Running off Frustration

I hadn't done anything body-worthy in a week... and had been battling tummy trubs the whole week as well. I finally felt well enough to tackle some physical exertion and also had some frustrations I thought would mete out from some endorphin release, so I packed up Sat morning and went to the gym for an interval run. So glad I did.

Day - Saturday, 12/29
Run Type - Interval Training
Run Distance - 4.33 miles
Exercise Time - 00:55:00
Run Time - 00:20:00 (10 2-min intervals)
Avg Speed - 4.72 mph
Avg Heart Rate - 157
Time in zone - unknown*
Time above zone - unknown*
Calories burned - 660
Total Running Distance To-Date - 12.08 miles

*I had some issues with my equipment. i.e., dropping my 'pod, forgetting to lap my garmin computer, etc. so this is just lost for this workout. WAH!

Super Sunday

Since I popped my tire on Friday, I went shopping yesterday and got new, thicker, reinforced tires for city riding. While not puncture-proof, they are more resistant. I also bought more tubes and replenished my CO2 supplies. I came home, changed my tires and cleaned my bike with a vengeance. I even cleaned out the caked in muck in my rear derailleur. This morning, I mounted my new Garmin (thanks again Scott and LouAnne!!!!!) and put it to the test. It is really freaking cool. It has a workouts function, so I installed the software, customized a new workout file based upon the one-hour Carmichael intervals I've been working on, then uploaded it to the bike computer. I geared up - got on and told it I wanted to start and it tells me when my "lap" is done - SO easy and no real thinking involved, just watch TV and try not to die of a heartattack! :)

Day - Sunday, 12/23
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 13.32 miles
Ride Length - 1:00:00
Avg Speed - 13.3 mph
Avg Cadence - 89.7
Avg Heart Rate - 152
Time above zone - 00:30:00*
Time in zone - 0:24:00*
Calories burned - 853
Total Training Distance To-Date: 398.6 miles

*the new Garmin measures heart rate in more detail, so these are estimates. I need to play around the the Training Center software to figure out how I get real time measurements. It's measuring too complex right now.

Freaky Friday

I was inspired by my run on Monday and thought I would do it again today. I woke up at 5:45 am, lolled around too long as I am want to do in the mornings, then finally motivated to get out of my house by 6:45, on my bike, headed to Gold's SOMA. I climbed on the treadmill by 7:15 and ran intervals again. I did well - it was easier this time, so I ran an additional interval (9 sprints this time instead of 8 as on Monday).

I showered at the gym (something I HATE doing) and then climbed back on Clyde and headed to work. Around 6th and Brannan, by the 280 on-ramp, I took a screw in my rear tire and popped it. ARGH! I pulled over on 5th and Brannan and began the tube change. I got the tube in, and the tire re-seated and then used my CO2 cartridge to fill the tire - my first time. I pretty much wasted most of the first cartridge due to my mistake in use. WAH. Then with my 2nd and final cartridge, I got the tire inflated. But the tire was mis-seated at the valve point on the rim. I had to bleed about 75% of the air out to reseat it properly. Then I didn't have enough gas in the last cartridge to get me pumped back up. DAMN!

I tried calling a cab but they were busy and said it'd be a while, so I began to walk. At 2nd between Brannan and I think Harrison I caught a cab and had to take the front wheel and the seat post out to get it to fit in the trunk. I try to be good and exercise and the baby Jesus does nothing but shower hate and punishment on me. Why??? WHY??? :)

span >Day - Friday, 12/21
Run Type - Interval Training
Run Distance - 4.0 miles
Run Length - 0:50:30
Avg Speed - 4.8 mph
Avg Heart Rate - 156
Time in zone - unknown
Time above zone - unknown*

* My damned Polar 200CAD cyclometer BROKE on Wednesday, so I didn't have the benefit of my heart rate monitor today. I already bought a new one but it's a different make/model and I haven't charged and installed it yet. So the avg above is per the treadmill computer and I don't really trust it.

