Wiggle

The Wiggle: A zig zagging bike route in San Francisco that will take you to the Pan Handle (which will drop you into Golden Gate Park) and it will graciously take you there sans hills.

I heart the wiggle.

It's part of my warm up. It's really popular with cyclists in the city. It's extremely popular with the hipster/hippie cyclists. I feel like such an asshole clipping in and out next to them, decked out in Pearl Izumi gear and they're just rocking back and forth, lookin' so cool on their fixie bikes.

Is that not outrageous? I actually feel self conscious because I think the fixie riders are judging me for being a jock. I suppose some things will never change ;)

Beware

Due to a stomach flu last week, I pretty much spent M-Sa of last week in my bed watching Netflix movies on my laptop. After lots of rest and a lot of movies, I went on a ride yesterday (in my fab new beer jersey). Did an easy 12 miles in the city, just to see strength wise were I was at. The ride was fun - and I decided to do my usual 20 mile city ride the next day.

The ride felt great. Loved being back out there, it felt so good to move again. But, today I came across something even more dangerous than a tourist with a rented bike: the mini van Moms. The Peninsula women who are shopping in the city and attempting to navigate San Francisco. I almost got hit several times today. One mini van was really close, and I actually screamed and cussed out the woman. Honestly, she was trying to turn the wrong way on a one way street - if anything, people should be thankful I swore at her.

I will try harder to wake up earlier and ride when no one is driving. I think that's kinda the only solution here.

Thank You Santa!

A big thanks to St. Nick for the Mike's Bikes gift card. I acquired some much needed clothing, including this amazing Anchor Steam bike jersey. Which is actually a boy's jersey. Whatever, I'm a cross dressing cyclist - but I have a long torso and the girls' stuff doesn't fit all the time. Also acquired was a highlighter green jacket - that will be great for biking trips to and from work when it starts to dark. And finally a pair of bike pants. And a new pair of argyle socks :)

Joyeux Noel!

One of my favorite things to do on Christmas Day (after opening gifts) - is to go for a run. It's sort of a tradition in my family. Running in the cold is not for everyone - but I love it. If you feel the desire to get out there this holiday, treat yourself to a three mile run if you'd like. Besides, it just means you can have extra chocolate :)

Happy Holidays to All!

Helpful Tips for Healthy Lives :)

Recently watched a documentary on the growing obesity issue within the US. I'm by no means an expert on nutrition - I have a B.A in History, and my work experience is all sales based in high tech companies. But I do feel very passionate about this subject and try to read up on it and educate myself on the basics. Whether you're trying to lose weight, maintain, or just incorporate more vegetables in your life - here are some basics that everyone can follow:

1. Keep variation in your diet

2. Pay attention to the portion size

3. Read the nutrition label

4. Exercise regularly

5. Limit saturated fats and refined sugars

Why these are important:

#1 - Variety in diet helps provide our bodies with the different vitamins/nutrients we need on a daily basis to stay healthy.

#2 - Did you know that a New York style bagel is actually 3-4 portions of grains/breads? It's the equivalent of eating almost 4 slices of bread. Don't over do it.

#3 - This will identify the portion size, caloric intake, and let you know how much protein, carbs, fiber, etc is in your food. I was surprised that Almond Milk only had 2 grams of protein per serving once I looked closely at it.

#4 - Your body was built for you to move and use it - so use it!

#5 - Your body doesn't need saturated fat. And it can become addicted to refined sugars. So use sparingly.

Hayes Valley

Nice quick run in the rain today. Still logging miles every week and focusing on strength & conditioning, but I think it's going to take me until late January - early February to start putting up big miles again. Love running Hayes valley. I want to run Bay to Breakers again in 2011, and this is great practice for it.

Spin Class

Recently took my first spin class. A tip to anyone who signs up for any new exercise class: talk to the instructor prior to the class start. Had I done this, I would have had a much better start to spinning.

At the bottom of the monitor for the bike, is a leveler that controls the gears. I was unaware of this. I was also unaware that I was in the 17th gear. The only thing I was aware of, was that I was sucking ass at spin class. Because everyone else was whizzing along meeting the 110 RPM, while I was dying at 85 RPM.

I finally threw my arm up in the air and called out "HELP" to the spinning instructor. Which was embarrassing, because everyone sort of starred at me, but at that point, I didn't care - I just wanted to be able to breathe again. Two minute tutorial later, I was spinning quite nicely. Turns out it's easier to get to 110RPM when you're in the 10th gear.

Ended up loving it! I'd like to start going more frequently, especially since it appears we're in for a very wet winter.

Pictures from My Rides

Procrastination wins again --- photos from my training rides around the city. Enjoy!

TRX!

I am hesitant to even reveal this, for fear of failure, but here it goes: I signed up to become certified as a TRX instructor. I'm super excited & super nervous. And honestly, I know it's a great work out and everything, and that being certified in it will be a huge help - but what I'm really excited about? If I teach the classes, I get to pick the music. Wish me luck!

Working Lunch

Did a nice rolling 7.5 mile run on my lunch break today. I thought it was more around 8 until I came back to my desk and checked my mileage on Map My Run. It was a nice way to break up the work day. I'm fortunate to have a locker room and shower in my building, I know for some people they don't always have that option.

I'm starting to plan out my competitions for this spring, so far it looks like: Napa Vintage Triathlon (half iron distance) in April and the Paso Robles Century Ride in May. Is it coincidence that both events are in amazing wine counties? No... that was planned :) Also would LOVE to do an Alcatraz tri in June --- they book fast though, so we'll see.

Pain is Temporary - Pride is Forver

Hats off to Tony who completed the grueling 50 mile trail run hosted by Northface in the headlands. Above is Tony and his group of pacers after crossing the finish line. We took turns getting Tony from mile 27 to the finish. Kate took the first shift and helped push Tony up the horrible Steep Ravine trail. Kevin was next and did the 16 miles from Bootjack to Tennesse Valley. It was then my turn to take Tony from 46 to 51. At that point night had set in, so I got to wear the headlamp. Very cute.

I love spectating at events! My all time favorite thing to do (besides make posters like the one above), is to pull a car up next to the race and blast Eye of the Tiger for the race participants. I like to mix it up with Gonna Fly Now (Rocky 2 song), and Born to Run.

It was very inspiring to see these athletes gut it out and fight hard to the end. You don't feel great after 26.2 miles, I can't imagine getting to 30 miles and still have 20 more to go. Especially when it was raining and cold like this weekend. There were definitely runners out there that you could tell were in pain, but they were too focused on finishing to stop. Very glad I could be a part of it and proud of everyone who was out there. Tony finished the race with a time of 12:30.

Holidays

Ok!

Officially in the holiday season. I am determined to not get derailed in my training. Last week was a bit light, but I snuck in a few work outs while still enjoying festivities.

Did the spin bike yesterday and 60 minutes of interval weight training yesterday. Going back to the spin bike today, and more interval training tomorrow. I desperately need to get my tires replaced on my bike so that I can start riding to work again (and seriously, it does save money) and go back to Saturday AM rides. And next Monday I start bootcamp. Of course I pick the night the Patriots are playing MNF to start bootcamp, but I suppose that just helps with the whole, staying on track thing.

