October « 2006 « Miles of Life

Archive for October, 2006

adventures of biking

Monday, October 30th, 2006

Back on the bike this weekend for a long ride, as well as a few shorter ones. On Saturday I rode out to Mike’s place, almost sliding on some ice on my way there. Ice? Yes, ice. In Southern CA. You see, it was a bit cooler this weekend. So from the time someone empty a drink out a car window to when I reached that intersection, the ice from their cup hadn’t had time to melt! Amazing…

Anyways, I had been complaining about my bike sucking, and maybe getting a new one. Added to by the fact that I can’t really turn right. Mike has just been really busy, and so he is going to help me fix it, but we just haven’t had time. He thought I was kidding about how bad the turning is, and exagerating it to rationalize a new bike. Then he moved my bike the other day. And started worrying that it isn’t even safe. I really don’t have much right turning I can do as the cable for the front derailleur is way way messed up. But I rode home with it that way, and did get a new cable and cable housing, so we will be fixing it this evening. And then I will no longer have a zoolander bike. “If I could only… turn… RIGHT!”

Sunday morning I rode with Mike to where he meets up with Rich, and this time Ronnie was with Rich. I was about to go on my own way, when Rich told me to just join ’em. I was worried a bit, but told them I’d try it if they were ok with ditching me anywhere along the ride if I was slow. It was going to be an out and back that they were doing as an easy climb, and I was able to stay with them for their easy part. I felt pretty good… ended up doing most of the out part with Ronnie, who hasn’t been riding as much. They all raced on the way back, and I just took my time. It was a lot of fun, and I’m glad I went. I really miss having biking company. I need to find someone also looking at later season IMs, or just that distance of riding, at about a 6:45ish IM pace (the current thought on what might be the goal).

I left the boys and finished my ride on my own, including getting chased by a dog for the first time! It was fairly easy to outrun, but I was annoyed as the owner was outside with it and didn’t even call it back when it took off after me! Well I know where the dog lives… and it’s not on a regular area I go by, or I’d be even more tempted to report it.

Anyways, got in about 62 miles Sunday, and 25 on Saturday. All of it felt ok, but the foot is still achey. I’m working on getting that MRI. Even called my doc to get a referral to the place I will actually go.

Oh and in other fun news… I’m running faster. My average for this month is around 9:45 miles for about 30 miles, and last month was just under 10 (and very few miles) and before that was over 10min/mi. So I guess having a cute boy running not too far ahead is good motivation. Although I think I need to start listening to the HR monitor more sometimes 😉

Posted in biking, running | 2 Comments »

listen to the tshirt

Monday, October 23rd, 2006

Shopping at Target yesterday (some for work clothes, some for halloween ones, some for workout ones) I found the perfect tshirt for IM KY.

The 4 words which really spoke to me:

Stronger – Every workout will be geared to making me stronger and building my body while not injuring it.

Passion – Training for Vineman I lost some of the love, fire, and joy. This year one of my main goals is to keep it a live.

Faster – What I want to be at this race. I’ll be posting goals on it later, but as a teaser I’m going to be going for more than a 2 minute PR like at Vineman!

Desire – It will be with Mike (and yeah, I kinda want him). I will be “chasing” him for the day, and have him at the finish waiting just for me.

I bought it. I wore it yesterday. I might find a place to have it where I see the words almost every day. I’m making a print out of the Big 4 right now for my office wall.

Posted in Ironman, quotes | 1 Comment »

done and in

Saturday, October 21st, 2006

IM KY here we come. Mike and I are registered. I got to make up some of his registration answers for him. His reason for doing IM Louisville (as they call it)? Because of a girl.

It should be a fun one… who else is in? 🙂

Posted in Ironman | 3 Comments »

feeling like Lisa

Thursday, October 12th, 2006

It’s a week off for me — the doc’s orders were no swimming, biking, or running for a week as the gash is sealed shut with steristrips. I can do abs and upper body stuff though. It’s tough when I was working on getting into a more regular pattern of working out, but as I’ve learned I really should let things heal right the first time. On that note I should remember to actually schedule and go to the foot MRI soon 😉

But feeling like Lisa… yes, I am. (Pre-knee) I was doing a few short runs, and getting them back to a frequency point. And… I posted a mtn biking picture at www.yourmtb.com and it’s currently one of the featured/front page pics 🙂

Posted in General, mountain biking, pics | 6 Comments »

for teh winz

Monday, October 9th, 2006

So the mtn bike race was a blast!

Got there in plenty of time and signed the waiver. Then ran into a girl from work who I didn’t know would be racing. Then spent a while just chatting with people and waiting for it to be close to time.

