I know...it has been a while since I posted, but I have good excuses. I have a ton of stuff going on right now, some of which will be over soon...hopefully. I've kept my training up for the most part and even participated in the Big Dam Bridge Duathlon a few weeks back. Getting stronger on the bike daily, but still have a ways to go to achieve the bike fitness I had a few years back!
Well, tomorrow is the day of our Team Rubicon-Arkansas LIVESTRONG event. The boys in yellow and black are here and we are praying it doesn't rain. It's been an unseasonably tornadic spring and Arkansas has been pounded hard. It's pretty much rained every other day for the last two months. Again, let's hope for a break in the clouds around 5:30!!!
I'm headed to Fayetteville this weekend for the Joe Martin Stage Race. We have the Team Rubicon-Northwest Arkansas LIVESTRONG event on Sunday. I'm hoping all goes well with that one too....only 2 months and some odd days to RAGBRAI =)
Thanks for stopping by!
SK
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Weekend Wrap-up
First and foremost, heartfelt thoughts to fellow Little Rock residents who were hit by the confirmed 6, possibly 7, tornadoes on Thursday. I actually got caught in the whole mess on the way home from an evening meeting, but luckily we were safe when it was all said and done. I have several friends without power and lots of downed trees in their neighborhoods; but for the most part, all is as well as it can be after a natural disaster. To say that Arkansas has been hit with tornadoes and flooding this spring would be an understatement!
Otherwise, it was a pleasant weekend with lots of activities. We hosted a wedding shower/BBQ for Rhonda and Keith on Saturday. I inadvertently introduced Rhonda and Keith, so this event was a little extra special to me. Rhonda and I work together and Keith and I cycle together. One night in a Texas ER for NOT following the "hydrate before you celebrate" rule, followed by one broken collarbone at the MS 150, followed by one evening of some good food and games at our house, followed by a few phone calls, and the rest is history!
About 35 of us from work and the cycling/running groups had a blast wishing Rhonda and Keith well. We managed to consume a huge cake, 20 burgers, 12 brats, a pound of cheese dip, and a "few" brews. Shawdawggie was grillin' as fast as peeps was eating! Our neighbors joined the festivities later in the evening which is always a hoot. I'll really miss them, especially Joe and Karen, as we've become so close in just a short time.
And speaking of, I fly to JAX in a few weeks to interview. I gotta call Friday saying come on down (and east), so we'll go a few days before the interview and stay a few days after so we can check things out and hopefully find a neighborhood we like. This job seems like a good fit and would allow me to be off some in the summer and around Christmas such that I could come back to AR to visit. I'll keep you posted.
Had a good ride/run today. The weather was sunny for a change, although MORE rain is predicted this week. I'm scheduled to meet with the best personal trainer in the world, that would be Cuzzette, on Saturday morning. We're going to "refine/polish" my routine and work a few "problem" areas...should be F-U-N (yeah right, she's known for killin' people, honestly. killing 'em dead with her Nazi routines of bleacher drills and 40-yard dashes...just call her Drill Sgt. Cuzzette). I plan to swim tomorrow and might do some core work and weight training. I wanna watch the game, so we'll see how much I have time for...GO MEMPHIS!
Until next time,
SK
Otherwise, it was a pleasant weekend with lots of activities. We hosted a wedding shower/BBQ for Rhonda and Keith on Saturday. I inadvertently introduced Rhonda and Keith, so this event was a little extra special to me. Rhonda and I work together and Keith and I cycle together. One night in a Texas ER for NOT following the "hydrate before you celebrate" rule, followed by one broken collarbone at the MS 150, followed by one evening of some good food and games at our house, followed by a few phone calls, and the rest is history!
About 35 of us from work and the cycling/running groups had a blast wishing Rhonda and Keith well. We managed to consume a huge cake, 20 burgers, 12 brats, a pound of cheese dip, and a "few" brews. Shawdawggie was grillin' as fast as peeps was eating! Our neighbors joined the festivities later in the evening which is always a hoot. I'll really miss them, especially Joe and Karen, as we've become so close in just a short time.
And speaking of, I fly to JAX in a few weeks to interview. I gotta call Friday saying come on down (and east), so we'll go a few days before the interview and stay a few days after so we can check things out and hopefully find a neighborhood we like. This job seems like a good fit and would allow me to be off some in the summer and around Christmas such that I could come back to AR to visit. I'll keep you posted.
