Road biking withdrawals

I can't remember when we've had snow in this area for such an extended amount of time.  Generally snow comes one day and is gone the next.  This last bit of snow came on January 25 and hasn't gone.  Temps have been cold and we've received more on top of the initial 19".  Last Saturday road biking was cancelled.  Commuting to work has continued, but on a mountain bike decked out in ski clothes and goggles.  It's a fun commute, but not a quick or dainty ride on the snow, ice, slush covered streets.  It's more like an Adventure Race - slipping, sliding, dodging obstacles (in this case it's vehicles, parked and moving).  I can deal with the commute, but I really want to get out and stretch my legs on a nice long road ride.  The trainer rides help, as does spinning class, but it's not the same.  This coupled with the fact that I know my pregnant body's time on a road bike frame is short lived is making me anxious to get back on.  Here's hoping for clear road and clear skies for the weekend.  If not we'll again dig out cross or mountain bikes and hit the road, but it won't be the same.

Till next time, ride on.

Biking to work in 19" of snow

Having 19" of snow is unusual for this area.  We have snow, but generally not more than 6" or so.  The decision to (at least try to) continue to bike has been an interesting one.  The precipitation began on Monday night with sleet and ice then quickly turned to snow.  By the time we got up and around we had around 4-5".  We scrapped the driveway and sidewalk then got mountain bikes out of the shed and headed to work.  Biking in the snow, while it was still snowing on streets vacant of cars (most businesses and schools closed based on the predictions of more) was calming and exhilarating.  We got to work without issue.  By 10am we had closer to 12" of snow and they decided to shut down the offices.  We waited till around 10:30am to give the cars a chance to leave then headed out.  It had become terrible.  The addition of more unpacked snow, combined with sporadic car paths led to a seriously thick slush that was close to unconquerable.  We basically ended up doing a walk/ride for the mile ride.  Got yelled at a couple times to get off the road by some seriously classy people, but we finally made it home.
Wednesday we had basically all the snow we were going to get (topping out at around 19") and main roads had been scrapped.  Still a thick layer of snow, but it was compacted and easy to ride.  The commute was back to being fun!  We worked most of the day then headed home and had basically the same commute home.  No issues, very few cars due to everything being shut down.
Today, (Thursday) I decided to ride to spin class (which starts at 5:15am).  I left the house when it was 0 degrees (warmer than the day before).  The ride wasn't bad at all.  Snow was still packed and frozen.  There were a few slick spots, but I was able to make it there and back without putting a foot down (pretty big accomplishment for me).  I went home, showered and headed to work.  In that short time, and with the addition of more cars, the roads had already begun to turn slushy.  Not terrible, but worse.  By lunch intersections were a slushy, crappy mess of intersecting paths.  I opted to hop off and jog my bike through a few of them for speed and safety.  I made it home and back just fine - no major issues.  Given the melting and additional vehicular paths I'm curious to see what awaits me for my evening commute.  I'll have to post back later...

Till next time - keep riding!

Snow commute

Well, I was commuting in my daily wear, wool coat, etc., etc., but after a sheet of ice and 16" of snow with temps in the single digits and wind chill in the double negatives (-13 degrees F today when we left) I've had to rethink.  My daily wear changed to under armor insulated tights and a pair of insulated Columbia hiking pants on bottom.  The top includes a tank, long sleeve tech t, & long sleeve fleece lined top.  On top of all that I threw on ski pants, a waterproof Marmot jacket, insulated boots, and Yaktrax.  Yesterday I had a gaiter for my neck, safety glasses, and a stocking hat.  Today I upped the ante and went with those things plus a Buff to securely cover my nose and mouth and added in ski goggles to keep from fogging up so bad.  Seemed to work - I was much warmer today, but that could also have something to do with the fact the wind wasn't blowing 40mph today and spitting snow in my face??
Some pics the man rode ahead and took yesterday on the way into work
(this was when we only had about 4-5" of snow - it continued throughout the day and stopped at around 16-17"):

              

The eyebrows were much better today thanks to the goggles!  Also, some roads were plowed today.  Yesterday was like riding in terrible mud.  Good practice I guess!  Reminds me how much I love my mountain bike if nothing else.
Till next time - ride on.

