The Secret Hill

Tonight Rachel showed us where the "secret" hill is. It is an excellent training hill - exactly how I pictured it in my mind. We all worked our intervals despite the thunderstorm and torrental downpour. I happily ate sushi and drank my miso soup afterward.

the legs are feeling recovered - much better than this weekend.

last night we had an advisory meeting for the women's track program. it went well - with lots of ideas for getting more women involved. I am excited to get involved and contribute to getting more women out there (aka more competition).

boxing

had a nice spin this morning before the drizzle began.

my mom showed me an article from the seattle pi about a new boxing gym on capital hill. I called and am thinking about going maybe once a week as a upper body cross trainer. my intention is just for the cardio/upper body strenthening, not the sparring or competition. ryan's a little freaked out about it - i just think of it as a workout. i miss hitting things. :)

I was looking into the month of June to see what else I can squeeze into my schedule as cross training... between swimming, cycling, track, yoga and now boxing, not to mention climbing and weight training... hard to prioritize. Life is too short not to fit it all in.

Monday Madness

Woke up with severe allergies this morning and through the afternoon. My body was slightly tired - and once I took a nap it seemed to clear my allergies up. It must be something in the air...

I did some reflection about the weekend. Sure I didn't have the best results - but if doing an event tired and heavy legged means still a top 10 - then I'm okay with that. It was a great learning experience and I have some areas that I would like to work on (climbing and dialing in a TT position). I would like to try and dial in the best TT position as possible... could you help me with that sometime in the near future?

Also - Yosemite Valley is flooding right now - we may not go to Cali. We'll see what develops during the week. There is a small chance I will do the MT Ecology Race instead!!!

Wipped out

Dude. Talk about being tired.

Worked it this weekend - the end of a three week build cycle. Boy am I stoked - and more stoked then I actually show - how excited I am to relax this week. My body is tired - from about my waist down - and my mind is exhausted too.

In retrospect - I would have taken Thursday off from Seward. However, my fitness is that much stronger now. The TT was good - 9th place with 26.08 and 4th in the crit, 15th in the RR with a 9th place overall. Melinda rocked the house with 7th place in the RR and 10th overall. A very commendable effort.

My legs were pretty heavy in the TT and then during the RR. They felt pretty solid for the crit - but with only 20 minutes it was either collect the preme or go for the gold. I won $40 - but didn't get the points overall to shoot me up in the Omnium. Oh well - lessons learnt.

Hills - I must get faster on the climb. I know I have the mental endurance - but I need to work on the climbing to be unstoppable. UNSTOPPABLE.

Ok - now I'm really delirious - bed time for me. Happy birthday my friend. Great party.

Sort of Seward Spank...

Went for an excellent massage this morning -and for the first time I didn't have anything specific for her to work on. She even commented on how relaxed my body was - including my calves and back where I usually have issues. A tall tale sign that I'm finally learning how to ride my bike!

Had a great ride today - rode down to Seward to watch the 5:30 roll out - and jumped on. Managed to keep up and stay with them and sprint at the end of the effort - beating 5 guys right at the end. You have to finish strong, right?

Tomorrow we're leaving at 1 if you want to hitch a ride with us. LMK.

Hill repeats

Had some nice grinders today and was able to quickly recover from once I stopped chugging up the hill. My fitness is getting better and better. Tomorrow morning I get a massage. Nice.

Loop 2

Got a really good workout last night. I was feeling slightly under the weather in the morning - popped some Vitamin I down and felt better in the afternoon. Matt and I worked on lead outs - he reminded me to be spinning closer to his wheel vs. pushing a harder gear and grinding it to stay close. It worked great. By the third try I had it down and it felt good. It still has a ways to go and practice will make it perfect - but in the meantime I'm happy with the results.

Tonight is a hill workout - should be good. I had a crazy dream last night that you and your dad came over and weed eatted my yard. Strange.

A little tired

I think I'm fighting something again. My throat has been sore today and I've been pounding the fluids down. Hopefully a good nights sleep will kick whatever I have lurking.

Spun for 1/2 hour on the trainer today - watch LeMonds 1989 Tour - excellent motivator. Going to bed to try and stock up on sleep.

Champ

It's amazing how when you think positively about something - train right, eat right, surround yourself with laughter - and when the planets align just right, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. It's an surreal feeling. Someone please pinch me.

I am blessed. Somehow I ended up with this talent and I am thanking my lucky stars for it. I thought I would be a good business person - wall street - or a lawyer. Thank goodness I didn't fully pursue those endeavors. Failing accounting in college was one of the best things that happened to me - well not really. But it definitely helped.

Holy shit. Thank you for being a part of my life right now - I'm dumbfounded at how this is all working out. Absolutely stunned.

Getting Ready...

Tomorrow should be fun. I'm really looking forward to it. So I heard there's a climb - but I've been working on the hills so that shouldn't be too much of an issue. Plus look at TST - that was much harder and longer.

Joyce sent out a team email today regarding team tactics. Rachel is our point of contact - at which she will communicate what plan to execute. It'll be interesting to see if we accomplish those goals. Rachel and I talked yesterday about it - we're not sure where or when to make the attacks but I think tomorrow some shit is going down. I'm super amped.

Mellow Ride

It was really nice out this evening. We did a short 1.5 hour spin down to Boeing and back. The legs are feeling good. One more day of spinning and then vrrroooooommmmm. I'm looking forward to State. Should be fun.

I felt like my handling skills improved a lot since early this week. I am able to take corners much faster and apex the angles even better. Excellent - things are coming along.

On a side note - I'm meeting with the Larabar marketing director tomorrow. Kristin referred him - I called and spoke with him for a while. Then he called Joyce and she told him she has time to talk in 2 weeks. Is that blowing him off or what? I made an executive decision to meet with him any way tomorrow night and have a conversation. That should be interesting. He mentioned free product....

Tour of the busiest arterials in Seattle

Melanie and I risked life and limb today on our rush hour ride up North. It was a nice and welcomed change of scenery compared to my normal easy routes. We headed up through Greenlake to Shoreline, and then passed Aurora, Lake City and 145th. A lot of lights - but nice once we got on some side streets without heavy traffic.

The legs are feeling pretty tired after Monday and Tuesday's efforts. I woke up this morning and went to the pool with my friend Lin and the legs felt fatigued when kicking. I promptly came home and went back to bed. For some reason my body decided it was excited about swimming in the morning and was ready to rumble at 3:15 am. I couldn't shut my brain off for about an hour. That hasn't happened in a long time. I dreamt about racing, about telling my previous employer what I really thought of them, and then decided to count underhand softball pitches in slow motion to try and get my mind to relax. I slept for another hour to hear the errrrnt errrrnt errrrrnt of the alarm clock. Brutal.

Sushi night tonight - charged up and stoked for the weekend. Did you still need a ride?

Hanging with the boys

Power lifting (aka sprinting) two days in a row now - felt good. The boys push me - I really like being pushed. It's humbling yet makes me strive to get better and beat them. I'm looking forward to the day. ;)

I've been sleeping like a baby the last couple of nights - my body is getting ready for a hard effort this weekend. I'm super excited. When do we get to ride together again?