I am determined to be in a good place come mid January when real training begins.

Ultra Running

The North Face Endurance Challenge is rapidly approaching. It's a series of long distance running events offered over two days - the challenge has a few locations and one of them is in the Marin Headlands. You have the pleasure of selecting a 50 miler, 50k, marathon, half marathon, or marathon relay. My friend Kate did the 50k (32 miles) two years ago, this year, our friend Tony is doing the 50 miler in hopes to secure a spot for himself in the 2012 Western States race.

To help Tony prep for his race day - the three of us did a trail run on Sunday just shy of 16 miles. We covered all our favorite trails: Troop 80, Alice Eastwood, Bootjack, Sun Trail, Dipsea. And some new trails: Heather Cutoff, Lost Trail, Fern trail. It's been raining like crazy in the bay area (which means snow in Tahoe) so the trails were nice and muddy ... and wet. So it was a bit tricky coming down a few of the switchbacks, but it was also beautiful because the waterfalls & creeks were going full force. Fern trail might be my new favorite trail.

Highlights of the Day:

1. Tony clapping & making weird noises at the coyote to scare him off the trail.

2. Kate swearing she could clear the creek (that Tony had barely just cleared - and he's over 6 ft tall) and missing it by two feet.

Also - if you have a friend who is registered for an upcoming race, joining that person for their training runs/rides/swims, is a great way to get a good work out in with some company. You don't necessarily have to be doing the same race to train together. Plus going out for group burritos post run is always a good time :)

Staying with It

Biked to work today and it felt good. Really don't feel as beat up as I usually do after a marathon, and feel 10x better than I did after Tahoe. IM training doesn't really start til mid January. That's when I'll do the back to back Saturday-Sunday work outs, brick workouts during the week, and really increase my cycling miles. For now I need to start doing crunches and lifting weights. And get back in the pool. My core is not nearly as strong as it used to be, and my biceps appear to be shrinking.

Holidays are a great time to indulge and relax, but I'm still working off my October indulgences. I don't want January to arrive and start training when I'm out of shape.

Numero Cinco!

I registered for this marathon back in August. I planned on dropping down to the 25k race, but the thought of going an entire year with out running a marathon really bothered me. So I said to hell with it, I'm going to run this thing.

As you can see by the course map above, this is no easy race. It's brutal. You literally start on the beach (sea level) then run up the west side of Mt. Tam. Only to immediately drop down it, and run right back up it on the south side. It's cruel & unusual.

I actually felt pretty good running it. It's all trail, so completely different from a road race. There were times where I felt guilty for not pushing harder and going faster, but I spent the majority of the day running on the edge of the cliff, so I thought it safer to take it easy. So many runners who were in the lead had blood on them & ripped clothing. A one point I thought, this is a marathon of carnage.

I came in 4th for my age group. Total time was 5:21. First trail marathon & first time completing an Envirosports marathon. It was my fifth marathon - insane that I've decided to torture myself like this so many times.

A Word on Safety

Recently on a ride home from work, my tires got stuck (thank you cable car tracks) and I ate it hard. Yes, I had a minor concussion, but I basically walked away from it with a few cuts and bruises. I wasn't even going that fast maybe 10 mph, but it was still harsh & I actually freaked out people on the sidewalk. They kind of all came over to me, asking in very concerned voices, "Are you okay?"

My reply: Yea, I'm fine, it's a good thing I'm wearing a helmet.

Had that not been the case, I'd have needed stitches and would have had a nasty head injury. So PLEASE WEAR YOUR HELMET! Just because you're not going on a long ride, mountain biking, or going down some huge downhill, doesn't mean something unexpected might not happen. If you break your arm, it will mend, you get another chance. If you break your head, that same rule doesn't always apply.

Tam .... Again

Hit up Mt Tam again this wknd. I met up with my friend who is training for the NorthFace 50 Endurance Run. His plan was to run 25 miles - I met him at mile 12 in Mill Valley. We did mostly single track & a few fire roads and ended up running down into Muir Woods. Run went pretty well despite the pouring rain. FYI if you run with a hat on, be extra careful. Not fun to run face first into low branches. Especially when there's a group of tourists nearby taking pictures of Redwood trees.

I had planned on resting on Sunday - but - it ended up being warm & sunny. And I wanted to take advantage of it since it's been rainining for days. Went on a 22 mile ride in the city. Visibility was awesome & got some great pics of the city (coming soon).

Hope everyone had a good Halloween!!

Cookies & Beer

It's been almost a month since I did the events in Tahoe. And in that time, I have been eating donuts, cookies, cake, nachos, a lot of beer, and a lot of wine. My dinner last night was cookies & beer. And I think that was hitting rock bottom.

The time of gluttony is over. One alcoholic drink per day & one dessert a week. Those really are the guidelines you should follow (unless you're a guy, you can have two drinks a day). If you want to perform well at competitions, you can't rely only on your training. Proper nutrition & fuel are key factors in your performance. Wish me luck in sugar withdrawl.

Lesson #3

C.S. Lewis told us that Experience is the most brutual teacher of all but by God, you will learn. I've been training & participating in endurance sports since Fall 2007 and I have to say, I'm still constantly learning from my experiences on how to improve for the next time around. My first major lesson was learning to not over train and investing in sneakers that can actually support you. It taught me to cross train & realize when you want to do an endurance event - what you wear, really matters, it's not a 3 mile jog. Second major lesson - nutrition. Eating well, makes you perform well. Food is fuel & muscle recovery.

Third huge lesson - stretching & massage. I've been a lot better with stretching (I was horrible in this area until the last two months) but I never get massages. I've been told to by other athletes, my physical therapist, etc, to go once a month. It wasn't until I was practically wimpering & crying on the massage table this weekend I realized how crucial it is. I'm used to my IT bands hurting when I get a deep tissue.... but it felt like my neck had muscle growth spurts or something. Like, it was lumpy, and it was painful.

So - if you're training for something that's longer than 90 minutes, please learn from my experience & take care of your tissues! Trust me, you don't want lumpy sore neck.

Beating the Traffic

Having gotten overly excited for fleet week & the Blue Angels, I went all out last weekend in SF. And way over budget. I reasoned to myself on Sunday morning brunch, that to make up for this, I would bike home M-Th to make up some of the expense.

I found a short direct route from work to home (12 miles) that has a good climb halfway through the ride. It's about 45minutes door to door. I saved $35 & still had challenging work outs while not over doing it since I'm technically still in the resting month post Tahoe.
Great week for it too- crazy Indian summer in CA!!

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then Rest afterwards"

Went for a ride this Saturday - just a small 10-12 mile ride. At mile 2, I was wishing I had stayed on the couch. I had no idea how much that weekend took out of me until I got on that bike. There isn't any pain, it just feels like I can't move... it's like my legs are made of cement. I've felt fatigued the last few days, and I was in bed at 11 PM both Friday and Saturday nights. To me, this is the second to most worst part of endurance events (first being the nauseau you get hit with after finishing). Being so tired you can't move or even will yourself to do anything.

