome family for the Mother's Day Kuerig coffee maker), I am pondering what I need to embrace and enact to make true change. This is what I am coming up with:
1. First and foremost, I need allow God to give me a better understanding of grace and process for myself and others -- something that will help me in absolutely every area of my life.
2. Second, I need to get a grip on the concept of intervention -- the idea of not having to have everything perfect, but being able to identify when it's going off track and immediately change course rather than waiting for some imaginary new start date. You know, so it wasn't perfect, but at least it didn't spiral downward a lot farther before changing direction.
3. Third, I have to realize this is a marathon more than a series of sprints. These preparations (not to mention my overall health quest) are a long, long process and a long, long series of steps. It's not about doing it fast and furious for a short burst.. it's about long term decisions, planning and steps to reach a goal.
4. I need to overcome my very, very bad tendency toward instant gratification.
On a side note, when I was in my 20s, I was really troubled by the concept of how spiritual salvation worked. I was convinced that when Jesus came back to Earth, I might be doing something wrong at that very moment and be damned to an eternity of hell because I screwed up at the wrong time. I shared those thoughts with my very wise friend Sharon, who was blown away by how naïve I was and by the shallowness of my thinking. She just looked at me incredulously and said, "Do you seriously think your salvation is THAT fragile? That the God who loves you would be that fickle?" (Uh, yeah, I did.) It was my first real insight into the concept of relationship with Jesus Christ and his unconditional love.
Now I am in my 40s, and I am finding that I have come a long way, but I am still learning the concept of relationship -- long-term and unconditional -- with family, with friends, with myself, with my body and health, with my professional work.... wow.
But putting it all down in words helps. Thanks, Blog.
So this is not a "new day" as much as a step forward in my journey. :) Cheers to that.
I think it's actually a kind of neurosis. I mean, I can't tell you how much time I waste rewriting post it notes, phone log entries, even notes from meetings, because I HAD TO CROSS SOMETHING OUT on the page. What is that, anyway????? It's totally the C in OCD. Wait. Or is it the O? Both?
I remember when my sister and I were doing Weight Watchers a LONG LONG LONG time ago. (Yes, this weight loss thing has been back and forth for me forever.) Bec was ultimately way more successful than I was on it because if she "cheated" or got off track, she just kind of shrugged and got back on. She would get tempted and eat a pastry in the morning at work, but by noon she was back on track and finished her day better. I, on the other hand, would get off track, and then, because I didn't want ANY blemishes in my day, would pledge to have a perfect day the next day, but then my whole day after that was shot as I gave myself permission to stay off all day because I knew tomorrow would be "right". As if somehow I needed the artificial boundary of a new day to draw a line under the whole event, to turn the page and start anew. Crazy and dangerous.
When I track, if I eat something I shouldn't, I am more likely to stop tracking and start the next day again than to simply enter it, re-evaluate how many points I have left (or even dip into that extra little weekly pot of points that we all get)... and where does that get me? Not closer to any goals, that's for sure. Must get honest and transparent with MYSELF.
So how does this all relate to my preparations for the PCT? Well. Last night I was a little tired and sore from the cycling the night before. I thought about getting on my bike just around town but also wanted to grill a "good dinner" with protein and vegetables. Then I thought, maybe a walk with Charlie (our dog) on the walking path would be a good alternative after dinner. Aislynn and I stopped at the grocery store where I purchased some very choice steaks. I had great produce in my fridge from the previous day's drive to SLC.
We got home and I looked at my dining room floor... it's bamboo and there were little Charlie footprints all over because it's been uncharacteristically rainy. That's where things took a turn "south". I decided that instead of exercising, I would take an evening and get my house in order.
OK.... what is wrong with that? Nothing. Totally reasonable, and actually, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping are ALL good activity. But somewhere in my brain I had the conviction that I should be cycling or exercising rigorously. I couldn't make myself go with the perfect Plan A, so I "threw out" the night, which led to a series of bad decisions from that point on that included everything from NOT grilling the protein and vegetables but grazing on carbs throughout the night to drinking diet soda (trying not to drink carbonation) to eating dairy, which I have learned my digestive system is not good with, to staying up waaaaay too late and not getting a good night's sleep. I didn't even finish all the cleaning I wanted to do (although the floors did get swept and mopped.)
Why? Why? Why not just clean the house, practice the cello, do some journaling and turn in early for a good night's sleep while eating healthy food???????