Had a good ride/run today. The weather was sunny for a change, although MORE rain is predicted this week. I'm scheduled to meet with the best personal trainer in the world, that would be Cuzzette, on Saturday morning. We're going to "refine/polish" my routine and work a few "problem" areas...should be F-U-N (yeah right, she's known for killin' people, honestly. killing 'em dead with her Nazi routines of bleacher drills and 40-yard dashes...just call her Drill Sgt. Cuzzette). I plan to swim tomorrow and might do some core work and weight training. I wanna watch the game, so we'll see how much I have time for...GO MEMPHIS!
Until next time,
SK
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Don't drink the water...
Wednesday was my second attempt at swimming, with technique anyway. I was anxious to see how much I remembered from my lesson with Rhonda on Monday. I did okay, but it's obvious I've got a long way to go.
The first few laps I tried to focus on breathing, then the next few laps I tried to pay attention to my strokes (for some reason I break the left stroke EVERY single time). I'm still pulling my head too far out of the water and it's not intuitive that you should NOT look ahead to see where you are going but I'm UN-learning that habit for swimming!!!! Apparently, I didn't kick my legs enough on Monday and I may have overcompensated for it this evening, so I'm trying to get a feel for how much leg effort to spend. I was reminded tonight that you must save some legs for the bike and run....oh yea....just one more thing to remember...no prob!!!
I played around with the strokes and the breathing to find out what's most comfortable for me. I decided I'm breathing too often and not taking time to re-group when I lose rhythm. All in all, I think I'll enjoy swimming as as sport. The water is so relaxing and it reminds me of growing up on Lake Chicot where every summer was spent on a boat fishing and/or skiing! Maybe that's why moving to FLA is so appealing...I figure I'll get lots of "open water" practice in the ocean.
Of course, the funniest part of this swim was a friend saying, "you're not suppose to drink the water". Really??? Well, it just so happens that Dave Matthews is one of my favorite bands and one of my favorite songs (I like them all, but I really like this one) is "Don't Drink the Water". I start laughing so hard I can't breathe properly and then I can't get this song outta my head. Gee thanks, I wonder what song I'll think of each time I'm in the water now?
Totally not related to swimming, but sorta related to training. I chatted with 3 of my RAGBRAI LIVESTRONG teammates yesterday; Cindy, Linda, and Chris. Cindy (aka Button Lady) and I met the first day and it was as if we were long lost friends. We rode the entire week together and tented next to each other every evening. Linda (aka Team Dork or Ribbon Lady) and I didn't ride together much but we've become increasingly closer friends since I saw her in Missouri over Christmas. Chris, our fearless leader at LAF in Austin, is super cool and has the best sense of humor. He pulled an April fool's joke on the team....good one Brewer! Both Cindy and Linda live up north, (Chicago and Iowa, respectively) and they're just now able to get outside to ride. Although the weather has been a little rainy lately, thank God I live in the SOUTH!!!
That's all for now. I plan to run in the morning since I have a BACA meeting Thursday evening! Y'all be good and remember, don't drink the water!
SK
The first few laps I tried to focus on breathing, then the next few laps I tried to pay attention to my strokes (for some reason I break the left stroke EVERY single time). I'm still pulling my head too far out of the water and it's not intuitive that you should NOT look ahead to see where you are going but I'm UN-learning that habit for swimming!!!! Apparently, I didn't kick my legs enough on Monday and I may have overcompensated for it this evening, so I'm trying to get a feel for how much leg effort to spend. I was reminded tonight that you must save some legs for the bike and run....oh yea....just one more thing to remember...no prob!!!
I played around with the strokes and the breathing to find out what's most comfortable for me. I decided I'm breathing too often and not taking time to re-group when I lose rhythm. All in all, I think I'll enjoy swimming as as sport. The water is so relaxing and it reminds me of growing up on Lake Chicot where every summer was spent on a boat fishing and/or skiing! Maybe that's why moving to FLA is so appealing...I figure I'll get lots of "open water" practice in the ocean.
Of course, the funniest part of this swim was a friend saying, "you're not suppose to drink the water". Really??? Well, it just so happens that Dave Matthews is one of my favorite bands and one of my favorite songs (I like them all, but I really like this one) is "Don't Drink the Water". I start laughing so hard I can't breathe properly and then I can't get this song outta my head. Gee thanks, I wonder what song I'll think of each time I'm in the water now?