On Sunday I made the decision to not go forward with the marathon I had registered for. I can drop down to the 25k and still have a good time. It's not the actual event or time spent doing the marathon - it's the recovery. I absolutely hate being tired like this, and I don't want to repeat it in a few weeks. Or push too hard when I'm not fully recovered.

Since I was 23, I always did a spring & winter marathon. And I haven't completed one in almost a year - feels so weird!

Athlinks

www.athlinks.com

If you have ever competed in race or tri, etc, you should look up your results on Athlinks. It's like Facebook for competitors. You can track your race results, view dashboards, and grade yourself. Not all races make it on to Athlinks (small local races) but the majority should be on there. Great way to connect with folks you chatted with on the race course too.

Pics

2010: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=61945&BIB=1349&S=230&PWD=


vs

2008: http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=41286&BIB=1423&LNSEARCH=1&PWD=

Lake Tahoe Half Marathon in 2008, was truly a fucking miserable experience. Not that running 13.1 miles after Bike Around the Lake wasn't difficult... but you can see on my face in in '08 how miserable it was! Hot, sunny, and no oxygen! I only had to learn that lesson once! Wear sunglasses & bring water when running in Tahoe!

Boom!

Looked up the results from the races this weekend. I came in 3rd place for my age group on the bike & 7th for my age group on the run. And 150/590 overall for the half marathon. Pretty excited.

87.6

That's how many miles I put in at Tahoe this weekend. Total time was 8 hours 13 minutes. Here's the break down:

Swim - 1:20, Bike - 4:45, Run- 2:08

You know I did that run in 2008 & my time was 2:48 and I hadn't done any events prior. So to improve by almost an hour after biking 72 miles the day before, it felt damn good. I didn't stop once during the half marathon - not even on Hell Hill. I held my own and just kept going 'til the finish. I felt good through out the whole weekend (okay at mile 62 on the bike, I lost it mentally, and may have had a short conversation with myself out loud) and it's one of the few times I've walked away happy with time & performance. This weekend really just showed me if I can swim, ride, and run Tahoe at these distances, temperature, and altitude, I sure as hell can do 140.6 in Lake Placid. I'm calling it now that I will most likely cry at the finish line that night. I choked up seeing 2:08!

My legs are tired, depleted, sore and swollen. My upper body hurts and I badly need a massage. R&R for the next week. I wanted to do the Bridge to Bridge 12k on the 3rd but the thought of waking up to go to another competition (after three days in a row) .... um pass, thank you very much.

Finally!

I finally learned how to change a bike tire. Yes, it was months of procrastination, but I finally did it. And the only reason why I forced myself to do it now is because no cyclist is going to stop and help me if I get a flat on the course. And I got a flat the other week in San Jose. A friend had to pick me up and take me to Performance Bike to get it changed. Yes, that was hitting rock bottom and admitting, I have paid over $2k towards this thing and I don't even know how to take care of it.

Packing an insane amount of gear & clothes for this weekend! Bike, helmet, wetsuit, goggles, speedo, energy gels, 4 water bottles, bike outfit, running outfit, sunblock, chamoise butter, KT tape, asics, bike lock, bike pump ..... and I'm bringing the foam roller to roll out my IT bands.

Can't wait!

Tapered _ Out

So ready to get to Tahoe and just do the damn thing. I'm rested and ready & I'm starting to feel like a slug. I went on a ride this morning and even though I was rained on the second half, it was so nice. I've barely worked out in the last week - at first it was nice, since I had the unpleasantness of a couple muscle spasms in my back - but now I feel sluggish and lazy and just want to sweat & move. I know that when I'm at 6800 feet in the sun & climbing on the bike for 72 miles, I'm going to be glad my legs aren't tired, but ugh I feel gross. I actually looked up local Boot Camp classes and then realized that is just ridiculous. Hopefully half hours of cross training on Monday and Tuesday will hold me over.

The Loin

The Loin - Tenderloin that is. It's a neighborhood here in SF known for it's wonderful habitants of crackheads, drug dealers, prostitutes, homeless, and in general, foul looking creatures. I swear to God once I saw a woman who looked exactly like the creature from Lord of the Rings - the one who always says "My Precious".

Anyways, I always ride through here because it's the most bike friendly/conveinent way for me to get to the other side of the city. Sometimes it's hard to ride here because of the smell though - those who roll in their fesces and sleep in their urine create such a stench that I have literally gagged on Polk Street before. Last night I was riding through on my way back from PT and stopped at a corner that held the usual Tenderloin suspects and I swear, instantly, in my head I started singing that song "the freaks come out at night"

I have no point here, nor can I relate this to the Ironman or training, but I just thought I'd give everyone a taste of what I see for a few miles in my daily rides. The freaks come out at night...the freaks come out at night

8 Days 'til Tahoe!

In 8 days I will set out to Lake Tahoe to take on the Triple Challenge: 2.5 mile swim, 72 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run. It is very important that I REST and have FRESH muscles for the events.

To be perfectly honest, I am excited and dreading the event at the same time. I hope to God the swim isn't as horrible as I am anticipating. The cycle portion, I'm just going to accept as horrible and God awful, but maybe the downhills will be fun. As far as the run, I think it will be mentally the worst, but at least I can walk parts of it.

But I swear I actually am looking forward to it. It's exciting to compete, even if you know you're not achieving a PR that day, it's just fun to be in it with a group of others. You're competing as individuals, but at the end, you share the same experiences. Whether it's the climb, weather, a difficult course, etc, you all did it and share in that. At the finish line you share stories and agree that, the mud puddle on mile 4 was the nastiest thing Ive ever run through, or holy mother of God didn't you just feel like death on that last hill? It's strange, even though you all came there as individuals, you share this comradeship.

It will be mentally frustrating out there for me, because in all the competitions I've done in 2010, I've blown away my time at every single race. Now I'm going for experience, and to get a sense of how my body will feel, and see where I need to improve. And to see what it's like to compete on a bike.

So while the weekend of torture looms ahead of me, I'll be resting here in San Francisco. That's right - it's the week of taper!! I usually hate tapering, but you know what? After that ride to Mt. Tam, I'm really looking forward to it. In fact, I bought tickets to two plays, RSVPd to a party on Angel Island, and hope to see some of the new documentaries playing at the Roxie. I want fresh legs and no aches and pains (had a few back spasms earlier this month, and I really do not want to chance anything from now til then). I need to focus on rest, proper nutrition, and mentally prep myself for the tough parts of each course. And of course, enjoy all my social activities I have planned out from now til the 23rd.

Skyline Blvd

Finally followed through on something today I've been saying since January - biked from work to the city. I took Skyline Blvd from the Peninsula all the way to Great Highway, and then went up to the Presidio, then down to the bay part of the city. Didn't realize the gain in the first few miles of the ride until I checked the elevation guide on mapmyride - almost 600ft in first 2 miles! Now it makes sense why the first 30 minutes felt like hell...