Cycling Apparel

For cold weather commuting my apparel basically consists of what I am wearing to work for the day, my wool coat, my helmet (sometimes a band for ear cover), scarf, pant leg strap, safety glasses, and gloves.  When your commute isn't too far this all works.  If I was going further I might grab a buff to pull up around my face and throw on an extra pair of socks or shoe covers.

I've already talked in prior posts about the basic cold weather cycling gear, but there are some things I have found this season that have been beneficial.  I'd like to chat about them here...

I think I seem like a Columbia groupie (this is not the case), but they really do have some decent quality stuff.  I honestly thought they only made fishing shirts until we took a trip to Portland last year.  Anyway, I really dig this shirt for cold weather rides and really cold weather runs:

It comes equipped with a handy dandy pocket for my iPhone, ID, and some cash.  It's fleece lined and breathable.  I can't wear it running for anything above freezing, but for anything below it's fantastic.  For rides I will pair it with this shirt:

It is breathable and form fitting (also from Columbia).  It has thumb holes so your shirt stays in place while adding additional layers!  On top I add this little jacket from Pearl Izumi:

It's their W's Elite Barrier Convertible Jacket.  It's thinner than I anticipated when I ordered, but it's a great wind block and keeps me warmer than expected.  I have worn it for rides and runs.  The arms and upper back zip off for a vest when you heat up.  Or, you can do a partial unzip to just get a slight breeze.  For a 30 degree run I wore this jacket with a short sleeve tech t-shirt and was plenty warm.
On bottom I wear insulated tights for runs and rides.  On rides I just add the padded shorts on top.  I have also added these PI thermal leg warmers:

Prior I was just wearing knee warmers.  For really cold days these are great over thermal tights.  When it's a little warmer (40's) I can get away with regular tights and these.  I have also worn these with my shorts and ridden the 2 miles to spinning class.  It worked for that distance, but probably not much further in below freezing temps.

When you look at the cost of all these things (I did get most on sale), it seems crazy.  I generally only wear the really cold weather stuff a couple times a week so I only have a couple options.  Other than that I wash clothes a lot.  Between 2 of us our Saturday long rides equal at least 1 large load of laundry!  :-O

I'm just glad my real clothes still fit and that I'm not stuck buying cold weather maternity biking gear!  ;-)
By the time I'm really showing the temps should be tolerable for riding in about anything - possibly moo-moo's.  Eeek!

Till next time - ride on and stay warm!

Saturday Long Rides Continue

We rode January 1, 8, & 15.  Each ride has been pretty chilly.  The 1st and 8th were hands down the worst though.  Never got above 30 degrees and winds were 10-15 mph.  We smartly rode into the wind to begin with and were able to relax and chill with a tail wind on the way home.  Rides have gone from 40, to 42, to 45 miles last week when the weather was in the mid-30's for the duration of the ride - sweet!!  The man and I have been riding to and from the start location (another 5 miles each way) so we're definitely getting some seat time.  Last weekend the group pace increased quite a bit.  There were two main reasons - nicer weather, and bigger (stronger) group.  It will continue to gain momentum until I am unable to hang with the lead pack and will be relegated to the mid-pack ride.  Any other season I think I would be plotting how to get stronger and work on hanging with the lead group as long as possible, but there is something different this season.  It's called pregnancy.  So, not only will I be chatting about biking from a female perspective - I will also be chatting about biking from a pregnant perspective!  Pretty sure it's going to be a different experience!  :-)

Not sure what this Saturday will bring.  We've had snow this week.  Main roads are clear, but side roads are sketchy.  I'm guessing there will be some preliminary work done tonight to make the final call.  I'm hoping for a road ride, but I'm sure we'll take cross bikes out on the gravel if roads aren't clear and that will be fun as well.  

Till next time - ride on and stay warm!