Finally made my way to the start line (a short bike from the car). On the way, found that my front brake was rubbing worse than ever! So I just unhooked it. Seemed like the best plan — the ride to the start was uphill 😉 However, it didn’t seem like a good plan for the whole race. I knew some of the single track sections, and that I’d want a brake for ’em! Actually, I was a bit worried about one of the single track sections. It was part of a run I had done a few weeks before with Paul, and it wasn’t really runable for me (up or down) and we’d be riding down it — plenty of loose sand, rocks, and ruts. But it was near the end of the race, and I’m still getting to the start line… so more on that later.

Anyways, made it up to the start area, turned into the parking lot/warmup area, and found myself facing Mike (not my Mike, but another cute one I know through Foothill Cyclery and who worked there some and helped get my tubeless tires to bead when the other shop guy was having trouble with them). He is a semi-pro (qualified for pro and will be upgrading for next season) mtn biker, so I was wondering if I’d see him there. Said hi, talked a bit, and then he fixed my brake! Yay! It only took a second and an adjustment on a single screw. So yes, I had a front brake for the race, which was a good thing!

Soon enough it was time to line up. The beginner women were the last wave (with the Jr riders). An uphill start with a climb from 7000′ of elevation to 7600′ in just over 2.5 miles. Only the very start was steep, and then it was fireroads and nothing too technical. Next was a bit of rolling hills, and in that part, at about mile 4, there was a guy riding that I was stronger than (as his heat was 2 or more minutes before mine). He was in the middle of the fire road, a bit to the left, and staying there. So I called out “on your right!” and went to pass him. I got to where my handlebars were even with his, and he pulled to the right and hit me, throwing me off the bike! Getting up, I hear him say “You pushed me into soft sand!” All I had to say to him was “On your right doesn’t mean go right! Be careful!”. I got up, and rode off, leaving him behind and not wanting to deal with it. There were 2 packed sections on the road there — one to his left, one to his right. If he had hit me as I started passing, or had swerved in front of me as I called on your right, I wouldn’t have minded as much, as then it would have been just bad timing for my pass. But the fact that I was even with him meant I had been passing (it was a big uphill) and that he’d had time to register my “on your right”. Plus there was a track clear on his left! So I put it down to him having poor handling skills and picking a bad line. He hit sand, jerked in reaction, and hit me next to him — instead of seeing sand, knowing I was on his right, and picking the packed line to the left. Either way, my knee got to pour blood for the next 14 miles (and a while after that as well — I think it has mostly stopped now though — still got a doc apt for it in a bit).

But I just kept riding. I love the section of single track that was coming up, and had a blast going down it. Passed a few more people, and knew I was in front of the only people I knew were in my class. During that single track, I also passed Roger, who then caught back up to me on the climb (first part paved, then dirt) that followed. We chatted a bit (turns out he knows people I work with) and just enjoyed the views and beautiful day (while working our butts off). We soon met up with Mark as well, who I had been parked next to and chatted with some before the race. The three of us ended up riding somewhat together for the rest of the race, alternating who was where, and chatting on occasion. We enjoyed some great single track climbs and rollers and generally had a great time. I hit a bush, and missed the good line on a climbing turn after a view distracted me) and they mocked me for it. Fun times 🙂

As we approached the end, I was still feeling pretty good so I pushed it a bit on a climb and they fell a bit behind. Then it was onto a gorgeous single track that rolled through trees and was just technical enough to keep you focused. But I knew what was coming, and it soon did: the trail that had been scary on foot. The first downhill section with loose sand and rocks I rode down, telling myself it wasn’t that bad and couldn’t be quite the part we ran yet. But some how I was able to keep telling myself that down the whole trail. I walked 2 or 3 little sections, mostly because my arms were shaky from breaking so much and trying to be relaxed. But each time I climbed right back on and got going again. Suddenly there was tape, and people, and I heard “don’t let him pass you here!” so I pushed a bit, and crossed the finish, turning to see Mark right behind me.

After cheering Roger in a few minutes back, we road back down to the registration and parking area, put bikes away, changed, and went to check results and awards and food.

So a single crash and some great views and fun people made for a good day. As a bonus I was first in my class (out of 4)! Woo! I got a medal! I was about 20 minutes in front of the next person in it. And then as an extra bonus the manager of a team I talked with about a year and a half ago (shortly before crashing and breaking things) was there and told me to get back in touch with him as he is trying to build up his women’s team for next year.