So it was a bit nerve racking to do the stretch from South San Francisco through Pacifica. I had to go on the highway - it was legal, and signs are up to share the road - but when I realized I was on 35, 280, and the 1, and there was a sign that said "Begin highway", I actually reversed and went back 200 feet. Then realized I had no where to go but the highway, and would have to suck it up for the next mile or two. And it wasn't that bad. Well, the part where the truck wanted to take the exit that I was biking across was bad, but other than that, it was okay.

Definitely had a sense of accomplishment when I saw the City and County of San Francisco sign. And relieved to see the Ocean! I couldn't believe I basically went from SFO airport to the Ocean, yes at one point I almost backed out and I did have to check my iPhone once, but I did it. It's been done, finally, and it was fun to do my usual route in reverse.

So lesson learned, I need to stop procrastinating some things, because once you do it, it really isn't that bad. And it never hurts to go outside your comfort zone once in a while.

Climb and Climb and Climb, then Climb some more!

Mt. Tamalpais - hours to get up, minutes to come down. That was yesterday's ride from the Mission district to the summit of Mt. Tam in Marin County. Myself and four others from MA set out to conquer the 2,600 ft mountain north of the city. Tam is a big recreation spot for those who live in the city & Marin. It's home to trails for runners, hikers, and mountain bikes. Cyclists and cars take on Route 1, Panoramic & Pantoll Roads and if you go down the west side of the mountain, you have your pick of beaches to surf or swim at too.


We all met up at the Bridge and then rode down to Mill Valley. The initial 750 feet were God awful. The ride to Mill Valley was decent and easy, then all of a sudden you're just hit with an instant hill. We stopped at 750 believing we had to be 1000-1200 feet along the way... unfortunately, we thought wrong. I know 2600 feet doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a gradual climb. It's about 7-9 miles depending on where you start from. So you're climbing steadily for hours.


Sun, sunburn, heat, warm water bottle, melting granola bars, neck cramps, covered in dirt & grease, cars trying to rush to the beach, these were just some of the conditions. When we reached the amphitheatre, (there is a theatre built into the mountain) I think I had hit the point in the day where I was no longer in the right state of mind. I remembered that my first trail run started at that amphitheatre. The Mt. Tam Wild Boar 18k trail race - sponsored by Envirosports.

It was in May 2008, and I was such a newbie. I had idea what I was doing. I had no idea what trail running really was. Dave Horning, the race director gives a speech at every race and that day he started by telling us that "you're going to start out, and you're gonna climb and climb, and climb, and just when you think you're done - you're going to climb some more!" Well that was certainly true yesterday. But who would have thought that first trail race would catapult me into so many competitions in the bay area?

Riding by the theater was definitely one of those "whoa, I've come a long way since then" moments. I was probably still hung over from the night before, and most likely had a latte and a bagel with cream cheese (because who doesn't love a stomach full of dairy before an 18k run?), and I think I wore cotton. I ran fast & hard for the first few miles, then had to walk/run, and drank too much at the water station, so then I felt sick.... I was a mess. I swore I never would do it again. The people who sign up for these races are crazy, the people who organize them are crazy, who would construct such a course?!

I ended up running another 4-5 trail runs with Envirosports that year. In 2009 I did maybe a dozen or so more, including Alcatraz. It was my first time on Mt. Tam that day - the Wild Boar run. And since then, I have hiked, cycled, run, and mountain biked all over that thing. It might suck sometimes, but I never feel worse after working out on Mt. Tam. Obviously some learning lessons along the way have helped make the experience more enjoyable!

And yesterday was no different. When we reached the top - views were amazing. The ride down was awesome and well worth the hellish climb. This will be my last long ride before Tahoe - taper is officially starting!

Dipsea Trail

The Dipsea trail lacks mercy. That thing eats you just as bad as the Newton Hills in the Boston Marathon - and it's only 7 miles!!!

Some background on Dipsea:

-The Dipsea Race is the oldest foot race in the US.

-It has a 2,200 ft elevation gain.

-You climb 688 sets of stairs (one way).
-One of the climbs has been named "cardiac hill", another one is "suicide hill".

I got up at 6:50 on Saturday AM (ew) and rode to Mill Valley to meet my friend. After 15 miles on my bike, we stowed it away in his jeep and started the trail. My friend has a reputation for getting us lost on the many Mt. Tam trails. He did not disappoint this weekend.

Three miles off course - we run PCH down to Stinson Beach. Which was beautiful, and I saw a dead shark on the beach, so that was cool too. We found Steep Ravine, jumped on it, took it back up to Dipsea, because I didn't want to miss any of those 688 sets of stairs. By the time we got back to Mill Valley, we were broken. Officially owned by Dipsea. And I still had to ride home. Luckily enough, Tony offered to drive me to the bridge so I wouldn't be forced to climb up from Sausolito.

4.5 hours of running & biking = mass consumptions of food & drink.

Contemplating the Work Out

Something I've struggled with the last three years is recognizing when to stop because I'm walking the fine line of over doing it and recognizing when to stop complaining and just keep on going and endure it. No one feels good having to quit or stop a work out (as I did last night in swimming, and jumped out at 1 mile). No one feels good when you're injured because you over did it either.
I took a look at my training log -

(8/16)
Monday: 1,000 yds - drill & form focus
Tuesday: 7 mile run, 25 min elliptical, 60 minute weight lifting
Wednesday: 4 mile run, lite weights, 22 mile bike ride
Thursday: 3600 yds
Friday: 10 mile bike ride
Saturday: 56 mile bike ride
Sunday: 14 mile run (I ran straight to the smoothie cafe at the end, then walked home)
(8/23)
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 1800 yds

I think I could have kept going to 2500 yds last night, but there was no way I was making it to 3600 pain free. And not a muscle burning pain - a I need to take it easy for 10 days or else risk injury pain.

Tonight I plan on doing my new 22 mile loop. Here are some great motivational quotes for when you want to quit but need to endure the burn:

"Training is what you're doing while you're opponent is sleeping in"

"Suffer the pain of discipline, or suffer the pain of regret"

"Pain is temporary, pride is forever" (my fav)

"No marathon gets easier later. The halfway point marks the end of the beginning."

And let's not forget "Swim 2.4 miles, Bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles .... BRAG FOR LIFE!"

Argyle is so In.

This is kinda funny, because it was so unintentional. Apparently my bike outfit, is a big hit. Cyclists, runners, drivers in passing cars, walkers, etc .... are all telling me that they love what I'm wearing.

A few weeks ago, it was frigid & freezing in San Francisco - big surprise. I haven't purchased tights yet and I only have shorts. I just know from past experiences it's not a good idea to have knees uncovered & seriously it'd just really suck going downhill in 50 degrees. And then I remembered! Yes!

My argyle leg warmers! They cover my knees and lower thighs, and I can easily slip them on and off! Brilliant!

I swear to God I average 2 compliments a ride with these things. And everyone says, "Those are great! Where'd you get them?!" HA - um $2 at a Chinese hardware store in Russian Hill. They're left over from Halloween.

But apparently, a big hit. So unexpected.