Cold, cold, biking

The man friend is an avid cyclist and has plans to keep us biking throughout the frigid cold of winter - and not just on the trainers.  He's started Saturday morning bike rides.  The plan is to start at 10am and ride anywhere from around 1-4 hours depending on who shows, weather, etc.  He sent out an invite to do a test ride in the cold temps the Sunday before last and we were the only crazies to show.  We made it 1-1/2 hours in around 30 degree weather.  Everything was fine except my hands and feet.  The feet had 2 pair of wool socks, shoes, and PI barrier shoe covers.  When we finished my feet were cold and wet.  :-(
So, 2nd go around was this Saturday.  It was colder, but we had other crazies to join us - 4 others to be exact - awesome!  We left the house at 9:30am in order to ride to the start point.  It was 20 degrees, felt like 15 when we left the house with winds out of the NW.  I changed up my gear on the feet.  Wicking socks, wool socks, then Gore waterproof booties, followed by shoes, and PI barrier shoe covers.  It was still cold and I had to continue to move my toes around to keep feeling, but I survived 3-1/2 hours in those temps.  My fingers were still fairly numb so I made the decision to order the PI barrier lobster gloves.  I have the regular ones and I love them in cold temps, but freezing temps are pushing it.  I ordered a men's small so that I can hopefully wear a liner under them.  I'll post on how that works out.  In defense of all the gear I have I should mention that I have extremely poor circulation in my fingers and toes so if it will keep me warm it should keep anyone warm.

My core stayed toasty.  I wore some inSport insulated running tights, my wool socks were of the knee variety, knee warmers, my Exte Ondo Ribbon bib shorts on the bottom.  The top was a bra top, tank, long sleeve Columbia techy shirt, arm warmers, and a long sleeve fleece lined Columbia shirt.  I also had a Columbia Omni-Heat neck gaiter and a Buff to wear up over my ears and face to protect from the wind.

So, this Saturday I'm hoping to be more prepared.  By spring I will have mastered cold weather biking (and forget all I learned by next winter - guaranteed).  ;-)

Keep riding, keep warm!

Erick's Run 2011

Yesterday was the 20th annual Erick's Run in Carthage, MO.  Weather was (in my opinion) great for running - think it was around 35 and sunny with only about a 10 mph wind from the south.  There were around 30-40 people that showed up.  After a long ride in the extreme cold the day before and a persistent cough on my end, the man friend and I decided on an easy run.  Given that, I'm not even sure of our finishing time at this point.  We ran an 8-1/2 minute 1st mile, 9 minute 2nd mile and ? 3rd mile.  We had errands to run and didn't stick around for awards for a change (not that we would have received any, but we could have found out our time).  Maybe it will be posted in a few days.  Regardless, it was fun to just head out and run one and not push myself or worry about time.  The highlight of the run was the Higgins family coming out in full force to cheer on the CRC!  :-)

So, I consider the new year started off right - 3-1/2 hour bike ride on the 1st, 5K on the 2nd.  I'm thinking about taking today off, but who knows.  Maybe I'll get some energy and go for run #2 this afternoon.

On the agenda later today is to come up with my 2011 goals!

Till next time.
Run on.

Honey Stinger Waffles

Yep, my reason for posting right now is a new fuel.  After so many Adventure Races and runs requiring multiple fueling I've had my fill of bars and gus are getting hit and miss.  I came across Honey Stinger's latest product in the bike shop a few weeks ago - Organic Honey Waffles.  It's not a real waffle, it's flat and crisp and to me it tastes a little like crispy pie crust with honey.  That may not be a good way to describe it, but I do think it's really good.  We'll see if I stay this positive about it after eating 6 or 8 in a day, but right now I'm pretty firm.  It's kind of a solid go to like peanut butter and honey sandwiches, but not quite as messy!  ;-)

Cycle a Century

Last week did not work out for biking - at least through the week.  Running was OK, but even it was put off because of rain (storm) one morning.  Here's how last week played out:

Monday - off (did a little climbing, but still a little sore from the 23 mile run on Saturday)
Tuesday - 2.5 mile warm-up then hills & speed work
Wednesday - 6.5 miles (mountain biking cancelled due to weather)
Thursday - running & biking cancelled due to weather  :-(
Friday - 6 miles
Saturday - 100 miles biking (plus 3 miles walking)
Sunday - 45 miles biking

So, not a great week overall, but two important things happened.