** I forgot to enter my weight until about 5 mins had passed, so this is slightly understated, but directionally correct.

I told you...

that it was a c-o-n-spiracy. Today, finally, me and my brother embarked on a ride. We were just going to knock out the Lake Merced Loop. We got out to Ocean Beach on the Great Highway before the Look pedal on the rental bike spun off the crankshaft and older brother's left foot was no longer connected to the bike. No accident, no harm, just super annoying. We had to call middle brother to come pick us up and abandon our ride. Oh well - we tried.

Day - Wednesday, 12/18
Ride Type - Road Training
Ride Distance - 7.3 miles
Ride Length - 0:38:37
Avg Speed - 11.4 mph
Avg Cadence - 86
Avg Heart Rate - 154
Time in zone - 00:16:48
Time above zone - 00:19:20
Calories burned - 588
Total Training Distance To-Date: 385.3 miles

At least I got something in....

We tried to get all the moving parts together for a ride late yesterday, but the overcast weather and time got the best of us and we just didn't do it. By the time we picked up my brother's rented road bike, it would have been dark about 20 minutes from the end of our Lake Merced Loop. So we bagged.

Luckily, yesterday morning, I did motivate with middle brother to Gold's SOMA and I put in a run. I haven't run in ANY capacity in quite a while. I am not surprised at how sore parts of my body are. What I am pleasantly surprised over is just how far I went and how well I managed on the intervals DURING the run. Clearly my conditioning on the bike is translating off of it as well - which is quite exciting. Without the biking, the run I did yesterday would have been something I would have had to work up to over a course of probably 4-6 weeks of running 2-3x/week. So that in and of itself is a small victory. I wore my heart rate monitor and took my cyclometer with me - and I ran intervals. I used the Carmichael interval hour I've used a few times thus far on the bike and modified it for the treadmill and then just put in what I could for as long as I could.

Warm up - 6 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (5.5 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (6.0 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (6.5 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (6.8 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (7.0 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 6 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (6.5 mph, 1.0 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (6.8 mph, 0.5 incline)
Recover - 2 mins (3.8 mph, 2.0 incline)
Run - 2 mins (7.0 mph, 0.5 incline)
Cool-down - 10 mins

And here are my stats:

Day - Monday, 12/17
Run Type - Interval Training
Run Distance - 3.75 miles
Run Length - 0:50:34
Avg Speed - 4.5 mph
Avg Heart Rate - 158
Time in zone - 00:18:11
Time above zone - 00:26:12
Calories burned - 766
Total Running Distance To-Date: 3.75 miles

It's a C-O-N-spiracy!!

So lots of different forces are conspiring to keep me off Clyde: Sick brother vomiting upon his arrival from Singapore (but thankfully he's better now!), holiday overeating early due to early family holiday gathering, then this morning, my buddy Liz's back is acting up so she had to bow out, plus it's a bit drizzly. None of these things are really avoidable or changeable, mind you, and I realize that, but it just all sort of sucks. I've been a bit bad this month. Better to slack in December than in May - only one month from the ride - I suppose...

But here's where cross-training comes in handy. I'm going to go off to the SOMA location of Gold's, check it out with my other brother, and run. Should be interesting. Perhaps I can begin to work in one to two days a week at that gym, leaving my house early, riding my bike, working out, showering for work there and then I'll only be like 10 mins from work, if that. That would be nice. Or maybe I could go during lunch? Who knows.

At any rate, the Singapore brother is feeling better and we are to go for a shorter bike ride this afternoon on the Lake Merced Loop (provided it doesn't rain again) - so I will mount Clyde at some point today... And I'll get back on him on Thursday as well for indoor interval training. I guess all is not lost.

Holiday Hooker

I bagged. I went to bed last night with my full indoor training set up all ready to go. Bike in the Trak Stand. Water bottles in their holders. Cycling gear laid out, ready to be pulled on.

5:00 am - beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep
SMACK
5:01 am - "this morning's broadcast brought to you by SleepTrain."
SMACK

I lay awake and thought about it. I'm going to get up. No I'm not. Yes I am. No, I'm beat.