City Views

The view you're looking at is from part of last night's ride. And yes, it was actually this clear out. It was sunny in San Francisco yesterday - who knew sun even existed in this little 7x7 city. I was beginning to think SF was turning into a little Seattle. I actually had no intentions on riding last evening, I was going to visit the Zynga peeps (awesome folks who feed the markers of Farmville) after finally going to the bike clinic. Apparently Mike's Bike's is having its megasale and due to high volume of shoppers, clinic was closed.
I did go over to the shop and have them help me with my tires though. As stupid as this is, it's true, I could not successfully pump air into my tires. Neither could my room mate. In fact, the more I tried, I kept letting more air out. It was like, dumb & dumber fix a bike. Hopefully today's lesson at MB's sticks.
With my tires finally firm & pumped, I set out to Crissy Field. I don't like crossing the bridge after 2 PM and the only reason why is because of the winds. So my new thing is to climb up to the bridge, then climb over and up in the Presidio, and coast down to Sea Cliff (pic above). Today I decided to keep going and went up to the Legion of Honor -- I wish I had a digital camera to show everyone how amazing the water, mountains, and bridge looked. Don't be too jealous though because I was swearing and cursing up that hill.

After Sea Cliff I went down Point Lobos road, past the Cliff House, and coasted down by the beach for a bit. Had this not been the nicest day of the summer, I would have froze. Then up to Golden Gate Park, the Pan Handle/Haigh, up to the Castro, then back down the mission. You can see my route here:




Ended up being a great ride that I will for sure repeat. Also made me realize how spoiled we Californians are. Through out the 22 miles of hills and roads I saw the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate park, historic Victorians, Redwoods, San Francisco Bay, the skyline, Headland Mountains, and some crazy characters in the Haight... Made me truly appreciate living on the west coast & decided that the incredible living fees of the Bay Area are worth it if I have access to this every day.

Lake Tahoe or Bust

It's been almost a month since starting physical therapy. Contrary to the original diagnosis, it seems like the pain I was experiencing in my hip & knee came from muscle imbalance (no tears - thank God) and lack of core engagement. It's been a bit frustrating, I had to significantly cut back on strength training because my lower back was so sensitive. But my core is a lot better and I'm a lot more comfortable.

Along with core improvements, I've focused on long rides. The Lake Tahoe three day triathlon is fast approaching. The 2.5 mile swim will be on Friday, the 72 mile ride on Saturday and on Sunday I will run a half marathon (I dropped down from the marathon). I'm excited, but I'm dreading it too.

The ride will be start at 6,000 ft and will go up to 6800, and then back down to 6000. Do you know how hard it is to breathe at this altitude? Your lungs burn when you climb. To help prep for this, I've been riding with a small 10-15lb backpack. It's not the most comfortable thing to have on your back, but at least this should help stimulate altitude. I've never raced before on the bike, and I've never ridden in a large group either --- so, yea, I'm kinda nervous to do this on the lake circumference with open roads.

The swim, I just have no idea what to expect. I don't know how many people are doing the 2.5 mile distance, or what it's like to swim in altitude. Does it make a difference? I have no idea. I'm just mentally going into it that it's going to suck and that I am just going to have to deal with it for 90 minutes.

I've actually done the half marathon before. And I think I compared it to a full marathon. But I did it in fall 2008, when I was still a newbie to racing and was averaging a 2:20 half (sans altitude). Around mile 6, you hit Hell Hill. Every few feet, you enter a new realm of hell. I remember Purgatory from 2008 as the worst part, that was when my lungs really started burning. And I thought, my God, this really is hell, they weren't kidding. However, the views are beautiful.

I'm looking at this weekend as sort of a triathlete bootcamp. Altitude training is supposed to be a great way to train for endurance events. It's also a way to get an idea on what to expect in cycling competitions - the one area where I've never competed.

It's funny, when people hear that I'm doing a IronMan, they always say, "you must be a big triathlete"... and are very surprised to hear me say, "actually, I've never done one". I don't think that I can really count Tahoe as a tri either since there aren't any transitions and it's spread out over three days. To be honest, my first real tri - will probably be a half IronMan this spring!

Goal Alignment

I started my career in technology by working for a human capital management company. Translation: I worked for an HR software company that did performance reviews. Part of my job there was to learn about goal alignment, goal wizards, goal cascading, etc. The overall point was, the company has 5 objectives for the year and the tool helped you figure out how each employee could help achieve these objectives. The goals were broken down to responsibilities by department, then to the teams, then to the managers, then to each individual employee. Goals were cascaded & tracked with the our software. I honestly thought we were the lamest software group (technology content wise) and thought it was amazing we ever sold business, because come on, who needs this?

But it's true - you need to break it down sometimes to get to that big goal. After looking at the IM course and skimming over past women's performances in Lake Placid, my goal is to cross the finish line somewhere between 13 - 13:20 hours. Here's my breakdown:

Swim: 1 hr 15 min max

Bike: 6 hr 3o min max

Run: 5 hr max

Plus twenty minutes or so to complete transitions.

All areas listed above need specific training to meet those times (hopefully run will be 4:30, but we'll see, I'm forecasting 5 hours as of now). Strength training, speed work, hill work, open water training, double setting, core strengthening, stretching, proper nutrition .... these all need to be taken into consideration to meet the objective.

For the remainder of the summer I hope to focus on my weakest areas: consistency on the bike & core strength.

"He that can have Patience, can have what he will" -

These words of wisdom were passed on to us from Benjamin Franklin citing the virtues of Patience. Well, Ben didn't take a red eye across the nation, drive six hours, work for free in heat,humidity, and sun for four hours, or get up at 6 AM to stand in line for almost five hours, to pay someone $600 to torture his body for 14 hours a year from now.

All weekend long rumors circulated Lake Placid like a middle school girls' bathroom. I had heard there were 2300 volunteers this year at the Ironman, and a good number of them were there for the same reason I was - to cut the line on registration day. There are only 3000 spots available to compete in the LP IM. Current athletes get priority in registration, then volunteers, then in person registrants, and if you're lucky, there may be 1 or 3 spots available to some folks online. Well, I saw the this year's athletes signing up for 2011 the day before the race - and the line was 200 yards long. Don't worry, there will still be 2600 spots open - at least 2600, right?? My stomach started to turn...

During my volunteer shift I checked with my fellow teammates, captain, other teams & their captains, the volunteer booth, information booth - what do I need to get into the volunteer line on registration day? Just your tee shirt from today. Okay, got it, thanks. I went out on a ride after wrapping up my day's work in the Olympic Oval (I was a bag checker, basically... I told athletes to find their numbers & hang up their gear bags.)and it was the conversations I had on the road that caused my heart rate to jump & panic to ensue.

First guy I talked to was from Maryland. He was doing everything I was doing. Riding the course in preparation for next year's event & volunteering to be assured a spot in 2011. He leaned over his bike and said, "you know, they're saying that, there's over 3000 volunteers and that some of us might not get in" I had this conversation a total of 3x on my ride. The man from MD was the first, then I talked to a guy from VA, another guy from NJ, who all said the same thing - we're most likely, not getting in. We all said the same thing "I put so much money and effort into being here just to volunteer, I'll freak if I can't get in". I pointed out to all of them, that I traveled through 4 time zones, so if anything, I really am the most screwed - they all agreed with me.