Totally not related to swimming, but sorta related to training. I chatted with 3 of my RAGBRAI LIVESTRONG teammates yesterday; Cindy, Linda, and Chris. Cindy (aka Button Lady) and I met the first day and it was as if we were long lost friends. We rode the entire week together and tented next to each other every evening. Linda (aka Team Dork or Ribbon Lady) and I didn't ride together much but we've become increasingly closer friends since I saw her in Missouri over Christmas. Chris, our fearless leader at LAF in Austin, is super cool and has the best sense of humor. He pulled an April fool's joke on the team....good one Brewer! Both Cindy and Linda live up north, (Chicago and Iowa, respectively) and they're just now able to get outside to ride. Although the weather has been a little rainy lately, thank God I live in the SOUTH!!!
That's all for now. I plan to run in the morning since I have a BACA meeting Thursday evening! Y'all be good and remember, don't drink the water!
SK
I spy Old Jenn...
I'll start by saying I had the best ride in 2 years on Tuesday! My legs finally decided to join the rest of my body for a little spin and it was awesome!!! I've been SOOOO consumed by school and work that my fitness has really, really suffered. Now, RAGBRAI, the MS 150, and the BDB100 were all fun last year, and I've had plenty of good rides don't get me wrong, and as ODWonn says, "all rides are good"...but you just have some rides that are great.
The T/Th crew was all there...Cuz, Cheetah, the MARS, Tammy, Mike, Colin, JCon, Charlie (thanks for the pump), John EEE, Dan, and about 15 other peeps. But, there were also special appearances by JBar, Geo, Hboo, and a few others I had not seen in over a year. As usual, we did a neutral roll-out, and safely sailed down the River Trail until we reached the other side of the BDB. I'd already decided I was gonna sit on the back because every time they pick it up in the front, I find myself mid-pack in a bunch sprint/surge to catch the soon-to-be break, which just sucks because I either can't get around or a small gap forms and I kill myself trying to get back on.
Well, I thought I was far enough back until I turned around and saw we had a lot more riders than I thought (how we double in size from point A to point B I don't quite understand but we always do). Like clockwork, we hit the road and ta-dow....Mooney jets....I keep up longer than I have been lately, but I just can't hold on. DANG IT, DANG IT, DANG IT....not exactly what I said at the time, but what's appropriate for the blog.
I see Cuz a few yards back and I've been cycling long enough to know that 2 are better than 1, so I ease up, we share wheels, and we are now on a mission to catch the front group which we easily have in sight. BUT (there's always one of those), we were stopped by a few red lights downtown and the front was no longer visible.
Here's where the "best ride" part comes in. No longer visible did not mean others still weren't ahead of us and my secret goal was to get up Ft. Roots before they came back down. So here we go, I've got Cuz, Geo, and Dan with me. I'm cranking 21-24, in the wind at some points, and my facial expression could have been that of a woman possessed by demons. At one point Cuz says, "we aren't going to catch them", to which I replied, "I know, I'm just trying to burn some lbs." but in my head I'm thinking I gotta pound the rest of the way to Ft. Roots before the front group descends...so I crank harder. At some point we picked up JBar and he tells me I'm pulling like a wild woman!
Did I make it to the top in time? Well, no. I got within .25 miles before the others came flying down the hill. All was good though. Geo, JBar, and I finished climbing and then we chatted for a bit. JBar was nice enough to let me suck wheels on the way back until we reached Broadway and then we parted ways. So, I was WAY alone at this point, but I like riding that way ever once in awhile. After the Cantrell overpass, I decided to haul it to the car as it was getting dark and I had no lights (that's good motivation). I kept it between 21-23 and just told myself it was similar to the sprints we've been practicing during bricks (albeit it was a pretty LONG sprint). At any rate, it was fun and I felt great afterwards.
The best quip of the night was Cuz yelling, "that's old Jenn riding". I had a smile bigger than Texas and felt warm and fuzzy inside. Yes sir....the Old Jenn is back, hopefully....we'll see the next time I ride.
Until then,
SK
The T/Th crew was all there...Cuz, Cheetah, the MARS, Tammy, Mike, Colin, JCon, Charlie (thanks for the pump), John EEE, Dan, and about 15 other peeps. But, there were also special appearances by JBar, Geo, Hboo, and a few others I had not seen in over a year. As usual, we did a neutral roll-out, and safely sailed down the River Trail until we reached the other side of the BDB. I'd already decided I was gonna sit on the back because every time they pick it up in the front, I find myself mid-pack in a bunch sprint/surge to catch the soon-to-be break, which just sucks because I either can't get around or a small gap forms and I kill myself trying to get back on.