I reset my alarm clock for 6:30 am and rolled over into the delicious warmth and softness that is my bed (ask the only boy who's sleeping in it with me over the past month - he's a fan). And I slept.

Then I was faced with the shame of having to dismantle and put away all my gear and set-up when I woke up. Sad, Mac. I'm lame.

But then in my defense, I have to remember 3 things:

1. I rode an hour of cardio intervals on Tuesday
2. I'm going for the short Lake Merced Loop (20 miles) on Sunday
3. I'm going for on the Tiburon/Paradise Loop (40 miles) on Monday

That's decent, right? Maybe I'll go running at the gym tomorrow. I haven't done that in a while.

Day - Friday, 12/14
Ride Type - BAGGGED Indoor Interval Training
Ride Distance - 0.0 miles
Ride Length - 0:00:00
Avg Speed - 0.0 mph
Avg Cadence - 0
Avg Heart Rate - 68
Time in zone - 00:00:00
Time above zone - 00:00:00
Calories burned - 000
Total Training Distance To-Date: STILL 378.0 miles

Lazy-Assed Weekend

I was awful this past weekend. I shopped, ate, hung out with my dog and my brother's dogs, watched TV, ate, drank, cooked, watched football, ate and hung out with the guy I've been seeing. What's missing you ask? CLYDE!!! No, he wasn't stolen. But I ignored him like a red-headed stepchild this weekend. And today, I paid for it. I did the crazy Chris Carmichael interval training again this morning but didn't feel like I pushed with as much intensity. But that's the price I guess I pay for taking a whole week off. WAH.

Day - Tuesday, 12/11
Ride Type - Indoor Interval Training
Ride Distance - 12.5 miles
Ride Length - 1:00:00
Avg Speed - 12.5 mph
Avg Cadence - 79
Avg Heart Rate - 142
Time in zone - 00:37:56
Time above zone - 00:15:35
Calories burned - 798
Total Training Distance To-Date: 378.0 miles

Intervals

I picked up my first issues of Bicycling magazine over the weekend and have to say, I like it. I found a training article by Chris Carmichael (Carmichael Training Systems) about interval training and about a guy who used this technique with improved nutrition and cross-training and lost a TON of weight. Like over 240 pounds over the course of three years!

So I was going to train anyway this a.m. so figured I'd try his routine. DAMN. It was hard but rewarding. And apparently the manner in which you train your heart in intervals burns calories now AND later... and I like that. :) Here's the routine

6 mins - warm up
1 min - low gear, fast pedal
1 min - recover
1 min - low gear, fast pedal
1 min - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
6 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
2 mins - recover
2 mins - max intensity (high gear, high speed)
8 mins - cool down

total workout - 60 mins

here's my stats:

Day - Tuesday, 12/4
Ride Type - Indoor Interval Training
Ride Distance - 12.9 miles
Ride Length - 1:02:01
Avg Speed - 12.5 mph
Avg Cadence - 79
Avg Heart Rate - 147
Time in zone - 00:37:08
Time above zone - 00:20:25
Calories burned - 877
Total Training Distance To-Date: 365.5 miles

Let's talk cabbage...

I found a cool free bit of code to track my fundraising progress. I've added it to the template and you can see it a little further down on the right hand side, just under my profile details.

I'm off to great start thanks to my new work peeps. They have been so generous. THANK YOU!!!!!! But I'm still only 14.4% of the way to my total goal of $4000.

GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE! :)

And you can do that HERE (<-- link)

The Tiburon (aka Paradise) Loop - FINALLY!

Today I finally rode the Tiburon or Paradise Loop as it is sometimes known. It is similar to the official ALC kick-off training ride I did in late October. Except that ride was 20 miles. Today's was 37 and a good bit hillier! My friend Liz was my companion and guide today and we parked at the Presidio Sports Basement. We rode up some hills (right off the bat, dammit), across the Golden Gate Bridge, down through Sausalito, just a smidge through Mill Valley then a gorgeous loop up and around Tiburon, then back through Mill Valley, doubling back all the way through Sausalito, across the bridge and back to the car.