The rumors didn't stop there. "If you get in line at 5 AM, you'll get in, but I heard, if you get in line later than 7, you're never getting in," Others said it was rubbish and that a volunteer has never been turned down, tune it out and enjoy the race. But I couldn't help but panic. On registration day my alarm went off at 6 and I was at the Lake Placid High School at 630 to register (I even skipped coffee). The line was 300 yards deep when I got there. Everyone was panicking. The folks behind me had convinced me we were doomed. They also convinced me that I needed a wrist band (which you only received if you were working inside the Oval on race day) along with your shirt. So - I was totally out - I had no hope.

This was a total waste of time and money! What was I thinking? I knew how hard it was to get into an Ironman, didn't I? Isn't that the reason why I've never done one? Why did I think I could do it? I'm going to be heart broken and disappointed. Why did I ever come to NY? I should have just gone to Napa and tried to do VineMan. Why am I here?

Hours later, an official from Ironman came out. He stepped up onto one of the Olympic Flag posts (I think it was Finland's flag). He had an announcement, and he needed us to listen. Here it is. This is worse than being dumped. "Volunteers: You have committed your time to the Ironman, and we have committed to you a spot for the 2011 event. You will all be registered today. There is a long line, and it will take some time, please be patient. Further back is another line for registration - the non volunteers. We're splitting this up into two lines. Stay on the right, the others will form a line on the left. If that line passes you, PLEASE DO NOT KILL THE NON VOLUNTEERS! Most likely, they will be registering to volunteer for next year, they may remember you, if you are unkind to them. Their line is shorter, and we're just moving it closer to the building, away from the street. Please be patient."

THIS MEANS I AM IN! Why was I worrying?! Why the doubt? I knew all along these were just rumors! I patiently waited and put on my iPod and moved along in line and got closer and closer to entering the LP HS Gym to register.

10:45 Enter the building
11:00 Get put in a short line (very DMV style)to register with an Ironman employee
11:15 Reach the front!
11:16 Internet goes down

Waiting. Heart racing,doubt creeping back in, waiting.....

11:32 REGISTERED!!!!!

BAHHHHHHHH!!!! I'M IN! I DID IT!

Lessons Learned:

1. Try to let the negative go over your head. Does no good to be miserable the whole time.

2. You want to do an Ironman? You better be committed to registering just as much as you are to training. You gotta work just to get into this thing.

Lake Placid or Bust

That was the phrase on many tee shirts & posters at the 2010 Ford Lake Placid Ironman. The event started yesterday at 7 AM and went all the way to 12 AM the next day. The athletes gathered in the water in attempt to complete a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a marathon. And they had seventeen hours to do it. Each portion of the tri is completed by doing two loops - and every loop has a cut off time.

I got up at 6 AM to make sure I saw the start of the race. With a few minutes to spare I stood in the crowd gazing at the athletes who were all identical in their black wetsuits and Ironman swim caps. When the alarm sounded for the start, everyone just dove in and started to crawl. A massive movement of black arms & elbows were in the air and a wave of triathletes moved across Mirror Lake. It looked like a giant piranha group invaded upstate New York. After completing the two loops, the athletes transitioned to the bike leg. We watched them go down the shute to the Olympic Oval where their bikes were being kept & cheered on words of encouragement to the wet cold athletes.

And then - we waited. For hours. In fact, I went home and took a nap. I mean, it's hours. It's actually hard work being a spectator for an Ironman. It's a long day for you too! The athletes go out and compete a total of 140.6 miles - that's no short distance; it takes everyone (aside from the pros) 10+ hours to complete. After my nap and coffee #2, I went back to the race area. By this time we were seeing a decent amount of folks come in to loop around for bike lap #2. Well, seeing how it was still going to be another couple hours til we saw the next transition, I decided to take this opportunity to train.

Having trained a portion of the bike route the day before (Lord in Heaven you could have not picked a more humid day for me to train on those forsaken hills), and the run portion was roped off, I decided to try out the swim course. Turns out, Lake Placid Ironman doesn't actually involve Lake Placid. You see all the Olympic sites (Oval, chutes, jumps, etc) but you swim in Mirror Lake. Apparently, Placid is very private & you can't go near it or something. But what's cool is that Mirror Lake has cables & buoys set up all summer that outline the swim course. So athletes can come and train the course. It was amazing to me, to see how many people were out there training this weekend. Pretty much all of us who were 2011 hopefuls were out there running, swimming, cycling that course in preparation for next year.

Post workout & shower, I returned hours later to watch the run portion. This is my favorite part of watching a tri. You can see some athletes wrapping up their bike leg and others starting out their run. The crowd was so excited and crazed, the athletes were either beat up tired, or crazy enthusiastic with the crowd. Watching the competitors had me dying inside, wishing I was out there, and thinking, oh I can't believe I have a year to go to do this. Besides feeling jealous (which I knew was going to happen) it was very emotional and inspiring to see some of these competitors. One man ran by and it was so apparent he had wiped out on his bike. His clothes were torn and shredded, missing skin on shoulders and thighs, and blood all over his side. But he kept going, he was not stopping. I have no idea who he is - but he earned my respect. Even more so, were the blind competitors. They are by far the toughest & fiercest athletes out there on that course. I can't imagine doing the swim portion - those guys are tough and I think must want it more than anyone else.

Well it's going to take people 3-6 hours to run the marathon, so might as well have dinner. After eating we walked over to the finish line to watch the tired and ecstatic athletes finalize their 140.6 mile journey through the Adirondacks. My favorite was the guy who stopped, lit a cigar, and strutted to the finish line. It was great to see them finish what they started. It was an 18 month project, a 12 month training period, and 10+ hour day, with a priceless feeling of accomplishment once you step over that finish line. I watched them for a bit and headed back to get an early night's sleep to compete in the next morning's registration line...

Over Training

Every day thousands of athletes suffer from over training. It's usually triggered by over excitement for an event, or new toy, and sometimes it's panic induced to get into shape fast. In my case, it was the new toy.

After the July 4th weekend I wasn't feeling too hot. My back, hips, and knee hurt. So I took a few days off and decided to ease back into things with swimming. Swimming is an amazing work out while you're in recovery. It's a non impact workout that can still kick your ass and leave you toned. I decided swimming in the bay would be even more beneficial because the cold water might help inflammation. And the salt water does wonders for your skin. As I'm about to make my second half mile lap in the Aquatic Park, a man, literally swam into my head. Hello Concussion.

Being given the okay to work out after light rest, I hopped back onto my bike on Saturday afternoon. Had a good 25 mile ride and while on my trek back to the mission, I ate it hard. It's my own fault, I was going way too fast. But I laid there on the concrete for a minute... I fell right on my tailbone and that's exactly where I was feeling pain. I literally prayed to Jesus to never feel such pain again. It hurt that bad. However, that spill actually re-adjusted me. So sometimes it's good to fall on your ass?

I visited the Sports Medicine Clinic at St. Francis. My Dr was pretty funny and there was a bit of argument between us on who had the correct diagnosis of my ailments. She was determined the winner when I was pointing to my tendon problems in my knee, because apparently, I was pointing to a bone. I was kindly asked to just forget everything you read on webmd.