And here I am, first thing in the morning, EVEN AS I AM BLOGGING THIS, drawing a line under yesterday and telling myself that "today I will be perfect". Hello?!??! A bachelors, a masters and a graduate certificate and I can't figure out this very basic and obvious pattern of self-sabotage????
So, as I start my second cup of coffee (thank you, awesome family for the Mother's Day Kuerig coffee maker), I am pondering what I need to embrace and enact to make true change. This is what I am coming up with:
1. First and foremost, I need allow God to give me a better understanding of grace and process for myself and others -- something that will help me in absolutely every area of my life.
2. Second, I need to get a grip on the concept of intervention -- the idea of not having to have everything perfect, but being able to identify when it's going off track and immediately change course rather than waiting for some imaginary new start date. You know, so it wasn't perfect, but at least it didn't spiral downward a lot farther before changing direction.
3. Third, I have to realize this is a marathon more than a series of sprints. These preparations (not to mention my overall health quest) are a long, long process and a long, long series of steps. It's not about doing it fast and furious for a short burst.. it's about long term decisions, planning and steps to reach a goal.
4. I need to overcome my very, very bad tendency toward instant gratification.
On a side note, when I was in my 20s, I was really troubled by the concept of how spiritual salvation worked. I was convinced that when Jesus came back to Earth, I might be doing something wrong at that very moment and be damned to an eternity of hell because I screwed up at the wrong time. I shared those thoughts with my very wise friend Sharon, who was blown away by how naïve I was and by the shallowness of my thinking. She just looked at me incredulously and said, "Do you seriously think your salvation is THAT fragile? That the God who loves you would be that fickle?" (Uh, yeah, I did.) It was my first real insight into the concept of relationship with Jesus Christ and his unconditional love.
Now I am in my 40s, and I am finding that I have come a long way, but I am still learning the concept of relationship -- long-term and unconditional -- with family, with friends, with myself, with my body and health, with my professional work.... wow.
But putting it all down in words helps. Thanks, Blog.
So this is not a "new day" as much as a step forward in my journey. :) Cheers to that.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Asparagus Omelette
I woke up starving this morning....for me, that is a good thing --- no, a great thing! In fact, I can't remember the last time I could eat in the morning before 10 or 11.... So to be sitting here at 8:09 enjoying an asparagus and egg omelette (protein!!!) is Fan.Tas.Tic.
BUT.. I gotta say, I'm not completely on board with the whole egg white omelette craze going on..... So I compromised. One whole egg and one egg white mixed together. Ca marche. (I have been pulling out the old French books lately. Impressed? :) )
Anyway, here's to a day of awesomeness. Whoo hoo!!!
BUT.. I gotta say, I'm not completely on board with the whole egg white omelette craze going on..... So I compromised. One whole egg and one egg white mixed together. Ca marche. (I have been pulling out the old French books lately. Impressed? :) )
Anyway, here's to a day of awesomeness. Whoo hoo!!!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Next Step: Food as Fuel
It struck me tonight that I am LITERALLY going to cycle my butt off -- hoorah! Tonight, 60 minutes on the bike (at the Rec Center) for 12.5 miles, and then 200 steps on the stair climber as a cap off.
I had a grilled chicken salad afterward and feel really good about it. Everything stayed down (more on that in a later post, perhaps) and it was great to eat and feel I was doing something so good for my body.
For the next few weeks, I want to master the concept of food as fuel. I have joined Weight Watchers online -- awesomeness in the form of a website and phone app -- and will really focus on protein, fruits and vegetables, and of course, hydration. Tracking my food intake on my phone and "counting points" will ensure that I stay within calorie range, but I really want to think about what KIND of food I am putting into my body and getting the most bang for my buck where nutrients are concerned. I think it's going to become more and more important as I lengthen my rides and begin to work on climbs (although I have no plans to start those dreaded things until late June.... hauling my carcass up big hills does NOT sound like something I am ready for yet.)
Tonight during my workout I took myself up to level 12 in intervals rather than 10... you know, I don't think it's just craziness or the placebo effect... I can actually already feel my body getting stronger and getting accustomed to the challenge. And, a cool side effect of cycling the harder levels: it is naturally strengthening my core. After the workout when I was walking around the house, I could feel that my abdominal muscles were tight. Now what's not to love about that?
I just reread this... somehow I am going to have to add some personal touches and funny stories to this blog or I'm going to bore MYSELF when I go through it again. Too tired right now, though, for any creativity.
Nite, blog.