The loop was a challenge. The hills in and around Tiburon are no joke. But I got a second wind somewhere there and kicked it into high gear and took the rolling hills in a higher gear and basically put on my racing mindset and I kicked some major ass. I felt so good when my wind ran out I found myself yelling at the top of my lungs. I think mostly out of disbelief that I'm on this journey at all.

I began my fundraising efforts in earnest yesterday by emailing everyone in my new firm, requesting donations and citing that if they want an additional last-minute deduction from their 2007 income, to go ahead and donate before 12/31/07. I sent out a short note and also included my rider recap from my roadie experience in 2007 on ALC6. Re-reading my letter brought those familiar goosebumps to my skin and I felt awash in the beauty that I took from that experience. And today, I wore my parking cone orange ALC windbreaker (it was freaking COLD) and when we stopped for coffee before climbing back out of Sausalito, I met some guys who were on the ride last year. It's always nice to meet kindred ALC spirits. :)

At this point I'm rambling and my legs are pretty damned tired. But the hills out of Saus are tough. There are sort of 2 natural resting spots in the midst of 3 "portions" of the climb to the bridge. The first time I did this route, I stopped at each of those spots to regroup before climbing higher. But today - I didn't stop once. I took the entire ride in stride. And no, it wasn't fun. It actually was quite a bitch. And my legs HURT. But I did it. My body and my mind continually surprise me in pleasant ways by showing just how it responds no matter how far I push it.

And something really cool - I maxed out at 29.0 mph on some down-straights. When you're on a bike, that's pretty damned fast and both exhilarating and scary at the same time.

Here's the gist of the route we took. It's really wind-y (as in curvey not lots of wind) and covers too much terrain to get in really close, but it's directionally correct. The squigglies in the upper right corner afforded some ridiculous views.



Day - Saturday, 12/1
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 37.0 miles
Ride Length - 2:55:29
Avg Speed - 12.7 mph
Avg Cadence - 81
Avg Heart Rate - 148
Time in zone - 01:44:11
Time above zone - 1:00:15
Calories burned - 2512
Total Training Distance To-Date: 352.6 miles

Frustrated Friday

I had planned last night to wake up early and train this morning. Something frustrated me a little bit yesterday, so I woke up at 4:55 am still a little cranky. I thought about going back to bed and just scrapping it. I'm so glad I didn't. No, cycling didn't erase the crankiness, but it did help a little. Endorphins are cool!

Day - Friday, 11/30
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 14.0 miles
Ride Length - 1:05:01
Avg Speed - 13.0 mph
Avg Cadence - 78
Avg Heart Rate - 139
Time in zone - 01:00:17
Time below zone - 0:04:44
Calories burned - 828
Total Training Distance To-Date: 315.6 miles

Wobbly Wednesday

So I haven't jumped up on Clyde since last Saturday's awesome ride. Today, my knees complained about it, but I still put in an hour while burning through some junk on my DVR. Time to med-up on Aleve and stretch some.

Day - Wednesday, 11/28
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 13.0 miles
Ride Length - 1:03:21
Avg Speed - 13.0 mph
Avg Cadence - 80
Avg Heart Rate - 134
Time in zone - 0:55:55
Time above zone - 0:00:02
Calories burned - 753
Total Training Distance To-Date: 301.6 miles

Mountain View and Mount Eden

Hullo - I did an official ALC training ride today. I zip-carred down to Mountain View and it was awesome. The weather was great, the people were nice and the ride was fantastic. Getting up over Mount Eden was difficult and invigorating. It is a pretty much steady climb that lasts 7/10 of a mile. But I didn't bitch out. I kept pedaling at a constant rate and made it up. It was incredible. The last part of the ride was pretty flat so we jammed sort of speedily which was great.