Diagnosis: Possible meniscus tear, possible labral hip tear, sprained tail bone, and we already knew I was concussed.

Cure: Physical therapy to improve the muscle imbalance that got me here, a bike fitting, swimming, and Pilate's.

So lucky me I got into the Presidio Physical Therapy clinic - supposed to be the best. I also hope to use the next few weeks to get myself in better shape pool-wise. Maybe rejoin masters?

14 Days & Counting!

In two weeks I'll be on the road heading to Lake Placid, NY. I can't believe it's coming so soon, I arranged everything several months ago, so to have it be a few weeks away feels intimidating. Ha, if I'm this choked up about just registering - God help me next year when it comes to actually doing the damn thing.

When I first moved to San Francisco, before I had even done my first marathon, I wanted to do an Ironman. I remember watching Monday Night Football with friends and saying, "I want to do an Ironman some day." This was when I was training for the 2007 CA International Marathon. About halfway into my training I learned what happens when you don't eat right & over train - you get hurt. The marathon was the first weekend of December; in mid October I was told to hold off on any running for 6 weeks. And I was to begin with 6 miles a week, and increase my mileage at 10% a week.

I gave up on the CIM but continued to cross train in the pool and on the bike. I got the okay to run again about 10 days before the event, and my friend Tony told me to just do the first 13 miles because "you've already paid for it, might as well do the first half". So I went with my room mate Kate, and Tony, since they were also running, with plans to drop at 13. Around mile 5 I made the decision to not stop. I just wanted the medal so bad. I just wanted to finish; I didn't want to give up. I actually got jealous of the runners around me because they were going to the end, and I wasn't. That's when I said, screw it, I'm not going to stop. It was like... running a marathon by mistake. When I got up that day - I had no intentions of running 26.2 miles.

At the end of it all, it just amazed me to see what I actually was capable of doing if I put my mind to it. By the way, it was pretty funny to see my friends' shocked faces when I turned the corner to finish at mile 26. And I always remember what Kate said "if you can do that after not running for almost two months, you can definitely do an ironman."

That was in December 2007. I came close to registering for the Utah Ironman (nearly geeked out at that $550 price) but backed off at the last minute. I always used the bike & cost as excuses to not do it. I could have afforded Utah at the time, but I wasn't really pumped about going there. I would check the Ford site a few times a month and would dismiss the idea once I saw the prices and how tough it was to register. It was never the idea of exercising 14-17 hours in one day that made me shy away from the event; it was the unwillingness to organize myself to get the costs, registration, and the bike all sorted. Ultimately Lake Placid was selected because one, I love the movie Miracle, and two, if I'm doing this thing, I want my family there. So I suppose that's the reason of my disbelief of my trip to LP. It's kinda weird that it's actually happening.

Sweet New Ride!

So this is my sweet new ride - Caad 9-5. I picked up my bike on Wednesday June 30th - and have ridden 100 miles on it so far in the last five days. I'm kinda tired right now, especially since I ran a road race this morning. Longest ride yet was somewhere between 45-50 miles. I'm getting better on the crashing thing - but if I'm tired and not as fast to react - I go down. Hopefully this rite of passage/initiation phase ends soon. My legs are spotted with cuts and bruises.

I've had the bike for five days, and so far this is what I've learned:

1. I have a temper while cycling & horrible road rage on the bridge. I swear like a sailor at Japanese tourists and flip off minivans who don't single before they take their right turns. I need to work on this, I can't be this angry every time I get on the bridge - this is no way to ride and quite frankly, to be this pissed off is exhausting.

2. Hills are... okay. You know when I rode the mountain bike with just sneakers it was horrible to get up the hills. Using the clips and having a lighter ride makes a huge difference. I actually don't mind them. It's a great work out and makes you focus. Downhill is a lot of fun... have to be careful in the city though. Especially at the polk/broadway intersection. But I love zipping down that hill into downtown Sausolito!

3. I need to map out some rides. I like Marin, I think I'm going to continue to go over there, but I need to map out rides that can give me various types of work outs. Also, my bike route knowledge is limited to SF, Sausolito, and Tiburon.

4. I didn't realize until I went on my longest ride, how much longer a work out on a bike is compared to a run or swim. I rarely need food or water on my medium swims/runs, but on a bike, both have proven to be necessary. Even today on a 25mile ride, I took coconut water with me.

5. Still am clueless as all hell on bike mechanics and I really need to grasp a better understanding of it. And I need to ride with someone who is experienced. Form needs correction as well.

But so far I'm loving the ride. Bootcamp starts tomorrow!!

Dear Tourists:

Dear San Francisco Tourists,

Thank you for visiting our city and celebrating San Francisco's beautiful views and sites. Thank you for spending money in our very expensive city & thank you for entertaining us locals when you wear summer clothes out on foggy days & high heels on steep hills - it's really cute!

But please do one thing for us local cyclists: DON'T ABRUPTLY FUCKING STOP ON THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE BLOCKING TRAFFIC ON BOTH SIDES TO TAKE A GODDAMN PICTURE CAUSING MAJOR ACCIDENTS BEHIND YOU. I do not curse and scream at you as I pass, because, I'm mad I can't go fast nor do I feel above you because you rented a Blazing Saddles bike and I'm on my sweet Caad 9. I curse & scream at you like an L.A. driver because one, you almost just killed me, and two, you still have potential to kill others. I understand you're visiting and want pictures of the bridge, headlands, Alcatraz, Angel Island, but can you do this safely and please stop jeopardizing the lives of others? Is that a lot to ask for?

It's really quite simple to practice bicycle safety --- just apply the same rules you would to driving to while you're riding. Would you ever turn into another lane with out looking on the high way? Stop short on a busy street with no warning? Park in the middle of the road? No... you wouldn't, so don't do it on our bike highways.

Thanks in Advance,

Pretty much the entire fucking bay area cycling community

P.S. If you can't make it up Fort Mason - seriously, why are you attempting Golden Gate?

Down Goes Fraiser

Pics to come soon of the new ride..

So I picked up the bike yesterday. I went with a Caad 9-5, Men's 52 Grey and Red bike. To be honest, I am truly and utterly clueless about bicycles. And I'm really not looking forward to having to learn about them. No disrespect to die hard cyclists, but there was a reason why I never took shop in high school - it's really just not my thing. But I know it's necessary to learn how to change a tire tube etc, and that when I'm on the road, I have to be ready & prepared.
I just really don't want to learn bike mechanics... it feels like math homework or something. Just God awful.

But I love the workout on it.

So - let me just share my experience yesterday first time in clips. I decide I will ride home from Mike's Bikes (too much pride to walk the bike). Along with the bike, I pick up my "basics package" which includes a rather large pump. I put on my helmet, pump sticking out of the backpack, and clip in. By the way, I'm in SOMA at 5 PM, so holy traffic on Folsom street. So this was my first time riding clipped in, and I ate shit. Twice. The best is that, while I'm going down, the pump is hitting my head (yes, I had my helmet on). I did this twice.

It's to be expected, right? You fall your first time. I still fall when I ski. And I fell a lot when I was a beginner.