Sprint adjustment

Excellent work out today. It feels like things are coming along with the sprint. I'm very happy that I still have things to work on - it keeps me motivated and wanting to get out there day after day. Like you said, the bike tracking will come with time. I'm looking forward to that day.

Even though I only did one hill effort - I think that's where I learned the most today. I could really feel the fluidity of the pedal stroke. It's coming along - now the trick will be able to apply that same motion on the flats. It was also great learing the lead outs - thank you for that.

Now if I can just get my bike worked on...

It's funny how...

....my life now revolves around cycling. Not just a little - but a lot. I enjoy each minute of it.

The TT was good - it's all about a hammerfest and how long one can endure at a super fast/above threshold pace. I'm still fine tuning it but have been able to put my mind in the same spot as before and just go for it. I like TT's. They are a true testament to how much power you can put out - they say to the world - this is how I cycle. But there's also something to be said for road racing -suffering in numbers. Wouldn't being a strong TTrialist translate to some of the best riders? Sure there's a tactical aspect but if it came down to a TT... then may the stronger woman win. And I hope and pray that it's me. :)

Ryan mentioned minimizing the overall distance traveled. Perfect example - corners. Taking the shortest line mathematically and using the power in correlation to it. Hmmm... something new to think about for the next tt.

Where oh where did the week go?

This week went by in a blur. Suddenly it's Friday once again and I'm getting in the mode once again for racing. I'm digging the routine. Today was slower than usual, which enabled me to do some thinking about tomorrow's tactics. I'm looking forward to it.

On a personal note - Ryan has been under a lot of stress at work in trying to make his deadlines. Unfortunately that means he's been taking it out on me. I know it's just temporary - but it doesn't make me feel good. He's already left for the weekend for our friends wedding - and I am thankful to have some serious chill time before my full effort tomorrow. Sigh.

Seward Spank

My legs feel like they used to after a hard telemark skiing effort. They are tired and worn out. That means that I gave it my all today - and then some. I didn't hold back at all. What a great feeling. I'm looking forward to the day when I beat the men. :)

That was a good experience - getting in a bigger pack like that. It was good to move around and get my teammates motivated. Melinda and I worked together - she sat on my wheel for a couple of laps and then had enough energy to keep going. I didn't sit on enough wheels tonight - however, resulting in extreme fatigue. And maybe it was rookie of me to keep going once I got dropped - but how else am I going to get stronger?

I'm bummed I didn't get to sit on your wheel much - maybe next time. That was my first Thursday night - and I'm looking forward to doing more of those and getting that much stronger. Next time I'm going to target some men to see if I can keep up. Once I mark them off my tick list then I'll move on to another victim. I'm thinking that if I set small goals for myself while in a crit, then it won't be as overwhelming with all of those people. Hmmm.. something to think about. I'm headed to bed - I'm pooped.

strayed from my training program...

Jill made me do it. On Monday we went for a longer ride than I had anticipated (2 3/4 hours long). And I'll tell you what - my legs are tired tonight after my climbing efforts. Yesterday I only went out for an hour to try and offset the previous days effort. I promise, I won't deter away from your regime again. Doh!

I am trying to help Jill gain some skills and confidence in the saddle. She's making some progress - but still lacks confidence since our spill while pre-riding Snohomish. We were attempting some hills today in Magnolia - one had a steep three tiered climb and she ended up walking up the third tier. She even admitted to having mentally defeated herself prior to starting the climb. I'm trying to help her break through and defeat the anxiety - but only she can do it. We also climbed GG and headed into the Blue Ridge neighborhood - where I was able to sit on her wheel and coach her along. Her position on the bike is too upright - I told her to unlock her elbows, relax the upper body and use her core more to climb the hill. That's going to be a hard habit to break. But if she can get lower, then her center of gravity and balance will be more solid so descents, cornering and climbing will feel more natural.

It's a tough job - glad you're the coach and I'm not. :)

Still lovin' it

I am so glad there were photographers at the race this weekend. Amara and descantes.com took such excellent photos of the event. What a treat. I am the happiest person on the planet.

So training is going well in the meantime. My easy days were a little harder than before - in that now I want to race everywhere. I finally got through to myself that I needed to chill and recover for the next set of races. I can't wait to hone in my sprint more. I still want to be fast like cheetah. Can we work on those again soon?

Thank you for the compliment - it's nice being able to work well together. Cycling is all about harmony - in so many aspects. I am lucky to have found such harmony early on.

How's your training going?

Better than I could have imagined...

This weekend went amazingly well. The TT was a new challenge - but I did well and placed 5th. Our RR was cancelled due to inclement weather so it was up to the crit to decide the overall standings. The crit was perfect - I did exactly what I had invisioned and was told to do. I couldn't have done better... except for maybe get the other time preme available.
My sprinting still needs some work - but it was good enough to secure the win. I am elated. Looking forward to some more training and kicking ass in the USCF calendar.

new tt bars

Looking forward to giving it my all this weekend. I tried the new tt bars today - and realized they are not so good for the Burke. They should be stellar for the TT though.

Legs are feeling good - tonight's sleep should be good and I'm going to try and sleep in tomorrow morning.

mentally - I'm ready. I learned some valuable lessons last weekend and am ready to use them to my advantage.

nice ride...

It's too bad Mikey got accosted on the bike today - poor guy. He should seriously consider taking a vacation from the bike for several days to mentally recover. It seemed like he had a mild concusion. Scarey.

The legs felt good today albeit slight fatigue. They screamed at me on the first hill and then opened up on the second one. I'm looking forward to climbing at WW.

Aero bars - easton makes Aeroforce Carbon Clip on bars that are approved for EC90 Equipe bars. My mission tomorrow is to locate them and buy them. Not to mention, try them on my bike.

Thanks for the ride today - you couldn't have picked a better day to train.

Spin cycle and rest day

Yesterday morning I woke up bone tired. I laid in bed and ached all the way to the bone. My muscles weren't sore - but my whole body was. I went for a short ride in the morning and then lounged at work and had an easy evening.

The team met last night at my house - we de-viriginized the new dining table. We talked about Tahuya and Seward. And now that I have had a day to think about TST - I am kicking myself for not trying harder and going faster. Those hills and the headwind decimated the pack. Had I continued in time trial pace I might have been able to catch someone, use their energy and then continue on. Melinda got it - she used my body mass for a rest and then climbed Holly Hill like a champ. I should have tried catching up to her. I have developed a mantra - "Faster, faster, get on her wheel." I hope it works.

Then there was Seward - where I should have savored my strength for the final climb. Instead I was burning my candle in the preceeding laps. Rachel and I were off the start like a bat out of hell and my teammates free rode the pack in trying to catch us. Doubtful if they will pull that manuver again. I just hope if I see one of my teammates off the front in a break - I will be smart enough to hold up the pack.

I'm still processing it all.... thank you for the encouragement - I look forward to sharing this with you in person.

Solving Crits

Did Seward early this morning and the legs felt damn good. Granted, they were tired from yesterday's jaunt - but still they are getting in great condition to kick some butt. I was strong on the climbs - and mistimed my final attack. I only placed 6th - but what the hell. Not bad for having raced two days in a row. It was a great precurser for next weekend's show down.

A huge triumph in spite of defeat

That is one helluva race. Holy Cow. 5,000 feet elevation gain in 62 miles. I must become a billy goat. I want to show those little spry girls that is all they are - little girls. Please teach me how to climb.