Day - Saturday, 11/24
Ride Type - ALC On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 31.6 miles
Ride Length - 2:16:42
Avg Speed - 13.8 mph (this is another good improvement)
Avg Cadence - 78
Avg Heart Rate - 153
Time in zone - 1:19:17
Time above zone - 0:55:56
Calories burned - 2068
Total Training Distance To-Date: 288.6 miles

Cross Train, Cross Train, Cross Train

One of the things I continually hear about is the importance of cross-training in preparation for the Ride. About how important it is to put in time in other physical endeavors beyond just my ass in the saddle of Clyde. So I'm trying to work that in early.

Today - I succeeded in spades. I went with my brother-in-law for a 9:30 a.m. class at Yoga Loft (<-- link). I gotta tell you - my chest and shoulders have always been a bit tight, making lunging twists opening the rib cage a bit challenging. Well, sitting on the bike and NOT doing much yoga have not helped. I have to get a plan to incorporate more yoga. A friend put it well last night pre-turkey. She was saying "spending all the time on my bike in flexion, I crave extension" which is very very important for balance for your body overall. YOGA YOGA YOGA. :)

And then me and my brother went to Sports Basement - which I LOVE - shopped a little and then went to John McLaren Park (<--link) in South San Francisco and knocked some tennis balls around for about an hour and 15 minutes. Neither one of us was as good as the last time we messed around but, it was more exercise, more time outside and some fun time spent with my brother. So all around- good!

So I feel like I successfully met my goal of cross training at least for today. Now I've got to go pack up my gear and get ready. I've rented ZipCar for tomorrow and will be on the road by 9:30 am headed to Mountain View. We have a ride tomorrow, rolling out 11:00 am for 33 miles. Should be a bit of a challenge, especially with my left knee cranking out a little bit post-tennis.

Ambitious Wednesday

JT rolled up to my front door on her "city bike" ;0) at 6:15am today and we put out the Lake Merced Loop. CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY. Thank god I found some running tights and that I also purchased sleeves last weekend. Um - and now I understand the need for toe covers. I hate that I will have to visit Sports Basement this weekend. Yeah, not really. I freaking LOVE that place.

Day - Wednesday, 11/21
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 20.9 miles
Ride Length - 1:40:37
Avg Speed - 12.5 mph (this is good improvement)
Avg Cadence - 84 (this rocks!)
Avg Heart Rate - 148
Time in zone - 1:01:56
Time above zone - 0:35:38
Calories burned - 1435
Total Training Distance To-Date: 257.0 miles

5:00 am - Not so much fun...

So here I am - up at the ass-crack of dawn again to get on my trainer. I have to say that although I am proud of myself for increasing my frequency of mounting Clyde (get used to it, I'm going to make lame sexual references to my bike from time to time...why else would I have given it a dude's name?); however, the early early morning stuff is not so much fun. Again, since I'm on the blackburn, I have limited data to report back out but I'm going to wear the heart rate monitor and see if I can at least use that feature independently.

Day - Tuesday, 11/20
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 11.5 miles*
Ride Length - 1:00:38
Avg Speed - 11.5*
Avg Cadence - 77
Avg Heart Rate - 140
Time in zone - 0:54:17
Calories burned - 785
Total Training Distance To-Date: 236.1 miles

*This is an estimate, since the speedometer/odometer are on the front fork and therefore cannot measure when I'm in the trainer. I extrapolate the speed and distance based upon distance covered, avg mph and cadence from the past few rides. IE - last ride was 1453 calories, 21.1 miles and 70 avd cad. This ride was a little more than 1/2 the calories, about 1/2 the time and 10% increase in cadence....ergo - the speed estimate and then use that against time for the distance estimate. Anyone got any better suggestions? I'm open (beyond possibly moving my sensors to my back fork?).