I had a grilled chicken salad afterward and feel really good about it. Everything stayed down (more on that in a later post, perhaps) and it was great to eat and feel I was doing something so good for my body.
For the next few weeks, I want to master the concept of food as fuel. I have joined Weight Watchers online -- awesomeness in the form of a website and phone app -- and will really focus on protein, fruits and vegetables, and of course, hydration. Tracking my food intake on my phone and "counting points" will ensure that I stay within calorie range, but I really want to think about what KIND of food I am putting into my body and getting the most bang for my buck where nutrients are concerned. I think it's going to become more and more important as I lengthen my rides and begin to work on climbs (although I have no plans to start those dreaded things until late June.... hauling my carcass up big hills does NOT sound like something I am ready for yet.)
Tonight during my workout I took myself up to level 12 in intervals rather than 10... you know, I don't think it's just craziness or the placebo effect... I can actually already feel my body getting stronger and getting accustomed to the challenge. And, a cool side effect of cycling the harder levels: it is naturally strengthening my core. After the workout when I was walking around the house, I could feel that my abdominal muscles were tight. Now what's not to love about that?
I just reread this... somehow I am going to have to add some personal touches and funny stories to this blog or I'm going to bore MYSELF when I go through it again. Too tired right now, though, for any creativity.
Nite, blog.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Adventure on a Stationary Bike
May 21, 2013
After the ride through the Butte, the weather turned pretty icky here in Kemmerer. Cold, rainy, downpours that seemed to have no problem unleashing little balls of hail along with big, fat drops of water.
So, riding outside wasn't really an option for a sissy city girl like me. Instead I went to the Kemmerer Rec Center to get my rides in. I decided that the indoor rides would be more about longevity and getting used to being on the bike for longer and longer periods of time than actual strategizing for the road. So I completed three rides between then and yesterday... a 70 minute ride, a 45 minute ride and 200 step climb, and then an 80 minute ride (Friday..... Sunday.....Monday.....) A great playlist is pretty essential for indoor riding because.... let's face it, it's NOT very interesting. Limited scenery, bad TV options, and all those awkward moments when you catch sight of your own sweaty face, stomach, hips, thighs, and butt in the Rec Center mirror, for which there doesn't seem to exist a "good" angle.
I have a great playlist... a little Michael, some Train, bit of Philip Phillips, some Maroon 5 -- seriously, what's not to love?
I also have a trick... I don't just pick a pre-programmed route for the stationary bike. Instead, I do levels by time intervals to keep me awake, aware and motivated. My latest set has been to do two minute progressive intervals with recovery in-between. So.. level 2 for two minutes, then level 3 for two minutes, then level 2 for two minutes, then level 4 for two minutes, back to level 2 for two minutes, then level 5 for two minutes, and so on and so forth until I have reached level 12 and worked all the way back down. It forces me to work hard, yet know that the tough levels have a definite end in sight, and I have not yet gotten through an entire set with warm up and cool down before running out of intervals. 80 minutes was the closest. I think that my first 2 hour ride (120 minutes) will work to do a perfect rise up to 12 and descent back to 2. We shall see. I've tried to figure it out by pure math and... yeah, I'll leave that up to my sister, the math teacher.
Anyway, last week, between road rides and stationary rides I did 36 miles.
This week, my first ride yielded 16.5 miles, and my goal is to get to 50. I will keep you posted. :)
After the ride through the Butte, the weather turned pretty icky here in Kemmerer. Cold, rainy, downpours that seemed to have no problem unleashing little balls of hail along with big, fat drops of water.
So, riding outside wasn't really an option for a sissy city girl like me. Instead I went to the Kemmerer Rec Center to get my rides in. I decided that the indoor rides would be more about longevity and getting used to being on the bike for longer and longer periods of time than actual strategizing for the road. So I completed three rides between then and yesterday... a 70 minute ride, a 45 minute ride and 200 step climb, and then an 80 minute ride (Friday..... Sunday.....Monday.....) A great playlist is pretty essential for indoor riding because.... let's face it, it's NOT very interesting. Limited scenery, bad TV options, and all those awkward moments when you catch sight of your own sweaty face, stomach, hips, thighs, and butt in the Rec Center mirror, for which there doesn't seem to exist a "good" angle.
I have a great playlist... a little Michael, some Train, bit of Philip Phillips, some Maroon 5 -- seriously, what's not to love?