As far as the race goes - I was dropped after the first hill with Amara, Melinda and Carol. We managed to arrange a paceline to rejoin... of which, Carol and Amara pulled away first and Melinda lagged behind. Determined to catch the group - because I could see them in the near distance, I got down in my drops and hauled ass in time trial position. You can imagine the officiants surprise when he saw me pull back up with the group solo. That was my moment of triumph. It felt incredible. "Where did you come from?" resonnated throughout the group. Nice.

It was kosher from there - until the loop at the halfway point, and while climbing back up that hill, the women just pulled away. I couldn't make my legs pump any harder. I knew mentally they could go harder - but they wouldn't. I know right there, that's my weakness and I am going to try like hell to reverse it. I want to become the Lancette Billy Goat. From that point on, I regrouped with Melinda and Carol - and the headwind was probably 20-30 mph. Super wearing. Which meant the lead group was getting it as well. If we tried hard enough, we thought we might be able to catch them again. However, one Holly Hill came - my legs pulled the same trick. But on the bright side - I strengthened them yesterday. Ryan said that once I got back to the car and pulled my knickers off - they looked so freaking buff - I put most cat 1s to shame. Oh if only you could win races by the extruding veins in your legs! Ha!

I am happy with my result. I was able to hang with the big girls for 2 hours. It was awesome. It's not that much different than what I'm riding now - but I need to learn how to climb.

This morning I'm off to a crit. It should be nice to spin the legs out. Thanks for your support!

Getting ready

I have the logistics pretty much figured out for tomorrow. Tonight is just a double check to make sure everything is in order and in the van, waiting for tomorrow.

Weather wise - it's going to be a wet one. 100% chance of precip - but I'm prepared - more than most for that type of weather. I'm debating whether or not to put my temp fenders on... I think I'm going to be soaked regardless so who cares.

Since I'm probably going to be riding this one without any teammates - any suggestions? I know I want to follow the strong girls - and I'm getting to know who's who. We'll see who shows and is brave enough to fight the wind/rain/hail. Last time I road it rained a quarter inch. Saturday it may rain up to 1 inch. But I'm ready for whatever may come.

It feels like I'm getting ready for war. I imagine this is what soliders feel like before deployment. I've trained - mentally and physically for tomorrow. I'm ready for the show-down.

spinning along

had a nice gentle spin this morning. My brother and nephew are in town - what a whirl wind! Drinking lots of water today and getting my carbs in for Saturday. Any last minute advice?

Feeling good

Did a couple hill climbs today - Interlocken up to Capital Hill. Melanie joined me and we rocked the house all the way up - all 4 times. The legs felt good - and I got a new inhaler so I could breath deep enough to make the efforts a little easier. I kept the cadence high - which helped in the long run. I am really looking forward to Tahuya. Sean at the climbing gym called it a "suffer fest."

Tuesday Torture

Had an excellent day today - and managed to avoid the rain and thunder showers. I rode out to Issaquah, down through Redmond and home. Put some serious miles in - on the piece o' shit rain bike. Looking forward to my Kona getting here....

I went and listened to Craig from Cycle U - who Erik Moen recommended as well.. and I am so thankful I decided on you. I really like the results so far - and think we have a lot more to learn from each other. I'm tired - headed to bed.

Monday Recovery

After some thought, I know I had an asthma attack. I ordered a new inhaler today - so that should not happen again. Lesson learned.
Went for a nice ride this morning and thought about the crit. I had a lot of fun and absorbed a lot from Sunday. It was fun hanging with you and Molly too.
Tomorrow should be a good long challenge - I'm thinking around Lake WA and home... via Kirkland. Should be entertaining.

Boat Street Serving up some stiff competition...

My lungs were handed to me on a silver platter today. They looked battered, athesmatic, wheezing and had a tight fist clenched around them. I managed to hang with the big girls for 9 laps and slowly, slowly, slowly got kicked of the end. And once my lungs were toast, I couldn't find the energy in me to continue. I am learning that crits are a skill - all of those girls out there had at least 1+ years of experience and were there to throw down. Maybe it was rookie on my behalf to even show - but I am that much stronger because of it.
Another thing was gearing - I misjudged my gearing. I could have saved my legs had I transitioned more between my small and large front cog. Also - I need to stay more in the middle of the pack - to the front in order to conserve more energy. Funny how I didn't start in the front because everyone told me not and to get behind a wheel - which may have prevented me from reading the group more.... I could think of a million reasons. But the main thing is today brought many valuable lessons. Stay in the front - get in the right gearing, get in my drops more and bring my inhaler. Oh and one more thing - warm up longer before the race and watch out for psychos. You know who I'm talking about!

warm up

went on a nice mellow ride this morning - with 3 sprint/90% efforts thrown in the mix. I am ready and anxiously awaiting tomorrow morning. Should be fun. Are you feeling up to racing in the morning?

bumpy burke

Rode the burke today - up north. I met a guy on BRI - Lief who seemed to have a negative attitude toward racing. It was funny in that the more we talked, the more he focused on what he can't do... why he shouldn't do this... so and so was preventing him from being all that he can be...downer, downer, downer. Get an attitude adjustment and start winning. Honestly, people like that should be eliminated from the gene pool. (Harsh, I know.) So what if there is someone out there better than you? Chances are there always will be - so you might as well enjoy yourself and have a good time.

We rode to Sheridian Beach and turned around. He said that if I hadn't of joined him he would have turned around long ago. I asked him about some advise re: getting my teammates motivated and he came back with a "bike racing is so friggin hard." Am I missing something? Is it really that difficult?

Downer people piss me off. YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY. If something is that messed up - then change it. Why suffer? Enough said.

I was just stoked it didn't rain today. :)

Thursday

managed to avoid the rain yesterday evening before heading out to see Elvis Costello last night at the paramount. It was a really good show - I recommend seeing him. He's much different then your perception of him from his recorded tracks.

The legs felt good - a little fatigued from the previous day sprint efforts but still feeling strong. I can't wait till my new rain bike comes in. I'm sick of riding the Trek.

On the racing front - I must say that I feel like Amara took advantage of my inexperience in racing. Actually, it was probably one of the best lessons I could have had. Now I know to chill and watch what develops in the beginning of a crit - see who's feeling strong that day and who's not. I'm going to try and suppress my nerves in the beginning so I don't fly off the front of the pack. Then wait and reel them in. I'm looking forward to another crit.

april showers... bring wet fenders

Had an excellent sprint workout last night. It was warm yesterday - it felt good to be cruising around in knickers and a long sleeve. I had the shop put on 25 gearing for tehellya - rode on it yesterday and that bike just zips. I also went climbing last night for about 1/2 hour - worked on upper body strength.

Thanks for the sage wisdom. That's all the encouragement I need.

The rain is back - going for a two hour endurance ride and loving every minute of it!

avoiding the drizzle

These days that is a hard thing to do. Just when you think the coast is clear - and you get on the bike - a Seattle drizzle starts coming down. I'm convinced that Seward park/Mt. Baker neighborhood gets more rain than other parts of Seattle. Once I rounded Boeing field and climbed back up Lake Washington Blvd - I was awashed with a strong smell of lush green April flowers. Reminded me of how good it feels to be alive.

