The Mark of The Beast

 I've re-named my bike "The Beast". How great is it that I can obtain gear makrs within 30 seconds of unloading the bike from the car. I haven't even climbed onto the saddle and she bites me.

Sunday was a great ride... read below.

Day 2... more riding

 Saturday I finished 42+miles so I thought it would be a great idea to join the Sunday Buddy Ride in the east county for another 30+ with climbing.

I thought it was a good idea until we hit the 1000' elevation sign on
Mt Diablo when coach Mike says "yay we are half way there". "Which half?" I ask. "The easy half" he answers. Great. Keep legs moving, it's hot, it's dry. I stop in the shade for a drink and astange man arrives dripping in sweat to report to me that his thermometers report it's anywhere between 95-102.

I climb a little more, I'm exhausted, it's hot and I dismount to walk a bit. While resting again in a tiny patch of shade Coach K Sue comes down the hill looking for me. She gives a little pep talk, I think she "lies" a little bit to get me going. Sure it's flattening out! Sure it's more shady! Sure! Thanks to her I make it to the top, on the bike, pedaling.

This picture is of me during the rest after going 30 miles, the last 6 of which were a climb of 2,200ft in 102 degree heat. I'm smiling because it's all downhill from here.

The things I'll do to help find a cure for cancer!

Forty pt 1

  At least the marks are getting smaller. Today we rode from Sausalito up through San Anselmo and Fairfax. We missed the turn to Nicasio and ended up in Samuel P Taylor State Park. It was a beautiful day for 40+miles. Tomorrow we ride 40 in the east bay - up Mt Diablo!

Today - By The Numbers

Miles - the longest one day ride so far. I'm doing back to back 40s this weekend.




Days to go. The event is almost here!







More than half way to my fundraising goal

Ch Ch Ch Change (is accepted)

Coinstar! – did you know that if you put your change in a Coinstar machine, you have the option of donating that money directly to LLS? There are over 13,000 Coinstar machines (most in supermarkets – go to www.coinstar.com to find a machine near you).

Collect your change (and anyone else’s - but you should probably ask them first). When you use the Coinstar machine, simply select the "donate" option at the beginning of the transaction and follow the on-screen prompts to select LLS as your non-profit organization of choice. Then pour in your change; the machine counts the coins, and then provides a tax-deductible receipt for the full value of the donation. Send a copy of the receipt to me and I’ll get credit toward my fundraising goal.

Easy! Plus Coinstar doesn’t charge their regular fee for nonprofit donations. http://www.coinstar.com/us/PressReleases/941379

Exhausted Just Reading This?

Here's a quick breakdown of my weekend. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

Friday Night: Carbo-load dinner, drink lots of water, fall asleep by 9pm

Saturday:
5:30 - wake up before alarm and wonder if it's worth it to fall back asleep for another 30 mins, toss & turn until alarm.
6:00 - Get out of bed. Make breakfast, 2 scrambled eggs & bowl of oatmeal. Drink water. Pack equipment.
6:30 - Load bikes into car, pick up coffee to go, drive to meet the team.
8:00 - Arrive at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Stretch legs. Chat with friends.
8:30 - Team talk, I win a fund-raising prize (thanks to all who have given so generously), Coach Michael teaches us how to change a tire.
9:00 - We gather in our new ride packs and practice changing our own tires. I'm the first in my group to finish - It's a dirty job and not too hard. Phew & knock on wood that I don't actually have to do this on the road.
10:30 - We hit the road leaving Pt Reyes and pedaling 42+miles through Inverness, Nicassio and Olema. We learned how ride in a pace line. I learned that you can pedal slow and move uphill at the speed a sleeping sloth and make it to the top still upright & breathing.
3:30 - The finish line is in sight! Finally get off the bike, find my legs, stretch, change out of sweaty chamois, regroup with all the other ride packs.
4:00 - Wandered my way over to the Honoree Picnic to hear the stories of the honorees we are riding for this season. Two teammates riding along side me are blood cancer survivors - they are alive today because of research done by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We listened to their stories, ate some of the best burritos in the world and headed home.
6:30 - Arrive at home sweet home for a hot shower.
7:00 - realize we are too late to attend my friend Carey's fund-raising event.
8:00 - Pass out on the couch.
9:00 - Head to bed for a well deserved night of sleep.

Sunday
7:00 - Wake up... still tired (physically) but no longer able to keep eyes closed. Tummy is grumbling. Wonder where I should go for breakfast & 30 mile recovery ride.
8:00 - Coffee & Noah's bagel enjoyed while reading the paper. Still wondering what to do for the 30 mile recovery ride.
12Noon - Head to the gym to ride the stationary bike - 1 hour, 18 miles are all I can handle.
1:30 - Time for another fund-raiser. My former running team-mate, Belinda is training for an Iron Man. I spend the afternoon in the park playing kick-ball, drinking beers, eating hot-dogs, chatting with friends.
8:00 - Pass out on the couch, from exhaustion not from the beers.

What did you do with your weekend?

 

Here's the latest bike mark

Woops.

 Apparently it's a "rookie move" to end up with gear grease & chain marks on your legs. FYI - That stuff is hard to get off. I've take 3 showers since that shot & there is still a faint mark.