I also have a trick... I don't just pick a pre-programmed route for the stationary bike. Instead, I do levels by time intervals to keep me awake, aware and motivated. My latest set has been to do two minute progressive intervals with recovery in-between. So.. level 2 for two minutes, then level 3 for two minutes, then level 2 for two minutes, then level 4 for two minutes, back to level 2 for two minutes, then level 5 for two minutes, and so on and so forth until I have reached level 12 and worked all the way back down. It forces me to work hard, yet know that the tough levels have a definite end in sight, and I have not yet gotten through an entire set with warm up and cool down before running out of intervals. 80 minutes was the closest. I think that my first 2 hour ride (120 minutes) will work to do a perfect rise up to 12 and descent back to 2. We shall see. I've tried to figure it out by pure math and... yeah, I'll leave that up to my sister, the math teacher.
Anyway, last week, between road rides and stationary rides I did 36 miles.
This week, my first ride yielded 16.5 miles, and my goal is to get to 50. I will keep you posted. :)
Oxygen in the Atmosphere, Indeed
May 13, 2013
So, as we were returning to Kemmerer (8 mile ride together.. Aislynn did great) from our first "family" ride along the Bear River State Park in Evanston to its Riverwalk path, Adam pointed out a brand new paved road that led West from Hwy 189. Apparently it was built to take trucks and workers to Haystack Mine, but then the mine never happened, so now the road is... well, abandoned and empty, but NEW and PAVED.
We thought it might work as a good workout route for me, so we veered off 189 to check it out. As it turns out, it is only 2 miles long (so, 4 miles total), BUT... there is one advantage. It's an unbelievable climb in that short two miles. So when I want to start practicing climbs, it might be a perfect place, if I could go back and forth on it 3-5 times.
Of course, every time I think about it, I find myself shuddering uncontrollably. But.... the point is that as I train, it should get less scary and should become one of those great benchmark challenges within the overall challenge, right?
Anyway, when we got to the end (rather quickly), Adam gave one of his patented "Hmmm"s, and ...wait for it.... suggested I ride around Fossil Butte. His logic was that I could start near Ulrich's Fossil Quarry, ride up to where the road turns right into the Butte, and ride up to the Visitor's Center and beyond. It's also quite a climb, by the way, but seemed doable, and I liked that I could determine how far to ride and increase over time. I decided it would be my next workout.
Fossil Butte
And so it was that Tuesday night after work I packed up my Fuji, gloves, helmet and MapMyBikeRide app on my phone, changed my clothes and headed to the Butte. I pulled off 30 and parked my car on the side of the road. I could have easily pulled into Carl and Shirley's Gallery parking lot and let them know I was going to leave the car there while I rode, but frankly, their driveway has one of those cattle rails at the end of it, and they scare the heck out of me, so the fewer of those I have to ride over on my bike, the better. Took my bike off the car and gathered my things. It was only when I looked down at myself that I realized one of the great misfortunes of being a fat chick in biking clothes... (especially a biking shirt that my adorable husband, who seems to think I have lost a lot more weight than I actually have, bought for me...) Yeah, my bike shirt is so tight on me, read: my lower stomach is so big... that the shirt keeps slithering up over my hips to bunch around my waist, leaving my lycra-clad hips and thighs to bulge in all their glory, with no long shirt tails to reign them in, or at least hide them.
No matter. I was there to conquer the route, not show off my non-existent beach body. (I do have the good graces to apologize profusely to anyone who came up behind me during this ride. Time will erase the images...) I got everything set, jumped on my bike and started off. Within the first 2 seconds a phrase started flashing before me: HEAD WIND. Oh my heck. The Wyoming head winds. Forgot all about that. But I reasoned that there are going to be head winds in Washington and told myself that this is actually a blessing. If I train in head winds at this altitude, I will be uber prepared in September.
One thing I didn't notice when driving through the Butte is that the road is actually quite rough. I was a little worried about the effect that might be having on my thin road bike tires. The head winds truly did make the ride a challenge, especially once the road started to climb upward. I had all those Tim Pettigrew Lyrics in my head from when I used to lead the teen choir: "The road is hot, but it's not too long; the enemy is near, but he's not too strong, and I won't turn back, NO, I won't turn back."
The hardest part was the final climb up to where the driveway heads down to the Visitor's Center. And you know, I have to say... there are all these clever little signs along the way that give a timeline of paleontological developments. You know, they say things like, "First rock formations appear" and then give a time, like "4.5 billion years ago".... or "Photosynthesizing bacteria are present"...2.7 billion years ago.