I've been in a little slump the past two days... I'm not sure why. I should be really happy about my finish on Sunday - but I am no-where close to satisfied with it. I know I shouldn't be so harsh on myself about it - but the disappointment creeps back into my brain. Sure I can use it to make me stronger - but it feels more like a point of weakness. A light may have just gone off - I think I am finally realizing what it's like to have a weakness. And rather than dwell on that weakness, I need to turn it around, strategize it and use it to my advantage. Ah ha! Eureka!

Cycling has such an interesting psychology. I was trying to explain why I do what I do to my co-worker. It's a burning itch inside of me - an animal that comes out to the beat of a drum. It cannot ignore its instincts, it just has to do what it knows how to do. And then I have to do it again - but better and better until it comes to perfection.

rest day

felt good.

tahellya and first crit

my oh my, what a HARDCORE training weekend. yesterday was challenging with the rain and climbs. i will definitely get 39-25 gearing for the race. all in all though it was good to preride it... at one point i fully accepted my insanity, embrassed it - and used it to complete the ride with a huge smile on my face.

needless to say i was tired this morning when i woke up. and i made the mistake of not eatting enough yesterday. my body needed it - that's for sure - but i just couldn't stomach it. i can work on that - and will for the next time. i did use a recovery drink and i think that saved my ass for today.

i woke up - detailed my bike - and then crashed a little. i let doubt enter my consciousness - which was mistake #2. with it pouring down rain this morning, i wasn't that motivated to back into it. but i pumped up the volume with some modest mouse, thought about the good times, and was able to talk myself and my teammate Melinda into racing too. i didn't warm up adequately... which was another small mistake - but easily curable.

amara had made hops on the initial sprint - and lisa chased her down. then i made a mistake of pulling for two laps - no one was going around me. note to self - soft pedal next time, conserve energy and let those blood sucking letches do all the work. and around and around and around we went. while amara and lisa placed a perfect attack - i will remember that for next time.

i did keep a smile on my face the whole race - my body handled it. my mind played tricks on me. i will have to work on that. but placing 4th is humbling - and i am grateful for it. i even got to tell a new rider a suggestion - not to pull out crazily in front for the safety of those around her.

next time - more rest. no long 75 mile rides the day before. my body is not ready for that yet. and my achilles started to let me know. also better nutrition - i ate like shit this week. no more ding dongs :P

highlights - climbing hills, and hot tubing when i got home - twice!!!

tahellya!

a little drained this morning while the reality of yesterday's mission and accomplishment settles down on me. it's raining outside right now - like an old comforting friend who you just can't get mad at because they only know how to be themselves. at least today there's a goal - not only racing in the rain but going for some prize money.

i'm surprised no one else blogs - their loss really. i find it's an excellent time for reflection and something i can look back to and remember that tool is in my toolbox, no one elses. who knows if anyone actually reads them - but i do. and that's all that really matters.

so refelection on yesterday - that is one bad ass course. it has it all - hills, flats, descents, chert, smooth pavement and don't forget tons of rain. i'm looking forward to doing it at a fast pace. the scenery is gorgeous. it's a maddening course though - it can really break someone down. I had my moments of utter anhiliation (sp?) and then really really good moments, which luckily far surpass the humility. i can't wait till summer.

i think cyclist are a crazy bunch of people. they do what no one else would even dream of doing and then some. who in their right minds would go ride 6+ hours in a full down pour? well guess who - yours truely. i had a moment on dewatto hill where my smile was pure insanity - you couldn't mistake that for anything else.

today is another race - looking forward to it - and looking forward to it being over. i'm pooped.

tooo tired....

blog coming tomorrow..... sleepy time

it's wiiiiiindy outside

went for a nice un-predictable ride today. my friend nina lives on your street - just two blocks west. we rode some hills in blue ridge - nice climbing over there. i was going to go climbing but my darling forgetful, pothead husband spaced my climbing bag that i went so far as to strap onto his back pack and make it so he wouldn't forget.... son of a biznatch!!!!!! i ended up making it in time to a bike shop to buy some temp fenders in prep for tomorrow. looking forward to some hardcore riding.

btw - how about that training log?

mental preparation

I've been surfing the Internet and have come across a few articles regarding mental toughness in cycling. I'm starting to think that I won my race not by my physical fitness but more so by my mental capacity. Somehow I have harnessed this ability and tapped into it - early on. Which means I can sharpen that skill that much more and kick the snot out of my competition.

spring fever

Had a solid effort this morning on my bike. Headed down to Seward park and did a 12 minute tempo on the way. Then did 4 laps on the crit course - it will be thrilling. Then lastly headed home and had a nice tailwind for the last tempo effort. And of course, a ride to Seward is not complete without the arboretum jaunt with a finishing sprint. Came home and wolfed down some yogurt and granola, 1/2 sandwich and off to work. Feeling good.

Well rested

You know this vacation couldn't have come at a better time. It was right around the time I needed a rest week - and to be able to take 5 solid days off the bike - my legs feel fantastic. No issues today with the achilles - although the stormy spring weather was challenging.

I can't believe I turn 27 on Thursday. Life flies by. I want to have some major accomplishments under my belt by my 30th birthday - say a gold medal or something.

Ryan and I went climbing tonight - I'm afraid my upper body is getting too weak. I was able to flash a V2 - which is pretty impressive for me. It must have been that rest week.

Sprinting felt super good today - I was powering through them. My monitor said I would jump 10 mph between the 5 second split. Not too shabby. But I must still work on it....

back to it...

So the UCI World Track Championships lit a fire under my ass. That was super cool to experience - glad I got a chance to see it. Unfortunately the US preformed pretty poorly - Jennie Reed placed 6th in one event. GB achieved 4 gold medals and Aussies did the overall best with 9 medals. I get excited just thinking about racing - and seeing how far I can push myself toward my goal.

Meanwhile, back on the PNW front, Melinda, Roz and Katy raced the Snohomish course. Melinda did fairly well - in the top 15 or so. The thing to note though - is that Group Health was staring at the warmup tent and pointing at our team for people to watch out for. Apparently they went so far as to ask Roz where Rachel and I were for the race. Ha ha! I guess I am now a marked woman. That just adds more fuel to the fire.

So my friend, what's next?

Mar 23

Solid effort yesterday. Did South end, mercer and home in under 3 hours. Pushed it on the rolling hills and am a tad sore this morning. Hopefully I'll be able to get some exercise while in the concrete jungle... maybe some surfing or something. And maybe, just maybe the sun will be out.

When I get back - can we get together to go over long term planning?

computrainer night...

Put in some time with Tim and Jill. Roz showed too - without a bike. Had a nice mellow ride.

Looking forward to some time away from home - should be nice.

Training is going well - can't wait for the next race. See previous posts.

Planning ahead...

I've been thinking about the upcoming races. I don't recall discussing which were the more important ones. What I would like to focus on are the key races - the ones where I will be able to advance my position and are challenging. Crits make me nervous - just because I have no idea what they are like. I'm looking forward to track - but that will come during the summer due to the resurfacing. I feel like I am starving for more information and skills. I crave it.

I'm going to yoga tonight for the first time since my achilles injury. Don't worrry I will take things easy and not risk it at all.

