I keep trying to get skinny :)

So I spun for an hour tonight. I had to get some miles in and some time in the saddle as well.

Day - Wednesday, 5/14
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 15.2 miles
Ride Length - 01:00:01
Avg Speed - 15.2 mph
Avg Cadence - 86
Avg Heart Rate - 125
Max Heart Rate - 135
Calories burned - 1066
Total Training Distance To-Date: 1239.48 miles

A Letter from My Cycle Buddy

ALC has a position called Cycle Buddy. They are cyclists who have ridden the ride before and who work with the foundation and with their cyclists to answer questions, be a source of support and to generally cheer on the folks who put their asses in the saddle to help end HIV/AIDS.

Here is an email that come out today from my cycle buddy - Kari. Yes, it went to every one of her cyclists that she is "responsible" for. But still, the message is beautiful, and if you had the chance to meet Kari, you'd know that she would mean every word of this. :)

Dear Shawn,

I'm sitting on an oversized window sill, just big enough for my 5'3" self in the ALC office here in SF. Below me and to the left is 6th Street and straight ahead I can see the bustle of Market St. I've stepped away from the computer, from the emails, phone calls, and planning meetings to spend some time, some real time, thinking about what and how you might be feeling right now. I've been remembering all I felt with my first ALC experience and if I were right in front of you now, I'd simply say, "I promise, everything will be just fine. Trust me."

I know I don't have to tell you what day of what month it is as I'm sure you are well aware of the "just-around-the-corner" arrival of June and what it means to you, of all it means to you. If you are anything like I was back then, you might be super nervous and overwhelmed. I clearly remember thinking, "What if I just called in sick to the Ride? Can't I do that?" You may be obsessively checking the packing list wondering how in the world you are going to find time to get everything together. Or maybe you refresh your homepage every five minutes checking for those donations to finally post. Maybe though, if you're an experienced veteran ALC rider who has this whole thing figured out, or you're just one of the lucky ones born with an innate sense of calm, you may just be relaxing, excitedly awaiting Day 1, the skinny dipping spot, the "Cookie Lady", and Bradley.

Whatever the case, whatever stage of this experience you're in, and whatever you feel about this Ride, your ability to do it, your fundraising, or any and all of the above, I challenge you (as if you need another challenge!) to stop everything for just a moment. Clear your mind (if you can), close your eyes, and just sit in "why" ALC is so important to you. Why are you so committed? What about this event, this community, this time in your life moves you into action? Who were you when you first signed the registration form and who are you now?

The answers to those questions will act as the greatest of filters for every worry and concern to pass through. They will clean the gunk and grime off the "have to's" and "should's" and "what have I done's". Keeping your focus on the purpose (whatever that is for you) will enable this Ride, this experience, and the people you come in contact with to transform you. The details, the seemingly millions of little "i's" to dot and "t's" to cross will become possible.

I know how you feel. I truly do and I'm writing today simply to remind you of the incredible person you are to take on this challenge. You can do this. But even more importantly, you ARE doing this. Everything up until now is part of the whole. You are part of the whole. When I think about "why" I do the work I do here at ALC, "you" are one of my answers. Thank you for meaning so much to me.

May your purpose be the tailwind pushing strongly at your back.

Here's to a fantastic ride!

Your forever devoted Cycle Buddy,

Happy Valentime's Day

Yes, I know I misspelled it. It's one of those common misspoken items, like "supposably" or "for all intensive purposes". Whatever.

Still on track, fuckers. And I broke the 500 mile mark. I figure I'll break 1500 by the time June 1 rolls around.

Day - Thursday, 2/14
Ride Type - Indoor Training
Ride Distance - 13.24 miles
Ride Length - 1:00:00
Avg Speed - 13.2 mph
Avg Cadence - 93.8 (AWESOME!)
Avg Heart Rate - 150
Calories burned - 851
Total Training Distance To-Date: 509.84 miles

Super Sunday!

I know - I can hardly believe it too, but I actually rode three times this week, twice on-road and two days IN A ROW - WOOT WOOT! I am back on track with a vengeance. Today we took it easy, but me, JT, EPL and Danny took on the easey-peasey-japanesey Lake Merced Loop. Nothing major, but still - more time in the saddle. And with the ride only about 3.5 months away, that's the name of the game!!!

Day - Sunday, 2/10
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 21.48 miles
Ride Length - 1:55:48
Avg Speed - 11.2 mph
Avg Cadence - 76
Avg Heart Rate - 131
Calories burned - 1424
Total Training Distance To-Date: 496.6 miles

Sassy Saturday

The weather was finally something worth writing home about this weekend, instead of the pissing rain that we've been dealing with over the past month to six weeks. THANK GOD!

To celebrate, I think I did what lots did... I vowed to get outside and see the sun and do something sporty. Of course, that had to involve Clyde. So me and two of the lesbians went on an ALC training ride in South Bay - in Palo Alto, through Woodside, down Canada Road to Sawyer Camp, then doubled back exactly the way we came. Met some great new peeps, including a really handsome man who lives in San Jose who has a really nice tush - I should know as I rode behind it for about 30 minutes. YUM! :)

Here's my deets...

Day - Saturday, 2/9
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 36.42 miles
Ride Length - 2:40:11
Avg Speed - 13.6 mph
Avg Cadence - 80
Avg Heart Rate - 151
Calories burned - 2542
Total Training Distance To-Date: 475.1 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.

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