I was huffing and puffing, coughing and cursing my way up this hill, and about the time I got over the top and was trying to determine whether my lungs were actually bleeding, or just burning, I looked over to my right and the sign read, "Oxygen is present in the atmosphere".... Huh. Not so sure about that one, I thought, still gasping and sputtering my way toward the Visitor Center.
Anywhoooo..... I can attest that the ride back was way easy and pleasant. It was the anti-ride there. Gorgeous, lovely, life-giving tailwind AND a descent down back through the Butte.
It turns out it was just a 7 mile ride, but a much harder workout than our cute little family bike ride two days before. It took just under an hour. My assessment: Oh man, am I in trouble.
So, as we were returning to Kemmerer (8 mile ride together.. Aislynn did great) from our first "family" ride along the Bear River State Park in Evanston to its Riverwalk path, Adam pointed out a brand new paved road that led West from Hwy 189. Apparently it was built to take trucks and workers to Haystack Mine, but then the mine never happened, so now the road is... well, abandoned and empty, but NEW and PAVED.
We thought it might work as a good workout route for me, so we veered off 189 to check it out. As it turns out, it is only 2 miles long (so, 4 miles total), BUT... there is one advantage. It's an unbelievable climb in that short two miles. So when I want to start practicing climbs, it might be a perfect place, if I could go back and forth on it 3-5 times.
Of course, every time I think about it, I find myself shuddering uncontrollably. But.... the point is that as I train, it should get less scary and should become one of those great benchmark challenges within the overall challenge, right?
Anyway, when we got to the end (rather quickly), Adam gave one of his patented "Hmmm"s, and ...wait for it.... suggested I ride around Fossil Butte. His logic was that I could start near Ulrich's Fossil Quarry, ride up to where the road turns right into the Butte, and ride up to the Visitor's Center and beyond. It's also quite a climb, by the way, but seemed doable, and I liked that I could determine how far to ride and increase over time. I decided it would be my next workout.
Fossil Butte
And so it was that Tuesday night after work I packed up my Fuji, gloves, helmet and MapMyBikeRide app on my phone, changed my clothes and headed to the Butte. I pulled off 30 and parked my car on the side of the road. I could have easily pulled into Carl and Shirley's Gallery parking lot and let them know I was going to leave the car there while I rode, but frankly, their driveway has one of those cattle rails at the end of it, and they scare the heck out of me, so the fewer of those I have to ride over on my bike, the better. Took my bike off the car and gathered my things. It was only when I looked down at myself that I realized one of the great misfortunes of being a fat chick in biking clothes... (especially a biking shirt that my adorable husband, who seems to think I have lost a lot more weight than I actually have, bought for me...) Yeah, my bike shirt is so tight on me, read: my lower stomach is so big... that the shirt keeps slithering up over my hips to bunch around my waist, leaving my lycra-clad hips and thighs to bulge in all their glory, with no long shirt tails to reign them in, or at least hide them.
No matter. I was there to conquer the route, not show off my non-existent beach body. (I do have the good graces to apologize profusely to anyone who came up behind me during this ride. Time will erase the images...) I got everything set, jumped on my bike and started off. Within the first 2 seconds a phrase started flashing before me: HEAD WIND. Oh my heck. The Wyoming head winds. Forgot all about that. But I reasoned that there are going to be head winds in Washington and told myself that this is actually a blessing. If I train in head winds at this altitude, I will be uber prepared in September.
One thing I didn't notice when driving through the Butte is that the road is actually quite rough. I was a little worried about the effect that might be having on my thin road bike tires. The head winds truly did make the ride a challenge, especially once the road started to climb upward. I had all those Tim Pettigrew Lyrics in my head from when I used to lead the teen choir: "The road is hot, but it's not too long; the enemy is near, but he's not too strong, and I won't turn back, NO, I won't turn back."
The hardest part was the final climb up to where the driveway heads down to the Visitor's Center. And you know, I have to say... there are all these clever little signs along the way that give a timeline of paleontological developments. You know, they say things like, "First rock formations appear" and then give a time, like "4.5 billion years ago".... or "Photosynthesizing bacteria are present"...2.7 billion years ago.
I was huffing and puffing, coughing and cursing my way up this hill, and about the time I got over the top and was trying to determine whether my lungs were actually bleeding, or just burning, I looked over to my right and the sign read, "Oxygen is present in the atmosphere".... Huh. Not so sure about that one, I thought, still gasping and sputtering my way toward the Visitor Center.