The ride was good today - I can tell my legs are exhausted. I crossed into LT without much effort. I had to convince myself to take it easy today and stick to the game plan. I get so eager that my mind tricks my body into working triple time. Hopefully yoga will help quiet my hunger.

Blistery Sunday

Managed to do 3 hours of solid training today. My legs were fairly tired at first but once they got warm, they performed wonderfully. I had a Ti Cycles girl snarl at me today. It was pretty funny.

I took the Kona into my shop - she's purring like a kitten. Ready for more victories I'm sure.

Check this out

This is my mom's take on today's race....

Winner!

Sweet Success

The best part about today was winning in front of my mom. She is a huge supporter and the reason I am here - mad props.

So it went well today. I was able to position myself for the ultimate attack at the end - eatting up the competition. It was a sweet win because it was so nasty out today. My team mates were near - closer than before. Melanie, Melinda and Rachel all finished between the cars, which is a great success for them. Bottom line - we executed the team strategy. And a win to boot!

My legs are tired. Today they added on an additional loop - and with an attack off the front by my lonesome - I did some pulling today. The achilles is feeling good - I was a little worried about the cold weather, but it managed to do just fine. I felt a little calf cramp coming on and immediately downed water - but I should probably drink more in the ride. I also need to learn how to eat while riding - and remember to do it.

"Eat when it's cold, drink when it's hot."

I'm taking the bike in tomorrow - just to have it looked over and make sure everything is in tip top shape. I would hate to have a mechanical from something that could have been prevented.

I am stoked. That was a challenging rainy race today - I think what prepared me was the ride on Wednesday. I am so thankful I don't ride a trainer indoors all the time.

st paddy's day recap

I'm a little tired from getting the house in tip top shape for last night's festivus.
I am looking forward to getting mentally prepared later tonight about the race tomorrow morning.
Any suggestions about racing in the rain? Also - how about team tactics? I'll call you later...

Juice

Put to the test

I was challenged today. Challenged by the elements - with temps in the lower 40s and 25-35 mph winds, not to mention the rain. I headed down to GG to do some sprints - and despite the downpour, managed 4, plus one extra one to grow on. Then instead of going back the Burke, I continued up the hill and then got chilled on the way back down 32nd. My thighs were icy so I turned toward home and completed the remainder of my workout on a nice indoor, dry trainer.

My ultimate goal of cycling is morphing - I want to race in Europe.

Saweet!

For the first time in - oh about a month - my achilles had no issues today. I am stoked!

Went for a nice ride out to Mercer Island this morning - a tad chilly but got in 38 minutes of tempo work and it felt good. Looking forward to some sprint efforts tomorrow. You game still? How about 3?

(I spoke with a good friend tonight - Nina, who is responsible for getting me into racing. This is what she said: "Well Jen, there's a difference between someone who is athletic and an athlete. I am athletic - I can do things but I don't have that passion and drive for what it takes to be an athlete. You do - you have it." - Nina Binder 3/15/05)

Training

T- 2 Hrs finishing w/ Tempo work 30-40m.
W- 2 Hrs w/ 4x30sec. leadout sprints, start from fast rolling start and attempt a sprint at the end of effort
T- 1-2 Hrs Easy
F- Rest Day, easy spin
S- Race
S- Race

M- 1-2Hrs Easy
T- 1-2Hrs Easy
W- 3Hrs endurance over rolling terrain
T-M Vacation
T- 2Hrs w/ speedwork, same as 1st wed's but include 2 powerstarts as well
W- 1 1/2-2Hrs w/ 3x12min. LT efforts

Remember, keep the bod feeling good during these workouts, you should feel like you are getting solid training from each workout, but you shouldn't feel like you are keeping residual soreness more than a day or so- we want you feeling fresh after your rest days, and ready to rock!

Officially 5' 9 1/4"

Too bad milk makes me sick to my stomach. Oh well. It's all shrinkage from here. At least I'm still taller than the majority of women.

Jill may try the bike today - to see how it fits. I'm going to lower and level the seat a tad to see if it releaves my pressure points....

The achilles is feeling great - it is thankful for rest days, that's for sure. Want to go on a ride tomorrow?

5'10" Blues

Lame. I am not as tall as I once thought. All my life, I've been living a lie. I am shorter than I thought I once was. That's it, I'm measuring myself in the morning.

Ryan meaured with socks, 5'9". With heals, 5'10". And with porn pumps 5'11 1/2". I am soooo freaking bummed. That's it I'm wearing the porn pumps ALL the time. Ha!

The ride was nice today - a mellow spin with one sling shot. The achilles is about as sore as my legs - a recovery day should do the trick for the next effort.

1st race = Podium

I learned a lot of the race today. What did work was launching some attacks to separate the field and break it up a little. It also helped to be in the first 1/3 to avoid the accordian effect. I brushed tires with one girl due to sudden braking and this girl behind me wigged out. I am not sure if that is what cause the fall or if she was just spooked to drop back in the pack.

The legs felt great - high cadence was key especially on the hills. There weren't many attacks - but those that were launched, we chased down immediately (I like to say that I was a big part of that - anyone trying to gap was caught in less than three strokes). It was funny - if I surged then everyone else did. But in the final sprint, I'm not sure what happened behind me because I dodging people like flies left and right while motoring by. Talk about an adrenaline rush. The woman who placed second won by a mere bike throw - I was maybe six inches from her. I threw too late. I will practice that more. Also, I want to get in a better position for the final sprint. I was maybe 15 women from the front, and passed all but 2.

I'm looking forward to when we have more team strategy going - so we can dominate the field. I'm happy that everyone finished, even if all of them were behind the pace car. It's going to be a fun season.

Ready to Rock

Been feeling antsy all day. I'm looking forward to the morning.

A tad sore

What a busy day. Woke up and went for a hour on the bike, then came home and had a 90 minute massage (the best one to date). Got to work a little late and immediately headed to Northgate to meet with our lenders. One of the properties we were acquirring had mold show up in an inspection report - not good. Time to play hardball. Got home and went for ride number 2 with 2x10min efforts. Felt strong - however, my achilles was a little tired from the past two days. Looking forward to the rest day today. Not even going to think about the bike.

Jill's potential Raleigh is so sexy. Holy cow that bike could win races by just looking at it. It has somewhat of the same geometry as my Kona. Something to consider for a race bike when the Kona is kaput.

Strong tempo

So I'm assuming your 3x8 min meant 8 minutes in tempo. The legs felt strong today - and by the third effort I was happy to only have three! I didn't eat much when I should have - I will plan better for that. Had I had enough calories to burn through, I'm sure I would have recovered sooner. Tonight I scarfed down sushi - our weekly amino acid fix. I can't wait till next week.

Looking forward to tomorrow's morning and afternoon ride. I'm getting a massage in the interim and then going to Modest Mouse tomorrow night. Sweet!

Also - I've been studying some racing tactics. It'll be interesting to discuss them with you and see your take on it.

Record highs

I went for a nice mellow ride today with Lin. We cruised down to Seward park and home. I can't believe this weather! It was soooo warm!

Training - what's next?

