“Shoot me now” hill

Today the goal was 35-40 miles. We started in Eagle, went out to Middleton, and back to Eagle in a round about way. There was one point where we needed to turn left and started to, but then Brad said, “Let’s do it, this will be good for you. Turn around.” So we turned around and had a gorgeous hill to go down. (By this point, I know what he is thinking. I was betting that we had to go down the hill and turn around and come back up it.) Sure enough-at the bottom of the hill, we were told, “Turn around.” So, the beautiful hill that we had just come down, we got to go back up. By the time I got half way up that hill, I was sucking wind. By the time I got to the top, I just wanted someone to shoot me, but we all did it! That was one bear of a hill! Then, after taking a bit of a break, we followed the road around a beautiful neighborhood. The road was nice and curvy, with a few rolling hills. Brad was on the look out for one road in particular and hadn’t found it by the time we headed down another GREAT hill. Brad was quite a bit in front of, us and I saw him take his right arm up in the air and signal by making circles, hand up above his head. I don’t know what that signal means so I started really watching to see what he was doing. All of a sudden, he started turning, and we are not at the bottom of the hill yet. Cheri voiced what I was thinking, “Oh Man!” with disappointment that we weren’t finishing the downhill portion of this hill. When I got to the turn, I saw another daunting hill, but unlike the last one, I wouldn’t class this one as “shoot me now”. I was in a tough gear due to going down hill, so I started shifting a little and stood up on my bike to pedal, getting a little more power and passed Brad (though, he was waiting to make sure that everyone had made the turn alright). After that, I was just about done in. We rode around the subdivision a little more, and finally came out of it and headed back towards the cars. We were going to go up one more gradual incline, but before we got to the road, I let Brad know that my legs were rebelling. We stopped and he asked, “What hurts?” I told him, my bum, hips, thighs, hamstrings, sit bones. By this time, I believe we were at 35 miles. He conceded and we headed back to the cars in a round about way.

A few hours later, I am feeling pretty good, but I expect to be a bit sore tomorrow. I’m starting to get raccoon eyes from my sunglasses. I have a bike jersey tan on my arms (farmer’s tan), and my legs actually have a little bit of color today. Now they aren’t so transparently white-well, ok, they are still pasty, but I will end the summer with some color on them.

38.74 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes. 14.2 Average Speed. 36.4 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 174.5

Blow Out...

…and I’m not talking bicycle tires. Ever have one of those days when everything is clipping along just so? You feel good, happy dust is in the air…and then, what’s that? In only a moment something in the air changes. Something feels a little off, so you start investigating and low and behold…

Today I had gone home for lunch to spend a little time with my dog. After lunch, I went back to work. Arriving at the office building, I parked the car, walked in the door, up the stairs, to my office and sat down. Upon sitting, something didn’t feel right, so I stood up and proceeded to investigate. Panic, embarrassment, and laughter set in as I realize what has happened. With a nervous giggle, I looked around to see if anyone was within close proximity. The coast was clear, so I quickly headed to the office next to mine where a friend works and looked at her and said, “I have to go home.” She looked up at me and noticing that I’ve got my hand covering something on the back of my leg says, “Did you sit on something?” Quickly, I had to make the decision, do I explain the situation or do I show what has happened. Being the very close friend that she is, I said, “uh, no,” and turned around, to the point that she could see that I was holding my cuffed capris together. Immediate laughter erupted from her mouth, then, composing herself, asked if I would like her to run to my car and grab my sweatshirt so I could wrap it around my waist for the walk out of the building. “YES PLEASE!” Talk about “wardrobe malfunction!”