But I am so glad, no one was there with a video camera. I would be on Youtube. The first time another cyclist freaked out with concern and had a OMG YOU ARE GOING TO KILL YOURSELF kind of reaction, I assured him, I could make it. The second time, a woman flat out burst out laughing, and said, "hey, we've all been there." Thanks...

I made it back to my house, put away the horrible abusive pump, and went back out into rush hour traffic. You know, I don't recommend that for anyone, just an FYI. Looking back, it would have been a better decision for me to go to a park, or an area of the city that doesn't have the 101, 80, and 280 traffic merging. The motorists were not impressed with me. Some were a lil aggressive... one slightly more aggressive than the others, and that's why I told that girl driving the Mitsubishi that she was a bitch.

All in all, I did it. I got used to the clips. Getting used to riding around my neighborhood is another story. I'm sure it will come together in time. Until then, I have scrapped knees and legs like a child who fell down at recess. Go me.

Bicycle! Bicycle! Bicycle!

In 1896 Susan B. Anthony proclaimed that "bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world". I agree Susan B! I am super stoked to have access to something that will take me over the Golden Gate Bridge, down to the peninsula, South Bay, etc.

I have to say, that bike purchase felt so good! I've been stressing about it since December 2009. It was not only a sense of relief but also an affirmation that hard work can pay off. There were a few weeks when I was working both jobs, where I felt like all I did was work and life in California had ceased being fun. It's actually pretty funny... I was no different from any other kid who gets a paper route to save money to buy a 10 speed!

I ended up selecting a Cannondale - my God road bikes handle so much better than mountain bikes. The test driving was actually fun, and the folks at Mike's Bikes were great. I literally said "please make this as painless and easy as possible" and they did! More pics and specs to come when I pick up my new baby!

'Til then - my backhand is looking better and better and the serve is coming along quite nicely. And the purple skirt & pink tank top outfit with the Tiffany's necklace look just fabulous on the court!

Races

So, tomorrow is the Double Dipsea race. I signed up for this event about a month ago and have been really excited to take it on and brag to others, that I, completed the Double Dipsea.

I'm not going.

Why? Well, there's this lovely little thing gnawing at my hip & knee - called my super tight IT Band. Sometimes making the decision to rest and recover is harder than pushing yourself to complete a tough work out. More than anything I want to get up early on Saturday and drive to Stinson Beach and run this course. But I can't do it, because I know more than likely racing steps for over 14 miles will put me on DL for six weeks. And it's not worth it. It's killing me to not go. I hate my IT Band!

But - good news: I got paid today & I'm going to buy my road bike! AND I signed up for the Tahoe Tri - Cut throat edition! Eek! That sounds even tougher than Double Dipsea, don't cha think?

Off to the bike store!

How to Lose 10lbs in 10 Days! And Eat WHATEVER You Want!

Sound familiar?

How often do we open a magazine or go on a website and find an article or ad promising us extreme rapid weight loss with little or no work involved? I counted 4 on Yahoo!'s site just now.

The truth is, there is no magic food item, pill, or diet that can make you drop your excess weight and keep it off. In fact, you should eliminate the word diet all together. Because diets do not work. Yes, you could eat only carrots and celery for 14 days and most likely lose weight (and your sanity) but do you really think it's going to stay off? A diet is a quick fix that will cause your weight to ... yo-yo. As far as I know, the only quick fix that works is surgery. Even then those who had liposuction can't always keep their weight off. Getting staples or a band on your stomach will make your weight drop & prevent you from over eating, but you're also inviting the risk of complications with your internal organs.

There's a huge market for folks to make money off selling solutions that promise the desired outcome with out any exercise or guide to a healthy eating plan. So what's the best guide to follow? The pyramid! Adequate healthy servings from each food group combined with exercise. So simple, it's crazy. You don't need to swear off specific food and drink items forever, you just need to remember moderation. Easier said than done, for sure. Also if you are trying to lose a few L B's, remember that 1-2lbs a week is considered a healthy weight loss that is maintainable once you reach your desired goal.

So keep that in mind while you're skimming over the latest diet crazes and wonder cures: this is a business that is fairly unregulated & they're looking to make a buck at your expense. Best way to get healthy is to follow the guidelines we learned as kids and make sure you're moderately active for an hour every day. Who knew it could be so simple?!!

The Wall

It's been hit.

This week was pretty easy compared to the last few weeks' of training. Only about 35 miles on the bike total, and 3 hours of tennis, and some walking around SF (Russian Hill - so - yea, it is a work out, google image SF Hills if you've never been here).

Goal for the next few days: work back up to longer cardio work outs, get back into core exercises, and when things feel right again, pick up strength training.

This is totally embarrassing but comical at the same time - I legit strained my shoulders, neck, traps, and biceps, carrying too many groceries from Whole Foods. I know that makes me sound like a baby, but it was $100 worth of groceries for normally, a 20 minute walk (more like 35 with that load) and the morning after a half marathon. Had I been intelligent & brought a backpack, I would have avoided any kind of muscle strain - ah lessons learned the hard way...

Tennis Skirts & Tennis Lessons

The cheerleader in me still loves to rock the work out skirts. I have run several half marathons, a few marathons, 10ks, 25ks, 10 milers, etc in various tennis skirts.

I have no idea how to play tennis. To be perfectly honest, I don't even know the rules. But I have about 5 skirts (none of which I could locate last night - so annoying) and belong to 2 tennis clubs. It's time to learn I think.

So today is lesson 1. I had been planning on a wearing my Nike pleated skirt, with the Nike Half Marathon shirt, complete with the Tiffany's necklace - but the laundry Gods were not cooperative.

You can call me out on it - half the reason why I'm learning is because tennis girls have the best outfits. No one else gets to wear a dress to an athletic competition. The other reason is because I would love to be able to ace (Am I using this word correctly?). It looks pretty cool & pretty impressive that the ball doesn't come back.

It's important to try new things and challenge yourself at beginner's level. It's hard to take on a new activity and learn basics. I look like a fool sometimes at TRX, but hey, I'm trying it and pretty soon I will get the chest presses down. Cross training helps you get through grueling periods of training, and when you want a light/rest day, it's nice to mix it up once in a while. And you have bragging points on how many different sports you can play.

Wish me luck - pretty sure I'm going to look like a fool again :)

Pain is Your Friend?

"Pain is your friend. Your ally. It will tell you when you are seriously injurred, it will keep you awake and angry, and it will remind you to finish the job and get the hell home. You know what the best part of pain is? It lets you know, you're not dead yet!" --- This is one my friend Anna's favorite quotes. She was repeating this to us right before we boarded the ferries for the Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim (cancelled due to fog, but mentally we were ready thanks to Anna).

I'm in pain, and I'm not looking at it like a friend or ally, if anything, it's a jerk. Looking at my training calendar, I realized I pretty much went non stop from the 6th-11th, with one rest day, then a half marathon. I'm sore beyond belief in my arms & legs. Muscles are tight and sore and I have kinks all over my body (particulary bad in my hip flexors, neck, and upper arms).

Solution? Swimming out some of the tightness & I hope to God that the Spa at GG has an opening tonight.