Rear derailleur

So my little spill yesterday slightly bent my frame right next to my rear derailleur causing it to slip when going hard and shifting. My boy hooked me up with 19 minutes of shop time left and his mom breathing down his neck about dinner plans. I found the perfect opportunity to let her know how awesome her son is and how of all the mechanics in Seattle, I will only use him. He smiled. And most importantly, he fixed my kink. What a guy.

WE'RE HAVING A PARTY- march 19 - food, keg, band, people.... mark your calendar! Bring some friends... we're going to have a great time!

I need to get you some money - I haven't heard from Molly yet.... do you have anytime mid-week?

What a weekend!

In retrospect, I'm sooooooo glad I didn't race this weekend. My achilles feels so fantastic - and I'm ready to race. Two days off - then we're on for Wednesday.

I learned a lot through observation. What to bring, what not to bring to the races. How to mentally prepare - what to listen to, what to eat, what not to eat; what to drink, who to surround yourself with before the race, etc, etc. Invaluable information.

It was great being around all of those gears, spandex and pumping legs. Despite being a spectator - I thoroughly enjoyed it. Being there - and showing the support to my teammates helped so much. I know there will be a time when I rely on them - and can because they know I will be and have been there for them. Right on.

We pre-rode the Snohomish course this afternoon. I will not be riding it - due to a previous LA engagment. But it is sweet. Definitely a climber's course and I'm a little bummed I won't be there for it. We did get attacked by a dog - I almost peeled off into a 15 foot drop into sticker bushes and Jill went down, hard. She conked her head pretty good and had a little blood on her hand, not to mention a strawberry knee. We took a wrong turn for the course and ended up at a mini mart with Snohomish's finest hicks. They were super nice and when Jill mentioned seeing stars and tracers - we immediately turned back and got her a ride back to her car. Roz and I finished the course - and my, oh my, what a fun ride. I figure if I didn't feel the heal, I'm golden. The baby shit is over. When we got back to the elementry school, Jill was on the phone and said, "uh, ladies, look." Low and behold, her hips looked like a big booty hoe's. Oh crap. She called the nurse line, decided it wasn't an emergency - put some ice on it and then we drove the course and headed back to Seattle. Lame!!! I hope she's ok!

Looking forward to beginning the training again - and having learned a lot from the past 4 weeks, I'm ready.

Anxiously waiting

I have mixed feelings about today. I missed the first race. I had an injured achilles. Today it felt better than it has in many, many days and it makes me wonder if I could have gotten away with racing on it today. It was nice being there for the team and in retrospect, I played it smart. The same race will happen next week - but I'm curious if my fitness will be good enough to compete. (And now the self-doubt rolls in...)

I am pretty down that I didn't get to be part of the action. I mean, I did my part. But I really wanted to pump the pistons and grind. Patience is a virtue. Tomorrow is a new day.

I went for a nice ride when I got home. I did almost get hit while on Alki - some guy pulled out right in front of me. I was traveling about 23-4 and slammed on the brakes to avoid collision. Close call.

Issues confirmed

Well the rain bike was off - way off and it is fixed now. Not to mention a release of pressure in my poptolous (sp?) a muscle back behind the knee. With that pressure released, my heel feels normal. I can't wait to see what it feels like in the morning.
We did some pedal analysis and I have an odd stroke. I am basically scrapping the gum off the sole of my right shoe, but the left is opposite. Time to work on some pedaling drills. I am feeling better about the achilles - optomistic in fact! We'll see how the weekend goes....

It's the rain bike

I know it is. I jumped on the trek this morning and was only able to ride 15 minutes before my achilles was screaming at me. The Kona didn't cause me any problems - and I've been putting all my miles on that bike up until today. It hasn't hurt like this - until I got on the Trek. I'm taking it with me for the bike fit and if they are unable to correct it - then I'm selling it. Know anyone looking for a rain bike?

I've learned my lesson. I am going to stay off the bike until I feel better. When I finally do get on the bike, I'm going to turn around as soon as I start to feel it. I am no longer concerned about losing my fitness - I only want to heal. Stupid Trek piece of shit.

day 1

pushed the pedals pretty hard today - mercer and home (32.4 miles) in just over 2 hours. The legs feel good - but the achilles is still there. I am really looking forward to when this issue will be gone. I scheduled a bike fit and analysis with Tim and Wendy Becker for Thursday night - to see if the strain is due to an improper alignment with the bike.

Aero Bars - help! Sooo many choices, so little knowledgable sales people.

preparation

Joyce sent out an email this morning for the rundown on Mason Lake. She didn't leave a single detail out - from getting ready Wednesday to how not to bug your teammates the hour before. I only wish that my achilles hadn't happended so I would be racing this first one. But with all things considered, I think it will be big that I am going to cheer them on.

Taking the day off - feels nice.

Spin Cycle

Ryan and I have discovered that Jazzmine, my mom's cat who we cat sit for often, is stupid. At first we didn't realize it - we just thought she was cute and cuddly. But as we spend more and more time with her, it is more apparent that she's not the sharpest pencil in the protector. But she is happy - and she doesn't claw the furniture, so no harm no foul.

This morning Kristin and I went for a nice mellow ride. The fog lifted by the end of the ride so we stopped at Starbucks in Leschi and drank some java in the sun. It felt really good. Our ride was really mellow - she's afraid of the down hill but is a natural on the uphill. I have a lot to teach her - including how to get off the bike without falling over. :)

After three days of riding, the achilles is requesting a break. Tomorrow's day off couldn't be timed any better. I am afraid with my work ethic and high pain threshold I risk over doing it - but if I play it smart and listen carefully to my body then I'll avoid additional injuries. 2 more weeks, max, of this baby shit and I'll be on my way.

Trying to locate a par of Easton Carbon Clip On Aero Bars that's compatible with my EC90 Equipe is proving difficult. I'm finding it hard to locate a shop that has it in Seattle. Most of them claim there isn't a clip on aero bar that works with the carbon bars, but Easton says otherwise. Still searching....

Groupie

It was a nice mellow ride today - with a few exceptions. The explosive power you taught me is going to blow the competition out of the water, especially at the lower level competition. I found a work buddy - Melanie - who is a strong climber (she rides 650s and is short). As long as I sit on her wheel, I can follow her up anything and we smoke past people. We're trying to work it where she sets the strong tempo up the hills and I pull her screaming downhill. I want to teach her the power stroke so she and I can just claim permanent podium status. Ha! (I know, a little cocky today.) The only difficulty is that she has a hard time getting on my wheel. I'm thinking maybe it's the 650s?

On a side note - the achilles wasn't too upset with me today. I'm glad I only rode for 2 hours - anything more may have caused issues. I'm now debating about racing next weekend. What do you think?

"Good Job!"

this guy yelled out of his car while giving me a thumbs up from as he peeled off to get on 520 East in the arboretum. I crested the hill, smiling inward and outwardly to his comment. That unsolicited compliment made my day.

I tested the legs - but was careful not to overdue it. I caught a draft behind a large man coming back from Seward- turns out he's getting ready for Chilly Hilly. It felt good, real good. My ride was short - but productive. Where's that training plan?

Tiger Balm is my hero

Sure it stinks - but if it makes it feel better then why not? I smell like a medicine cabinet.