Well, I thought I was far enough back until I turned around and saw we had a lot more riders than I thought (how we double in size from point A to point B I don't quite understand but we always do). Like clockwork, we hit the road and ta-dow....Mooney jets....I keep up longer than I have been lately, but I just can't hold on. DANG IT, DANG IT, DANG IT....not exactly what I said at the time, but what's appropriate for the blog.
I see Cuz a few yards back and I've been cycling long enough to know that 2 are better than 1, so I ease up, we share wheels, and we are now on a mission to catch the front group which we easily have in sight. BUT (there's always one of those), we were stopped by a few red lights downtown and the front was no longer visible.
Here's where the "best ride" part comes in. No longer visible did not mean others still weren't ahead of us and my secret goal was to get up Ft. Roots before they came back down. So here we go, I've got Cuz, Geo, and Dan with me. I'm cranking 21-24, in the wind at some points, and my facial expression could have been that of a woman possessed by demons. At one point Cuz says, "we aren't going to catch them", to which I replied, "I know, I'm just trying to burn some lbs." but in my head I'm thinking I gotta pound the rest of the way to Ft. Roots before the front group descends...so I crank harder. At some point we picked up JBar and he tells me I'm pulling like a wild woman!
Did I make it to the top in time? Well, no. I got within .25 miles before the others came flying down the hill. All was good though. Geo, JBar, and I finished climbing and then we chatted for a bit. JBar was nice enough to let me suck wheels on the way back until we reached Broadway and then we parted ways. So, I was WAY alone at this point, but I like riding that way ever once in awhile. After the Cantrell overpass, I decided to haul it to the car as it was getting dark and I had no lights (that's good motivation). I kept it between 21-23 and just told myself it was similar to the sprints we've been practicing during bricks (albeit it was a pretty LONG sprint). At any rate, it was fun and I felt great afterwards.
The best quip of the night was Cuz yelling, "that's old Jenn riding". I had a smile bigger than Texas and felt warm and fuzzy inside. Yes sir....the Old Jenn is back, hopefully....we'll see the next time I ride.
Until then,
SK
Monday, March 31, 2008
Yum, Yum...Crow taste good!
Ok. I admit it. I may have insinuated in my last post that triathlon training was a little crazy and that triathletes are a different breed. Well, all I can say is crow taste good...
Mr. Weatherman made it pretty clear that it was gonna rain tonight, so I knew the chances of a run/ride brick were slim. I decided, therefore, to go for a little swim in an attempt to redeem myself from last year's debacle. Just how bad could it have been? The truth came out tonight when my friend/swim instructor Rhonda J. said, "I can't believe you're the same person that was in this pool last year...you do all kinds of things and I just couldn't figure out why you were having such a hard time".
On the way over to the pool, I told myself this swimming thing was completely psychological and that I had the capability of learning proper swim technique (3 freakin' graduate degrees and 14 years of school...surely I can master bilateral breathing and arm strokes). I had to remind myself that my very first lesson with Rhonda last year was 5 days after being discharged from the hospital. I'd lost 20 lbs and my liver wasn't functioning....perhaps that affected my performance. Regardless, I was now a little freaked about jumping in, but all was good during this lesson!
After 30 minutes of breathing and head rolling instruction, we added arms and legs. She made me do a few more practice laps and then she became the Swim Nazi... don't stop, keep breathing, full strokes, don't touch the bottom, yada, yada, yada. AMAZINGLY ENOUGH...I DID IT!!! It was just psychological...go figure! And, it felt good!
I determined tonight that swimming is much like riding a bike. Just as you find a comfortable cadence and spin, spin, spin, you find a comfortable breathing and stroke rhythm and propel, propel, propel. Now, I have no misconception that this sport will be easy once I'm in open water with a gazillion other peeps. But, at least I didn't hit the proverbial brick wall...or would that be "pool wall"?
I'm still afraid though. I think I might just get hooked on this triathlon thing. Great, just what I need~another hobby!
Gotta go for now as I have more crow to eat-
Swim on,
SK
Mr. Weatherman made it pretty clear that it was gonna rain tonight, so I knew the chances of a run/ride brick were slim. I decided, therefore, to go for a little swim in an attempt to redeem myself from last year's debacle. Just how bad could it have been? The truth came out tonight when my friend/swim instructor Rhonda J. said, "I can't believe you're the same person that was in this pool last year...you do all kinds of things and I just couldn't figure out why you were having such a hard time".
On the way over to the pool, I told myself this swimming thing was completely psychological and that I had the capability of learning proper swim technique (3 freakin' graduate degrees and 14 years of school...surely I can master bilateral breathing and arm strokes). I had to remind myself that my very first lesson with Rhonda last year was 5 days after being discharged from the hospital. I'd lost 20 lbs and my liver wasn't functioning....perhaps that affected my performance. Regardless, I was now a little freaked about jumping in, but all was good during this lesson!