Anywhoooo..... I can attest that the ride back was way easy and pleasant. It was the anti-ride there. Gorgeous, lovely, life-giving tailwind AND a descent down back through the Butte.
It turns out it was just a 7 mile ride, but a much harder workout than our cute little family bike ride two days before. It took just under an hour. My assessment: Oh man, am I in trouble.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Life Is a Journey
May 10, 2013
Looking back, I'm not really sure how my mom and dad managed to raise four kids who are all so totally goal-oriented, but there you have it.
It seems I am never completely happy if I don't have at least one big goal or accomplishment I am working toward. And if there is no new project, no new challenge in sight, I am downright testy, restless and basically unsuitable for any kind of sustained company.
Fortunately for everyone around me, I do, in fact, have a goal on the horizon. In September, I want to ride the Washington State portion of the Pacific Coast Bike Trail. Sounds impressive I know. Sounds like a pretty big goal. Let me explain why it's not only big, but monumental.
1. In order to ride the route in 7-8 days, I will need to ride 30-75 miles per day, up climbs, likely in wet weather, on a route I have not yet driven, yet alone ridden, in a state I have only been in three times in my life.
2. I have never ridden more than about 15 miles on any given day.
3. I'm not particularly good at being cold, wet, uncomfortable, in pain, or any other conditions that will likely occur. Plus, I hate camping and bugs, and have sun allergies that cause small, red itchy bumps to break out all over my arms and hands should I forget for one moment to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 45.
4. (And this is huge, no pun intended...) I am fat. Seriously. I mean, not as fat as I used to be, considering at one point I did the math and figured out I needed to lose about 210 pounds just to be near the numbers on any of those health charts posted in doctor's offices and health clubs. At this point, I have more like 40 (optimally maybe 50) to go. But let's face it... the feat is hard enough without having to lug an extra 40-50 pounds on my carcass up every hill on the PCT. So in addition to prepping for this ride, I have to drop as much of that weight as possible. Of course, I kind of assume the first will greatly assist with the second. :)
Anyway, to be sure, I've some small obstacles to overcome in four months, or 121 days if my projected start date for riding remains correct (September 11th).
I've decided to document this journey mainly for myself, but also for anyone else who has a long road ahead of them (oh my word, another pun already) and needs some encouragement, motivation, or at least the ability to laugh at someone else's plight as he or she embarks on the journey.
So it begins. More to come later.
Looking back, I'm not really sure how my mom and dad managed to raise four kids who are all so totally goal-oriented, but there you have it.
It seems I am never completely happy if I don't have at least one big goal or accomplishment I am working toward. And if there is no new project, no new challenge in sight, I am downright testy, restless and basically unsuitable for any kind of sustained company.
Fortunately for everyone around me, I do, in fact, have a goal on the horizon. In September, I want to ride the Washington State portion of the Pacific Coast Bike Trail. Sounds impressive I know. Sounds like a pretty big goal. Let me explain why it's not only big, but monumental.
1. In order to ride the route in 7-8 days, I will need to ride 30-75 miles per day, up climbs, likely in wet weather, on a route I have not yet driven, yet alone ridden, in a state I have only been in three times in my life.
2. I have never ridden more than about 15 miles on any given day.
3. I'm not particularly good at being cold, wet, uncomfortable, in pain, or any other conditions that will likely occur. Plus, I hate camping and bugs, and have sun allergies that cause small, red itchy bumps to break out all over my arms and hands should I forget for one moment to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 45.
4. (And this is huge, no pun intended...) I am fat. Seriously. I mean, not as fat as I used to be, considering at one point I did the math and figured out I needed to lose about 210 pounds just to be near the numbers on any of those health charts posted in doctor's offices and health clubs. At this point, I have more like 40 (optimally maybe 50) to go. But let's face it... the feat is hard enough without having to lug an extra 40-50 pounds on my carcass up every hill on the PCT. So in addition to prepping for this ride, I have to drop as much of that weight as possible. Of course, I kind of assume the first will greatly assist with the second. :)
Anyway, to be sure, I've some small obstacles to overcome in four months, or 121 days if my projected start date for riding remains correct (September 11th).
I've decided to document this journey mainly for myself, but also for anyone else who has a long road ahead of them (oh my word, another pun already) and needs some encouragement, motivation, or at least the ability to laugh at someone else's plight as he or she embarks on the journey.
So it begins. More to come later.
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