Saturday in Oakland

Me and my friend/sis-in-law JT went out to Oakland to join an official ALC training ride on Saturday. Since I don't drive and I'm not all that familiar with Oakland, I'm having some trouble even with the ride sheet and Google Earth building the route map on the real map to post. JT had a hair appointment mid-afternoon. We got squeezed due to the ride starting a little late, some mechanical problems only about a mile into the ride from some other riders and some rather lengthy re-group stops. So we cut out before we got to Alameda and came back across to the lake and our starting point. The ride ended up being 21 rather than 35 miles, but we had the time to procure delicious sammies from the gorgeous new Whole Foods in Oakland and beat weekend Bay Bridge traffic such that JT was able to get back in time to get her hair cut. And her hair is awfully cute, so - all for a great cause. :)

Day - Saturday, 11/17
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 21.1 miles
Ride Length - 2:05:22
Avg Speed - 10.1 mph
Avg Cadence - 70
Avg Heart Rate - 132
Time in zone - 1:23:11
Calories burned - 1453
Total Training Distance To-Date: 224.6 miles

Motivated Thursday!

I rode Clyde pretty hard. And I was up pretty damned early. But I feel great. It's just the burn-out I'll feel at around 9am that sucks. I gotta figure out the optimum food/fuel situation on these early morning training days - I think that's all it is - a "power rut". Learned I missed a damned nutrition seminar at Sports Basement last night. DAMN!


Day - Thursday, 11/15
Ride Type - In-Home Training
Ride Distance - 13.5 miles
Ride Time - 60 minutes
Commute Distance - n/a
Total Distance Today - 13.5 miles
Total Training Distance To-Date: 203.5 miles

Tuesday Training

I gotta get on the Clyde more often. So in that vein, I suited up and rode this a.m. WOO HOO!

Day - Tuesday, 11/13
Ride Type - In-Home Training
Ride Distance - 9.3 miles
Ride Time - 45 minutes
Commute Distance - n/a
Total Distance Today - 9.3 miles
Total Training Distance To-Date: 190.0 miles

Everyone? Clyde. Clyde? Everyone.

One of my brothers has been asking for pictures of Clyde and I have been remiss. So without further ado, to #1 brother and for anyone else who cares - meet Clyde:

Here's a full shot:
Another full shot:
This one came out whonky but it's the rear wheel secured in the Blackburn UltraTrak Stand:
A shot of my hot-ass shoes, cleats and X-1 SpeedPlay "lollipops"
Here's some branding on the rear-wheel stabilizers/struts:
Here's the big gear wheel and Gossamer crank shaft:
And now here are a few more, slightly more interesting photos. I like the curve of the cabling:



And now, I'm all suited up and going to ride this badboy this a.m. while I catch up on last night's episode of Heroes!! Sadly, as my speedometer/odometer sensor is on the front wheel and the front wheel is stationary during indoor training, I won't have as many fancy stats as from Sunday's ride. WAH! Ok Clyde - LET'S RIDE! :)

Ocean Beach and Lake Merced

Today I went on a ride with my new friend and cycling buddy Liz. She's a nurse/midwife and all-around cool chick that I met through my friends/sis-in-laws EPL and JT. She took me on a nice loop from our house (we live in the same 'hood, conveniently enough!), through the panhandle, through Golden Gate Park, up to Ocean Beach and along the ocean, around the Lake Merced Loop and then doubling back home exactly the same way we came. It was awesome. Below are my stats (compliments of my sweet new cyclometer (details in my gear info on the right side over there) and then a couple of pics I took. All in all - a GREAT morning. THANKS LIZ!!!!!

Day - Sunday, 11/11
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 21.0 miles
Ride Length - 1:45:54
Avg Speed - 11.9 mph
Avg Cadence - 76
Avg Heart Rate - 138
Time in zone - 1:10:23
Calories burned - 1339
Total Training Distance To-Date: 180.7 miles

Thanks to GoogleEarth and powerpoint, here's a look at mine and Liz's route today:

A Waterfall in Golden Gate Park

Another view of the same waterfall...