After 30 minutes of breathing and head rolling instruction, we added arms and legs. She made me do a few more practice laps and then she became the Swim Nazi... don't stop, keep breathing, full strokes, don't touch the bottom, yada, yada, yada. AMAZINGLY ENOUGH...I DID IT!!! It was just psychological...go figure! And, it felt good!
I determined tonight that swimming is much like riding a bike. Just as you find a comfortable cadence and spin, spin, spin, you find a comfortable breathing and stroke rhythm and propel, propel, propel. Now, I have no misconception that this sport will be easy once I'm in open water with a gazillion other peeps. But, at least I didn't hit the proverbial brick wall...or would that be "pool wall"?
I'm still afraid though. I think I might just get hooked on this triathlon thing. Great, just what I need~another hobby!
Gotta go for now as I have more crow to eat-
Swim on,
SK
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Brick (wall)????
Triathletes are either the most mindful people on earth or the craziest...not sure which!!!
Brick, simple enough word right? Even when modified - bricklayer, brick and mortar, brickwork, brick fireplace- it sounds simplistic enough. However, BRICK is a word I've come to dislike, especially after tonight. I'm going to start referring to 'brick training' as 'brick walling' because that's what it feels like after riding your bike full blast and then running a gazillion miles!
So, I tried (no pun intended) brick training for a few months in 2006 because I wanted to do a sprint tri in Texarkana, AR. And, last year when I was so sick I tried to pick up swimming because it's a low impact sport. But, such as my life has been for the last 14 years, school and work got in the way of fun and I had to postpone my desire to participate in triathlons. However, the opportunity for brick training resurfaced when someone (that would be my loving Cuzin Chris) sent an email last week to our group declaring Monday and Wednesday nights as the official 'some of us are training for the KC 1/2 Ironman and need to get on the training schtick'.
Let's see...
I'm not doing KC or training for anything else (which is status quo for me considering I did the LR 1/2 marathon a month ago with zero training) and I have a dissertation due in less than 2 weeks (good diversion tactic, right?),
but
I need to shed a few pounds from said dissertation writing and I need to capitalize on as much 'cuz time' as possible since we are moving,
so
...why not?
I'm pretty sure those are someone's famous last words. I show up Monday night and it's rather chilly, but Cuz and I knock out a ride/run (we have similar paces which is nice). Tonight I show up and it's much warmer but Cuz elects to "rest his legs". Fair enough...he is racing this weekend and I kinda sorta talked him into doing the TXARK tri with me years ago and then I bailed so I probably had it coming.
BIG NOTE TO SELF, don't even attempt bricks with people like ODWonn (tri guru of the world) and/or JCon (Mr. I win bike races and run sub-zero minute miles without trying) and/or any other peeps around here that post phenom tri times! I did that tonight in Cuz's absence and it was not pretty...brick wall baby, brick wall! Oh, did I mention it was not pretty?
I guess there is one good benefit of these bricks (I can only think of one this very moment as my legs are demanding to know what in the world I was thinking). I want to do an adventure race before we move and this is excellent prep for the biking and running required as part of that event. Not sure they will help with the paddling or orienteering, but I've got plenty of time to perfect those skillz!
Hmmmm....crazy or mindful. My mind fully thinks that this type of training is crazy! I may just stick to old skool ridin'!
Happy (painless) training to you all~
SK
Brick, simple enough word right? Even when modified - bricklayer, brick and mortar, brickwork, brick fireplace- it sounds simplistic enough. However, BRICK is a word I've come to dislike, especially after tonight. I'm going to start referring to 'brick training' as 'brick walling' because that's what it feels like after riding your bike full blast and then running a gazillion miles!
So, I tried (no pun intended) brick training for a few months in 2006 because I wanted to do a sprint tri in Texarkana, AR. And, last year when I was so sick I tried to pick up swimming because it's a low impact sport. But, such as my life has been for the last 14 years, school and work got in the way of fun and I had to postpone my desire to participate in triathlons. However, the opportunity for brick training resurfaced when someone (that would be my loving Cuzin Chris) sent an email last week to our group declaring Monday and Wednesday nights as the official 'some of us are training for the KC 1/2 Ironman and need to get on the training schtick'.
Let's see...