Went for a 1.5 hour ride yesterday with Kristin - and my achilles is feeling much better! Boy am I stoked about that one. Still taking the Vitamin I - and tomorrow is day 10. Looking forward to getting off of it. I was able to maintain an average cadence of 81 - not bad with all considering. But still have a little ways to go.

You up for riding Sat?

On the UP

Ryan took me climbing tonight and I was able to do the same level of difficulty as before without any issues of the achilles. But that could have been masked by the friggin' pain in my back from lifting off the rocket box solo. It was ackward and bulky and I hucked it around without thinking and tweaked it. Hopefully a solid night rest will do the trick. Lord knows I don't need anymore vitamin I pumping through my body.

Tomorrow morning I'm going on a ride with Kristin - something mellow and up the Burke Gilman. She twisted my arm. Should be fun - nothing close to getting back on the bike Saturday.

Feeling Better!

So Kristin bought a bike this weekend and I promised her I would take her out to show her the basics. We headed down to Leschi to do a flat ride - and the achilles is feeling better. I went really slow - and got some blood pumping to the tendon. Afterward I felt amazing. My tendon felt fine and so I decided to go swimming later in the afternoon. Last Friday when I went swimming, my tendon was pretty tender when pushing off the end of the pool but today I was able to push off with no issues. I'm healing!!! Taking all that time off has really paid off. I am taking the week off till Sat - as you and Ryan both suggested for hopes at full recovery. My only worry is loss of fitness level. I should hopefully be able to gain that back fairly quickly and will be on the podium before I know it.

Going crazy

This nice weather is killing me. Even if it were a down pour outside I would still be down. I miss riding so much - but I know that it's the last thing I should do. The swimming pool is closed today. Lame.

Million Dollar Heartache

We went tonight to see Million Dollar Baby. I cried, hard. Ryan and I just held one another afterward in how close my life was to that movie. It makes my tear ducts well up thinking about it. It easily could have happened to me - some freak accident while in the ring. Things are so intense, going at such speed and power that all it takes is a moment.

I admire her character. Her vitality was amazing. She had such a radiance - such a will to do what her heart screamed at her to do and no one could tell her otherwise. I have felt that - it rocks you to the bone. It makes champions - but only if you are willing to risk everything. And that is not an understatement. EVERYTHING.

So for life to move on - for my coaches to move away and my desire to pursue boxing dwindled, I think I'm finally ok with that. I have always felt some regret for stopping -it consumed my world for 3 solid years. I lived it, breathed it, dreamt boxing. But seeing that movie tonight, and the very real possiblity of getting seriously injured increasing tenfold each time I stepped between the ropes..... well I am thankful. I lost some blood, but not much and I almost broke my nose, but didn't. And I most certainly did not lose my sanity, not even close. But I could taste it.

I missed the drive, the connection, the passion of a sport. For 3 years I felt lost. Until recently. I have a feeling in my gut that cycling will be my next milestone. And this time, I am not going to let go.

Healing

I went for a 90 minute massage yesterday - it felt so good. Can't wait till the next one! Only 3 more weeks. And come to think of it, next time I go I should be completely healed. The tendon is feeling better. I am able to put a little more weight on it then before. I am doing a tad more intense accentrics and should be progressing toward single leg ones soon enough. The weather has been amazing - which really lifts the spirits. I am really looking forward to getting back on the bike again. Only 6 more days till my assessment. I'm practically counting down the minutes.

A positive spin on the old injury - my dog is getting in shape! I now have more time to devote to her walks and she's looking less like a plump piece of furniture. Soon she'll be the sexiest bitch on the block. LOL.

Swimmin'

Dipped into the pool this morning for the first time in months. It all came back the minute my toes touched the water. I free styled for 45 minutes - taking care not to kick too violently. My achilles felt good - no pain or creaking although it is still tender. And yes, I'm taking ibuprofen three times daily. We made this awesome butternut squash lasagna last night... mmmm leftovers.

I also talked to Jill last night. She admitted feeling super intimidated with the upcoming racing season and doubts her own riding skills. I know she can ride - I've riden right next to her, behind her, in front of her, etc - but she gets this little voice of doubt whispering in her ear and one must tread lightly in what is said or catastrophy may happen. I'm trying to put a finger on it - it seems she needs constant confirmation of why she's racing. I'm finding that the best thing to do is just be supportive and possitive and she'll talk herself into that happy place. Maybe I should remind her of what she said in November for her bio: To keep from causing major pile ups. Ok, seriously, to become an upcoming and serious threat to the current field of Master’s riders.

pep talk

thank you for that. it's just what i needed. now that what you said has sunk in, i'm going to sit back and relax and enjoy some time off. i scheduled a 90 minute massage for friday, and will chill out the rest of today. maybe i'll go swimming tomorrow - but there's no rush. deep sigh. mmmmmm......ahhhhhhhhh.

i know what i can do to kill time - imagine what it will feel like on the podium! it was nice to be reminded of my long term strategy - i seemed to have lost sight of it this past week. but there it is - bigger and clearer than ever.

word of the month: ambitious
-having a strong desire for success or achievement; requiring full use of your abilities or resources; "ambitious schedule"; "performed the most challenging task without a mistake"

Slow and steady

I took Makiah for a walk this morning and my achilles felt better - although I have a ways to go. I'm taking it easy another day - before jumping back on the trainer. Trying to keep the chin up.

the results are in!

Well the achilles is strained but recovery will be short and sweet. As long as I do my recovery time wisely the next few weeks, I will be solid for mid March. Yeah! Erik gave me a laundry list of things to do and what not to do. The most important thing to do is not over do it. Although antsy and excited for the upcoming season, I need to relax and take things slow. Chances are I'm overtrained for the season anyway. Maybe this achilles injury was a good thing in the long run.

I can get back on the bike trainer tomorrow - without clipping in and a low cadence for about 1/2 hour. I also have some strength training for my calves and achilles. A couple of weeks and I should be good to go.

achilles injury....

I'm going to see Erik Moen today to find out how severly I may have injured my achilles tendon. Apparently this is a common injury for cyclists and can cause further complications down the line if ignored. I'm bummed. Ryan and I are quite a pair - he with his hamstring and I with my achilles. At least we are both in pain on this wonderful Valentine's day!

I have taken the last two days off. I sat on the couch, alternating every twenty minutes of freezing my heel off while reading a book. It's hard just to sit still. But I know time put in now toward recovery will speed up the healing process.

Week in review and today's ride

Had a wet but good ride this morning. Feeling strong - although my achiellleses (sp?) is sore. Perhaps I over stretched it during yoga? Lame.

Total ride time for Feb 6-12 14:51 miles 209.4
Sun 41.6 miles 2:57 avg bpm 132
Mon 24.2 miles 1:45 avg bpm 125
Tues 27.9 miles 1:59 avg bpm 141
Wed 29.1 miles 2:01 avg bpm 131
Thurs 13.1 miles :52 avg bpm 135 (sprint/interval workout)
Fri 26 miles 1:43 avg bpm 132
Sat 47.5 miles 3:30 avg bpm 129

Amazing

Today it smelled like spring. I was more than content plodding along on my recovery ride and met up with a fellow from the Aurora team, who in turned hailed down Matt. The same Matt that you know and coach. Small world. Nice fellow.
The team meeting went well. We discussed various strategies - all in a whirl wind of a meeting. It was good. My Sonic anaglogy was brought up and hammered home the value of team dynamics. I think we have a solid team and will do well with one another throughout the years.