First Hill Top Climb

Mentally, I was prepared for what we were about to do-or so I thought. We met at a parking lot and headed down the green belt towards Lucky Peak. That was a fantastic stretch and I was feeling great. My cheerios with chopped almonds and strawberries really seemed to be a good combination for breakfast on a ride day. (During the Nutritional Clinic last Thursday, we were encouraged to try different foods, combinations of food and energy stuff now while training, to see what works best for us, and then use that for the event.) When we got to the recreational area by the rooster tail we stopped to re-group and get a little direction. We had 6 on the ride, Coach Brad, Cheri (his wife), Joe and Anna (Friends of Brad), Allison and me (the TNT cycle team with Brad). This was it. This was where the “fun” began. We received a bit of coaching from Brad before heading up the hill (three of our group had done this climb before, the other three hadn’t. Allison and I were among the “hadn’ts”). Between where we were and the top of the dam, there weren’t any pull over spots so it was go until you arrive at the dam. We also were told that this wasn’t a race to see who got to the top first-speed doesn’t matter, getting to the top does. This took a little pressure off and we started pedaling. I was about halfway to the dam when I noticed that I was watching the road immediately in front of me and started to think about “forgetting what was behind and STRAINING towards what is ahead…pressing on towards the goal…”. Once I started thinking about and looking towards the dam, things started feeling a little better. I made it! Sucking wind, but I made it! For some reason, THAT (the dam) is what I was mentally prepared to do. This, however, was not the end of our journey. Hilltop was a little further up that hill. From the dam to hilltop, I stopped 3 times due to burning legs needing a break. I was the last one up, but I made it. (I can’t count Brad as being the last one up. He made it up to the top and then came back for me and followed me the rest of the way up.)

The next part of the journey made me a little apprehensive, but what goes up, must come down. Even with a head wind, I broke my high speed-not by much because of the wind, but what a feeling! I felt like I was flying due to the rush of wind enveloping me. That was worth going up the hill.

I think I just may be sore tomorrow.

27.5 miles, 2 hours. 13.3 Average Speed. 33.5 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 129.5

SPLAT

I got started a little later than anticipated tonight and headed out the door, right under an ominous black cloud. This week isn’t about distance, it’s about pushing myself. The plan was to go to a hill that I know of, and to go up and down it several times. I pedaled hard and tried to keep my pace up around 15 mph. Upon reaching the stop sign before turning west, I noticed that the sky was getting much darker and I felt that without lights, I wasn’t being safe. Also, to my chagrin, I found that the rest of the ride to the hill would be on newly chip sealed road. Not knowing exactly what to do with this type of road condition, I decided to turn back. I pedaled hard, again, trying to keep my pace right at that 15 mph mark. All of a sudden, I realized that I was going through a shower…of bugs. They were smacking against my face, legs, sun glasses (boy am I glad I had sunglasses on!). They even flew in my ears. Ack! But I was careful to not open my mouth so I didn’t get any stuck in my teeth. I was amazed that when I went next to a sprinkler or a ditch with water in it how much the temperature dropped. I’m also amazed at how friendly other cyclists are, how dumb some motorists are (driving in the bike lane causing another cyclist to go around the car as they stopped right in front of the cyclist), and how friendly and observant some motorists are (got several motorists waving and smiling as they passed me). Though the ride was short, I got home feeling as though I accomplished something. What? I am not sure, but something. =-)

5.25 miles, 21 minutes. 14.7 Average Speed. 21.2 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 93.9 (next ride, I'm going to break 100 miles)

Lake Lowell

The whole team got together yesterday for our group ride. I don’t think anyone was missing. We have a team of three: Brad (our coach), Allison and me. We started at Walmart in Nampa on the corner of 12^th Avenue and Greenhurst. From there, we went south on 12^th Avenue to Lake Shore Drive where we went into a headwind that was sometimes a side wind. I was wearing my windbreaker and finally had to take it off due to feeling like it was a kite and pulling me around. I can officially say I’m not crazy about riding in the wind. I’ve heard that from other cyclist, but reserved my opinion until I had experience. Around the lake we rode with several Bob LeBow riders. We stopped for a break before we got to the upper dam and saw 3 Egrets flying around. Amazing!!! I never realized just how long that upper dam is until I rode across it yesterday. After the upper dam came a few hills. We turned East on Orchard (the wind now at our backs) and went up and down and up and down the hills on that road. The next hill, Brad coached us that this was not the kind of hill that you pick up speed for to see how far it will carry you. It’s the kind of hill that you sit back and pedal (which is more what we will experience on Galena). Allison passed me at one point on the way up the hill and made it to the top and waited for Brad and me. Brad went to the top, turned around and came back for me and encouraged me all the rest of the way. When we got to the top, we could see everywhere that we had just been. I think by this time, we were about three quarters around Lake Lowell. What an amazing view. Pretty soon we headed up another small hill and I felt like I was going the wrong way on a one-way street. We came into a group of Bob LeBow riders going the opposite direction. I heard someone tell their friend, “What are they doing? Don’t they know they are going the wrong way?” That cracked me up. At the top of another hill, Brad said, “Would you believe me if I told you this was the last hill we’ll climb today?” Then he looked over towards Bogus and said, “And one day soon, we’ll be going up there.” My response? “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” He laughed and said, “AMEN! Preach it sista!” and I heard Allison giggling behind me. We finally made it back to the parking lot and I got off my bike and immediately felt like both thighs from hip to knee wanted to cramp up. They never did, but felt like at any moment they might. I started stretching immediately, and Brad told me to get some carbohydrates and salt within 30 minutes. I followed his instruction and the cramp feeling was gone within an hour. Today, no sore muscles, just sunburned arms and saddle sore bum. I think tomorrow I’ll be ready to push myself and tackle another few hills. I am looking forward to the down side for the fun and the upside for the strengthening.