I'm not doing KC or training for anything else (which is status quo for me considering I did the LR 1/2 marathon a month ago with zero training) and I have a dissertation due in less than 2 weeks (good diversion tactic, right?),
but
I need to shed a few pounds from said dissertation writing and I need to capitalize on as much 'cuz time' as possible since we are moving,
so
...why not?
I'm pretty sure those are someone's famous last words. I show up Monday night and it's rather chilly, but Cuz and I knock out a ride/run (we have similar paces which is nice). Tonight I show up and it's much warmer but Cuz elects to "rest his legs". Fair enough...he is racing this weekend and I kinda sorta talked him into doing the TXARK tri with me years ago and then I bailed so I probably had it coming.
BIG NOTE TO SELF, don't even attempt bricks with people like ODWonn (tri guru of the world) and/or JCon (Mr. I win bike races and run sub-zero minute miles without trying) and/or any other peeps around here that post phenom tri times! I did that tonight in Cuz's absence and it was not pretty...brick wall baby, brick wall! Oh, did I mention it was not pretty?
I guess there is one good benefit of these bricks (I can only think of one this very moment as my legs are demanding to know what in the world I was thinking). I want to do an adventure race before we move and this is excellent prep for the biking and running required as part of that event. Not sure they will help with the paddling or orienteering, but I've got plenty of time to perfect those skillz!
Hmmmm....crazy or mindful. My mind fully thinks that this type of training is crazy! I may just stick to old skool ridin'!
Happy (painless) training to you all~
SK
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Old Skool Ridin'
Tuesday was awesome...it threaten rained, but I didn't care. As of this Wednesday, I have EXACTLY 4 months to prepare for the 11th hilliest RAGBRAI! So, I was riding the FGSG Tuesday ride if the Lord was willing and the creek didn't rise (which it did a little).
6pm rolled around and 5 FGSG were on wheels ready to go...Mr. Funk, Razz, Cuzin Chris, Cuzette, and myself. It was a bit chilly at the start after the 'heat shower' came through, so of course, I overdressed for the ride. Arm warmers, vest, and rain jacket were shed about mid-ride. Man...to say that Tuesday's ride was old skool would be an understatement. Long-time friends catching up on long lost memories....priceless!
We reminisced about Hotter N Hell trips, we joked about the riders we once were, and we laughed as if there was no tomorrow. Though some of us are nursing separated shoulders or contemplating what is next in life, nothing changes when friendship has been formed. It was as if just yesterday, the gang trekked across Texas (going 95 mph on the interstate and stopping at EVERY possible McDonalds), rode 100 miles together, shared a meal at the local steakhouse, transported a rider to the ER because he "celebrated before he hydrated" and then jetted back to LR to ride together some more!!! Mr. Funk informed me on the ride yesterday that he is indeed descending upon Wichita Falls again with Ms. Fondoo to round out his tenth HH100. You go Yale....and I miss riding with you!
During this ride, I was reminded why I ride. Simply said...'I am' on the bike. What does that mean? Just that. I am free, I am happy, I am glad to be with other cyclists, I am overwhelmed with a sense of being, I am eager to share the joy of cycling with non-cyclists, I am __________ (fill in the blank with all of the emotions you feel when pedaling)!
Writing that paragraph made me think of this weekend. Steph and I went to Columbia, MO to take our League Certified Instructor (LCI) exam. Passing this 3-day course will allow us to teach others about bicycle safety. We both did well on the 85 question written exam, 2 road tests (including night riding), 2 handling skills tests, and the classroom instruction test. Oh, did I mention it was 34 degrees and raining...they had no mercy on us... get out there and RIDE if you want to pass!
Anyway, one of the exercises was to write down (a) the make/model of your very first bike (mine was a pink Huffy), (b) your favorite memory on that bike, (c) what important lesson you learned from that bike, and (d) what one feeling that bike gave you. The participants' responses in this LCI course were not unlike the emotions described above (independence, excitement, etc). Take 5...think back to your first biking experience and let me know if you DON'T have the same feelings when you ride today! And thanks FGSG for making each ride memorable~
Ride on (safely of course),
SK
6pm rolled around and 5 FGSG were on wheels ready to go...Mr. Funk, Razz, Cuzin Chris, Cuzette, and myself. It was a bit chilly at the start after the 'heat shower' came through, so of course, I overdressed for the ride. Arm warmers, vest, and rain jacket were shed about mid-ride. Man...to say that Tuesday's ride was old skool would be an understatement. Long-time friends catching up on long lost memories....priceless!