And then, more bonus, there was a raffle with the big prize being a cruiser bike and I won it! But I didn’t win it… which is ok. I had seen it as I was there, and was surprised that was the prize at a mtb race (and am not a big fan of that style of bikes). They called my number and I thought I heard it, but I was in the middle of talking with the team guy and trying to clean my knee out, so by the time a friend poked me and said it was me and for the bike and I got to the front another number was called. So instead they gave me a consolation prize of a set of Kenda tires. Which I will get more use out of perhaps (although they aren’t tubeless ones, so we’ll see).

But yeah, a good day, and hopefully I’ll be doing more in the future!
GPS of my race is up at motionbased.

Posted in mountain biking, Race Tales | 5 Comments »

the talk

Saturday, October 7th, 2006

So Mike and I had “the talk” last night. It was a bit hard to get started, but I knew what I thought would be best and I had to say it. “So I’ve been thinking…” I started. “Next year… I think it would be fun to do IM KY.”

After a deep breath, the hard part of starting done, I let him know why. It’s a month later than Lake Placid (the other under consideration) and I could get in for sure. While we thought we could both get Lake Placid spots at Ralphs (ok at Ford 70.3 Iroman California or whatever the real name is now), I was less confident that I would really get one. Plus, we both did the first IM AZ (although we didn’t know each other at the time) — we could start a tradition of doing the new races, signing up when there is no course info, no history, etc. Then there is also the name — IM KY. Get your minds out of the gutter! I’m not referring to it’s other name of IM Slick in some posts on Trifuel… I just like it because Ky (saying it as a word, not letters) is the name some close friends and family use for me, so I call it my IM (ok, I know it’s really IM Louisville, but I still say part of our reason for picking this IM is its name).

I waited for his reaction… “Ok.” After a bit of debate over his foot (and mine, for that matter) being ready in time, we decided to go for it. I guess part of it is that you never know with IM if you will really be ready/healthy/etc. But I feel I will have the same doubts come March (and Ralphs) so why not.

And so it looks like on Oct 21st we will be registering.

Posted in Ironman | 5 Comments »

what a weekend!

Monday, October 2nd, 2006

Saturday I biked 85 miles from the Anaheim train station, through Santiago Canyon and Camp Pendleton and all the way down to Solana Beach. It was with the tri club, so to those of you I passed along the way I was with a group (Inland Inferno Tri Club), but though of you as we went through or were in your towns! It was fairly uneventful for me, which was AWESOME since last time I tried to do that ride I failed (sorry for the bad formatting… that post was imported from an older blog). This time I MADE IT! That was the best part — well, that and that I REMEMBER ALL OF IT! I always say I do things for the experience, stories and memories, and this time I get to keep them! It was a bit odd though… to ride places I know I rode just over a year ago, and have stretches be familiar and other be things that looked completely new. Sometimes sandwiched between familiar stretches.

Mike’s ride was more eventful than mine — he left later in the day from Monrovia and rode down the coast to meet up with us. I spoke to him on the phone at one point. He’d had 2 flats so was a bit behind schedule. Then I spoke to him a while later, and he had “gotten” to ride through all the debris on the 5 freeway, as Pendleton is closed to civilians from 5:30 on (he arrived around 6). Of course, he got another flat almost has his exit from the freeway. And then he got to ride in the dark for a while (without lights since we thought he’d make it before dark). But he made it, and got a hug and kisses (and food). He commented on the three flats and how long of a day it had been, and I said “well at least you didn’t get hit by a car” to which he answered “well I wasn’t going to tell you that part on the phone because I didn’t want to flip you out”!! WHAT??? Turns out in Huntington a car of teenage boys cut him off pulling into a parking place, and almost hit him. About 2 car lengths later a car of teenage girls that had just flown past him did the same dive into a parking place, this time taking him with them. Luckily he saw it coming and got a hand on their window and was able to just ride into the spot with them. Pounding on their window. It apparently scared them — perhaps they will look and/or be careful next time! So he and his bike were fine, although I would have been scared! But he made it… in about 6:40 for 110 miles. ~5:35 of actual biking time. I told him he should have pedaled to make it faster, brat that I am 🙂

Then we hung out with the Inland Inferno crowd, crashing at one of their houses a block from the Solana Beach train station. In the morning they went for a run, to take the train or drive back later in the day. Mike and I climbed back on our trusty steeds and began the journey back up the coast to the Anaheim train station — or some train station on the way. We ended up calling it a day in San Juan Capistrano after a bit over 57 miles and hopped on a train for a quick ride up to Anaheim — I didn’t have much power in my legs, as it was the most riding I’ve done since Vineman. Then we ate SUSHI!!! MMMMM (ok, ice cream first since the sushi place wasn’t open for another 25 minutes when we arrived — still yummy). Watched part of a move (Love Actually) and called it a weekend. And it was a good one!

Posted in biking | 3 Comments »