A statue at Lake Merced

South on Sunday

Ok - the weather here is CRAZY good, especially considering it's freaking NOVEMBER. I hear people talk about 48 degree weather in NJ/NY and then I'm outside in shorts and a bike jersey in the 80 degree weather on my bike all morning. Some things just aren't fair! :)

But I got out and rode today. This ride kicked my ASS. Last weekend I did 34 miles, yet I did 7 then was off my bike for about an hour, then I did 20, off my bike for about an hour and then did 7 more. Today was less than that however it was all in one shot, only very short breaks for water and energy snacks. We started out on Canada Road (pronounced cahn-YAH-dah), went through Woodside, Portola Valley, Palo Alto and then back up through Woodside.

Day - Sunday, 11/04
Event - On-Road Training
Event Distance - 30.1 miles
Event Length - 2 hours, 17 minutes
Commute Distance - n/a
Total Distance Today - 30.1 miles
Total Training Distance To-Date: 159.7 miles

I love my Blackburn!

A few weeks ago, I purchased a Blackburn Ultra Track Stand.
It allows me to train indoors and will be a perfect solution when the weather turns grey and rainy (read: already is somewhat grey and rainy). I've already been on it a few times and really like it. This morning I got up bright and early (5:30 am), stretched, popped in a NetFlix DVD and hopped on and rode to no where!

Day - Thursday, 11/01
Event - In-Home Training
Event Distance - 9.0 miles
Event Length - 45 minutes
Commute Distance - n/a
Total Distance Today - 9.0 miles
Total Training Distance To-Date: 129.6 miles

Now I'm really kicked off!

Yeah - a stupid play on words, but...

Yesterday marked the official training ride kick-off for AIDS LifeCycle 7! This being my first official event with ALC and San Francisco Aids Foundation (SFAF) as a cyclist, I didn't know what to expect. But it was much of the same I came to know as a Roadie last year - friendliness, compassion, team work, love and support.

I got up pretty early for a Sunday, got all geared up and rode 7 miles from my house over to the Sports Basement (only the most awesome sporting goods store in the Bay Area, with several locations to serve you!). We had stretching, some snacks, a safety speech and then were off around 11am.

We rode out of the Presidio, up onto the Golden Gate bridge and across to Marin County. I have to say, if you bike or run or even walk decent distances for enjoyment or exercise, you should really go across the GG at least once. This was my first time outside of a car and the weather was PERFECTION. I only wish I had brought my camera. But I'm still such a newbie that I need all my concentration on the bike itself. Next time!

Then we wound down into Sausalito and into Mill Valley, stopping at a coffee shop that was our mid-way and turn-around point. There's a little bit of a climb up to GGB and it's a slow slope up to the half-way point on the bridge itself. But off the bridge, it's a series of fun downhills into Sausalito. The rest of the way to the coffee shop was relatively flat and lots of fun. However, if you truly double-back, those downhills coming in are hills you must climb going back.

Oh shit - my poor thighs almost burst open. Granted, to most people they are probably not that severe and I imagine in another month or two, they won't seem so bad to me too - but let me say that they were a mental and physical challenge. But I didn't bitch-out. I made it up all three of those hills without walking my bike up a one of them - YAY!!!!

We made it back across the bridge and back to our kick-off site. We hung around and I talked to some people I knew from ALC6 and met some new people too! I met a guy early in the day before ride-out who is a newbie for ALC and we chatted and rode together the whole day. Turns out that he lives directly across the street from me and is also into tennis (which I'm starting to pick back up)... so I've got a new buddy in the hood to sport around with... BONUS!

I'll try to get back often to keep a running log of my training progress and challenges.

Recap -

Day - Sunday, 10/28
Event - ALC7 Kick-Off Training Ride
Event Distance - 19.7 miles
Commute Distance - 14 miles
Total Distance Today - 33.7 miles (longest to-date!)
Total Training Distance To-Date: 120.6

Last year as a Roadie I had the option of raising money at my own discretion. I did raise money - a total of $2490 - WOO HOO! This year as a cyclist, I have a $2500 minimum and have made my personal goal $4000.

TO DONATE TO THIS WORTHY CAUSE - PLEASE VISIT MY FUNDRAISING HOMEPAGE