We reminisced about Hotter N Hell trips, we joked about the riders we once were, and we laughed as if there was no tomorrow. Though some of us are nursing separated shoulders or contemplating what is next in life, nothing changes when friendship has been formed. It was as if just yesterday, the gang trekked across Texas (going 95 mph on the interstate and stopping at EVERY possible McDonalds), rode 100 miles together, shared a meal at the local steakhouse, transported a rider to the ER because he "celebrated before he hydrated" and then jetted back to LR to ride together some more!!! Mr. Funk informed me on the ride yesterday that he is indeed descending upon Wichita Falls again with Ms. Fondoo to round out his tenth HH100. You go Yale....and I miss riding with you!
During this ride, I was reminded why I ride. Simply said...'I am' on the bike. What does that mean? Just that. I am free, I am happy, I am glad to be with other cyclists, I am overwhelmed with a sense of being, I am eager to share the joy of cycling with non-cyclists, I am __________ (fill in the blank with all of the emotions you feel when pedaling)!
Writing that paragraph made me think of this weekend. Steph and I went to Columbia, MO to take our League Certified Instructor (LCI) exam. Passing this 3-day course will allow us to teach others about bicycle safety. We both did well on the 85 question written exam, 2 road tests (including night riding), 2 handling skills tests, and the classroom instruction test. Oh, did I mention it was 34 degrees and raining...they had no mercy on us... get out there and RIDE if you want to pass!
Anyway, one of the exercises was to write down (a) the make/model of your very first bike (mine was a pink Huffy), (b) your favorite memory on that bike, (c) what important lesson you learned from that bike, and (d) what one feeling that bike gave you. The participants' responses in this LCI course were not unlike the emotions described above (independence, excitement, etc). Take 5...think back to your first biking experience and let me know if you DON'T have the same feelings when you ride today! And thanks FGSG for making each ride memorable~
Ride on (safely of course),
SK
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Team Rubicon, LIVESTRONG, RAGBRAI, Oh My...
First, Geo is going to LOVE me. He has the opportunity to be "RUBE-D" out again this year! Oh what a great time we had "painting" Nebo with Rube and R&R art last year. We'll it gets better this year!Little Rock is hosting another bike ride to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation on May 7th. Once again, Team Rubicon racers will be giving out LIVESTRONG wristbands and playing cat and mouse with the locals!
BUT NEW THIS YEAR, a raffle for lots of cool schwag including:
(1) Team Rubicon Edition Bike Frame (a really nice Orbea) and signed Rubes jersey
(1) Autographed Lance Armstrong item
(1) VIP spot in the Team Rubicon Car at Joe Martin (oh yeah baby)
(1) Team Rubicon Gift Basket complete with Rube gear, Hammer gels, and other good stuff
(1) LIVESTRONG Edition Oakley Radar Glasses
AND...whatever else we can find to give away between now and then!
Wanna fight cancer and win cool stuff? Then buy a raffle ticket or two, or three, or 50...all contributions are tax-deductible. Go ahead, indulge yourself, you know you want this schwag!
I'll have tickets with me at all times! Cost is 2 for $10 or 5 for $20.
Secondly, you may be wondering why I am involved with LAF. Cancer is evil and too many family members and friends have battled it...some winning and some not. I'll be pedaling across Iowa again this summer (471 miles to be exact) with Lance and Team LIVESTRONG. I'm honored to be selected again as a RAGBRAI team member and hope to double my fundraising goal. This Little Rock ride is part of my effort and I hope you join me in the cancer battle!
Check out my summer Iowa vacation route here (22,500 feet of climbing...can't wait)
Broom- (n): an item used to sweep
So, today was the first FGSG Tuesday/Thursday ride. Yes, daylight savings time has arrived and so has cycling season. Well, actually, some peeps around here cycle year round, but the season "officially" arrived with the first road race (Crosswind Classic) and the first T/T ride.
We had about 20 bike enthusiasts show up which is a great start. Some old faces (figuratively and literally but I'm not naming names) and some new faces with other FGSG sprinkled along the route. Beautiful weather and the best camaraderie. I led the "fitness" group (i.e., we're there to look good on our bikes, oh, and burn a few lbs); while Shawdawg, Cuzin Chris, JCon, JBar, Cheetah, Paul S, and a few others proceeded to form the "dance on the pedals" group (i.e., the fitness group only sees them at the start and finish point)!
At any rate, Bethany, Mike, Colin, Geo, Wanye, Paul and his wife, and a few others kept a nice steady pace and more than enjoyed the spring River Trail scenery. I dropped back at Fort Roots to play sweep and make sure we didn't drop anyone. We didn't....but I never caught back up with the group. Apparently, they bypassed the Root on the way back. I, however, was dying to see how the new bike climbed. Of course, I had to go up. SWEET RIDE BABY, SWEET RIDE!!!