TGIF

Awoke this morning to the EEERRRRNNNNNTTTT, EEERRRRNNNNNTTTT, EEERRRRNNNNNTTTT, EEERRRRNNNNNTTTT of my alarm clock. instead of doing the usual snooze, i got up and put on clothes for yoga. in a daze, i drove through the fog to the studio and woke my body up through deep breathing and stretching. i only hacked once - although it was extremely juicy. when is this nonsense going to leave my body?

tonight is our team meeting - although i do have my doubts about it going according to plan. remember last time? an email was sent out at 3 and only melanie showed up so we persisted to drink a bottle of wine between the two of us and ham it up. a little more notice would be nice....

riding today - what else would i do? the weather is nice and my body is managing low aerobic activity with no waverings at all. 20 more minutes and i'm out of here and into the fresh air.

Still feeling it...

Went down to Golden Gardens for the weekly sprint drill solo since Ryan is under the weather. My first form sprint was into the wind and I immediately realized that I am still recovering from being ill. I only completed 4 sprints because my body was screaming at me to stop pushing it. This crud is still infecting my body and I hope I don't relapse. I will be pounding the fluids this evening and dedicate my morning yoga practice to a healthy body.

Still feeling it...

Went to Golden Gardens for some form sprints. This was a true test to see if my body is back to normal - and the result - negative. The crud is still in my lungs and legs... I only did 4 sprints, as after the last one I felt as though my lungs would fall apart. I came home, got warm and promptly took a two hour nap. I hope this isn't a sign that I'm relapsing. Tonight I shall pound fluids and pray for the best.

Thursday

I feel so bad for getting Josh, Molly and Ryan sick. And come to find out, I may have infected Kristin too! Sheesh. How to make it up to them all? Then this morning come to find out that my Ryan has a sore throat. Sucks. I wonder how Cam and Roanne are doing...

Woke up with a little tension in my core from power yoga yesterday morning. Feels good to have sore muscles again. Nice ride yesterday - the sun was out and shining on the Olympics. I went weight training this morning and doing sprints this afternoon. Tomorrow is our rescheduled team meeting. Hopefully it's a go this time....

While watching the Sonics win over New Orleans the other night, I had to admire their team huddle after the game. Apparently this has been happening since the beginning of the season and they have not missed a huddle since. Seems like this has something to do with their winning streak and team participation. I may sugggest we do something like this at our team meeting.

Feeling better!

Finally - a good night's rest and back to the normal routine in the mornings! I am stoked. The cough is almost gone. I was a little sore today in the glutes from yesterday's output. It feels good and it's been awhile since I've been sore. Going for a two hour ride today in the sunshine... looking forward to it as always.

Trying to make sense of it all....

(This was an email I sent Joyce when she expressed serious concern over not being prepared for the upcoming season...)

Regarding your training... As you said, race season is the quickest and surest way to get in great physical shape. Really what's important is your mental toughness. That's what it comes down to in the end - who wants to win more. I experienced this in boxing - and although I didn't have the lowest body fat, or the thickest abs, I knew deep down I wanted it more. I trained like I wanted it more. Sure I made mistakes along the way, which in boxing means a loss of brain cells. But suddenly my jabs and right crosses connected when I wanted them to. That kind of mental toughness is lethal. It knocks people out of competitions. You find out who the true contenders are. And most importantly you learn where you can improve.

When mental strength and physical power coexist in perfect harmony you become unbeatable. When you put your mind to the test, your body obediently follows (hopefully). If it doesn't, then you train more. But one thing remains constant, regardless or training methods, periodization, etc etc... you also have to foster mental strength. One trick that helps me is to keep a journal. I've kept one in all of the sports I've participated in. The most valuable is the boxing one - and I will continue to draw from those experiences for many years to come. From what I understand - you have lots of experiences too... not only from cycling but mountaineering and the dozens of other sports you've played. So when that little voice of doubt creeps into your conscious you can pull from your moments of triumph and persevere.

It's nice knowing that something can challenge you so much - not only physically but mentally. It makes you feel alive and not some cog in the machine. I can't imagine life without knowing it - although scary and daunting at times, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Tempo

Put in a great showing for 2 hours - a hour of which was spent in tempo. It felt really good to get my heart rate up there for a long period of time. I took the fenders off my Kona and was zipping around on it today.

Nice day

Absolutely gorgeous today, especially compared to yesterday. Had a nice mellow, but longer than intended, ride today. Still dealing with a juicy hack.

Check this out:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.25687/dept_id./size.L/qx/product.htm#tm

Click on 71 for available colors and you'll see what I'm talking about.... I think I also saw the helmet.

Team Compliment

From an email by Joyce:

I was going to say this on Friday, but I just can't wait! I'm so amazed by you and really proud to be a part of this team. When I am on the team rides, I feel like each of you ride better than some Cat 2 women (and a few men) that I race against. You are smooth and really strong! Also, I feel like there is a great sense of "team," and I'm so impressed with the way that each of you has dedicated yourselves to getting to know one another and working w/ & trusting each other. Think back to our first meeting in December and now think about how far you've come in your training and how far we've come as a team. Lastly, I want each of you to be confident about your abilities going into the season - every single one of you is ready, whether you feel like it or not, to race and be competitive locally. I have no doubt that we will be a team first, and the results are going to very quickly follow. All of the components are in place, we just need the season to begin!

Drizzle Whizzle Sizzle

WET ride today. Managed to put in a solid 3 hours despite the 1/2" of downpour. I sang to myself to pass the drudgery. Only saw a few other cyclists who share my insanity.

Back in the saddle

Ahhhh... there's nothing like taking a couple of days off the bike and then getting back to it. I felt normal for the first half of the long ride - but then tappered off. Luckily the rest of the group was game for a mellow ride. I didn't sleep too well last night - stinkin' hacking. I'm going to try and get a nap in today before the Hockey game. Ride possibly tomorrow morning with Joyce.

Feeling better!

Although hard to do, taking yesterday off really helped. I am starting to feel better - although now stuffy - my cough is getting juicer. Ha! I am on the upswing of kicking this stinkin' cold. I will go for a walk on my bike today to get some blood pumping and help drain some snot. Yummy!

Groundhogs Day

Unfortunately I did not make it on a ride yesterday, despite the awesome weather. I really wanted to but my body was yearning for rest. My cough has developed into either allergies or a head cold - I'm trying frantically to surpress my coughing with medicine. I didn't sleep well last night - woke up every 4 hours to a coughing fit, only to down more Robotessin. I feel a little medicine-heady today and am contemplating sprints. As hard as it may be for me - I think I need to take the day off again. I hate getting sick. I really, really hate getting sick. (Part of me thinks, I'm fine! I can still exercise and the fresh air will do me good! Then I panic and think, if I don't rest then I may never get better. The wierd part is that I feel 95% - its just this stinkin' cough that's killing me.)

Beautiful day...

It was super nice outside. Although tempting, I did not repeat my previous mistake and under dress. Did the south end loop and home before sunset. Working on cornering and keeping my inside leg tighter to my top tube. I would also to work on cadence - my average is 80.