26.76 miles, 2 hours 12 minutes. 12.2 Average Speed. 29.9 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 88.6

Oh! Beautiful! Gorgeous! Wish you were here!

Tonight I came home from work and had a lovely dinner consisting of slow cooked roast, rice and tossed salad. After letting dinner settle a little bit, I donned the gear, inflated the tires and headed out the door. Looking back through the door, I saw the pooch laying in a sunbeam on the living room floor, staring at me looking dejected. It was a gorgeous evening and not too buggy. My first 5 miles felt really weak, but after that, I felt like I was getting into some sort of a rhythm. About that time, I realized I had done a little bit of cross training this morning, walked 2 miles, did lunges, crunches, core and shoulder strengthening exercises. I think my muscles have finally awakened from their long Winter's nap and are letting themselves be heard. I witnessed near carnage between some sort of bird of prey and some field critter (I didn’t see for sure what the prey was). The critter got away by hiding in the field that had pretty tall plants. The bird? It turned and nearly buzzed my brain bucket! 10 miles, 44 minutes. 13.7 Average Speed. 12.4 Max Speed. Total Miles on my bike: 61.7

19 miles and counting

Thursday I had a 20 mile ride planned out, thanks to www.mapmyride.com, when Brad (my coach) emailed stating to go “15 miles or so” on Saturday. I knew that e would be at America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride (in Tahoe), so I was planning a ride, just in case I couldn’t find someone to go with me. In that case, I wanted the ride to start and end at my house. With the ride that I had planned out, I decided I probably better go drive it, just to make sure that there weren’t dirt roads-and I just wanted to see what I would be riding on. Just before dark, I headed out and within the first 4 miles decided this ride was NOT for me-at least at this time. Maybe I’ll be ready by mid to end of July, but right now? Nope. During the drive, the first thing that turned me off to the ride was at a stop sign where I needed to turn right, I would be coming off of a flat stretch, stop, and then go up a rather steep hill. At the top of the hill, I felt like I was on a roller coaster because I couldn’t see the road, let alone, the bottom of the hill as I came over the top. Immediately at the bottom, an equally challenging hill taunted me. When I got to the top of that one, same thing, down and up and down and up. Finally, the hills leveled out a little bit (this would be a TERRIFIC ride on a motorcycle) with a few hills here and there. As I came down a hill, I saw a street sign that told me that would be where I would need to turn. I suspected that by the time I got to that intersection at the bottom of the hill, I might be going 25-30 mph on my bike and how would I make that turn? As I turned onto the road, it was a nice, fairly flat and curvy road. Pretty soon I came to the next intersection and turned left. Immediately, headed down hill, then up, then down, then back up and at the bottom of this hill, I found I would need to turn immediately again! I was thinking I’d have to overshoot the intersection and then turn around and come back. Finally got on the final stretch and found a “road closed to thru traffic” sign. If the first through sixth hills hadn’t convinced me, the road-closed sign did. Back to www.mapmyride .com

Friday, I mapped out my ride and Saturday morning, I decided to head out the door at 8:00 with dark grey clouds in the south, the sun trying to break through it in the east, clear blue sky in the west and north. On the ride, I went through two areas with mint fields, watched some cattle get fed, conquered the hill that kicked my butt last week (Those bruises and scrapes are healing). Got passed by another cyclist. When he passed, I looked at my speed (16 mph at that moment) and he passed me like I was standing still! That gave me a little challenge to push myself a little bit and kept on going. I finally made it home feeling a little jelly-ish, very hungry and ready for a shower.

Saturday’s ride: 19 miles in 1 hour 25 minutes. 13.3 Average speed. 23.8 Max speed. Total miles on my bike: 51.6