I wasn't by myself long...I caught up with Creel and his buds. Sidebar story: 2 years ago at the MS150 I will never forget what Creel said to me as we were climbing that awesome 'little hill' into Perry. He said, "you obviously don't ride with the girls in your neighborhood", I cracked up and almost fell over!
All rides are good (right ODWonn?) and this was no exception. Here's to a great 2008 cycling season!
Mo' spoke talk later~
SK
We had about 20 bike enthusiasts show up which is a great start. Some old faces (figuratively and literally but I'm not naming names) and some new faces with other FGSG sprinkled along the route. Beautiful weather and the best camaraderie. I led the "fitness" group (i.e., we're there to look good on our bikes, oh, and burn a few lbs); while Shawdawg, Cuzin Chris, JCon, JBar, Cheetah, Paul S, and a few others proceeded to form the "dance on the pedals" group (i.e., the fitness group only sees them at the start and finish point)!
At any rate, Bethany, Mike, Colin, Geo, Wanye, Paul and his wife, and a few others kept a nice steady pace and more than enjoyed the spring River Trail scenery. I dropped back at Fort Roots to play sweep and make sure we didn't drop anyone. We didn't....but I never caught back up with the group. Apparently, they bypassed the Root on the way back. I, however, was dying to see how the new bike climbed. Of course, I had to go up. SWEET RIDE BABY, SWEET RIDE!!!
I wasn't by myself long...I caught up with Creel and his buds. Sidebar story: 2 years ago at the MS150 I will never forget what Creel said to me as we were climbing that awesome 'little hill' into Perry. He said, "you obviously don't ride with the girls in your neighborhood", I cracked up and almost fell over!
All rides are good (right ODWonn?) and this was no exception. Here's to a great 2008 cycling season!
Mo' spoke talk later~
SK
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Maiden Spin???
I just returned from taking the new bike for a spin....SWEET RIDE BABY, SWEET RIDE!!!
Now the hard part. Coming up with the perfect name for such a fine piece of machinery. The carbon goddess has flames on the top tube which inspired a long list of fire-related hopefuls. Got any other ones to add? Drop me an email with your best nomenclature.
Flame (duh)
Brulee (my fave)
Inferno (second fave)
Ashes (third fave)
Blaze (thanks cuz)
Spark
Torch
Melt (aka fondue)
Incinerator
Heat
Hottie
Caliente
Habanero (thanks Linda)
Lava
Now the hard part. Coming up with the perfect name for such a fine piece of machinery. The carbon goddess has flames on the top tube which inspired a long list of fire-related hopefuls. Got any other ones to add? Drop me an email with your best nomenclature.
Flame (duh)
Brulee (my fave)
Inferno (second fave)
Ashes (third fave)
Blaze (thanks cuz)
Spark
Torch
Melt (aka fondue)
Incinerator
Heat
Hottie
Caliente
Habanero (thanks Linda)
Lava
Ethanol
Smolder
Fuego
Flame-boyant
Combustion
Nitress (a play on nitrous and mistress-husband Chris can come up with anything)
Flameco
Manipura
And the winner is.....stay tuned!
Flame-boyant
Combustion
Nitress (a play on nitrous and mistress-husband Chris can come up with anything)
Flameco
Manipura
And the winner is.....stay tuned!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Snow today...yes, time to MOVE SOUTH
For the second time this week it has snowed in Little Rock. I call it the proverbial "daffodil snow" because it never fails...the first sign of daffodils and boom...snow the next week! Time to migrate south, oh wait, I'm already planning that. And speaking of, I established another JAX FL contact today, so we'll see where it leads.
My legs have finally recovered from the half-marathon. For the most part I was functioning by Wednesday, but stairs were HELL! Perhaps I'll do 3 miles or so tomorrow on the treadmill. The CARTI training rides start Sunday and I (along with Figgy "Mr Safety" Newton) volunteered to serve as ride lead so at least I have a 'legitimate' writing diversion (yeah right).
More later ....time for din-din.
My legs have finally recovered from the half-marathon. For the most part I was functioning by Wednesday, but stairs were HELL! Perhaps I'll do 3 miles or so tomorrow on the treadmill. The CARTI training rides start Sunday and I (along with Figgy "Mr Safety" Newton) volunteered to serve as ride lead so at least I have a 'legitimate' writing diversion (yeah right).
More later ....time for din-din.
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