1.  My first Century Bike Ride.  Brady asked when I finished how it felt to ride 100.  I didn't really feel like it was that big of a deal.  I had gone 82 miles before so 100 didn't seem so insurmountable - a challenge yes, but insurmountable no.  Now, having done it I feel the same - as long as it's at my pace.  This was not the case on Saturday, I was pushed.  The part I'm happy with is not so much that I rode 100 miles in a day, but that I rode at a decent pace for those miles with riders that are stronger than me - 3 dudes even.  ;-)
I'm also happy I was able to recover and ride 45 the next morning without too much grief.


2.  New shoes.  We went to the Run Around in Joplin, MO Thursday after work and spent a good hour trying on and trying out shoes.  I had pretty much decided on the Mizuno Wave Rider 13 when Brady talked me into trying on the Saucony Kinvara.  Normally, I would not have looked into these because I thought it was more of a short distance or minimalist shoe and I'm training for a marathon.  Then I remembered I do love my Vibram Fivefingers Sprint so I humored him.  I tried them on and they felt good.  Ran in them and they still felt good.  Chatted about the wear on my prior shoes and agreed they just might work for me.  Tried one of each on (one Wave Rider and one Kinvara) and ran, then rotated and I still picked the Kinvaras.  I have only done one 6 miler in them since purchase and they did start to hurt my toes a bit.  Time will tell, but for now my opinion is still highly favorable.  So, until I can run more than 3 miles in my Fivefingers without blisters these will be my go to shoe.


Till next time - run on!  :-)

Start August off Right

Thursday's ride went well for me.  We worked as a group on the way out then it's every man for himself on Reinmiller and I was able to keep up the pace and felt really good.  I felt so good in fact I was able to be convinced to eat at Casa Montez with the Lowden's post-ride in all my sweaty, spandexy glory!  :-O

Friday, I had a good run with Brooke.  Looking back now I can't remember for sure how far I went - thinking it was a 5 miler, but I need to verify.  Friday night was wine tasting and Saturday was a semi day off.  We did do some climbing, but since I can only do it for 15 or 20 minutes before my arms feel like falling off I can't really count that yet.

Sunday I wanted to get a long run in, but I was tired and slept in a bit.  I still got in 9 (4 with Brooke - yeah!!), but was hoping for 12.  I think the 70 mile ride we did directly following the run made up for it!!!   Just found out that we went a little slow on the way out (27.16 miles @ 13.7 mph).  But, on the way back we kicked it up (43.03 miles @ 21.05mph).  Total of 70.2 miles @ average of 17.43mph.  Pretty sweet.   The increase was because we had a slower rider on the way out and we are a no person left behind kind of groupy.  ;-)
Also, the bomb-diggity food we had at Cookie's in Golden City (that was the 27.16 mile mark).  However, note to self - coconut cream pie and upper 90 temps while riding do not sit well on the belly!

Start from here

Sometimes life gets in the way.  That's how I'm summing it up.  Some good life, some not so good life, but still life just the same.  Mostly I just haven't made the time or had the motivation to post.  BUT, I'm going to try to change that.  I am trying to get back to having some semblance of a routine - and part of that routine includes having written documentation of what I'm doing with my running, biking, adventure racing life to keep me honest.  

So, I do have plans and goals coming up.  Nothing crazy, just some fun stuff.  

There is the Dusk 2 Dawn Adventure Race up around Lawrence, KS that I will doing with my Thirsty Turtletina teammate for the 3rd year in a row.  We have decided this is our year to rock this race!!  

Running wise I think I'm doing alright with training.  I was a pacer for the Boomtown 1/2 marathon in Joplin, MO a couple weeks ago. (Side note:  I did the 2:15 pace group, it was a little slow for me, but it worked since I spent so much energy chatting it up and trying to motivate my group - I would love to do it again someday!)  So, I can run 13.1 miles which should easily cover my running need for the race.  Mostly from here I need to hit the trails and keep up my mileage.

Cycling wise I have been doing road rides fairly regularly - rides of 20-30 miles.  I plan to keep those up as long as I'm in town.  My downfall here is mountain biking - I need to hit the trails.  I did do my first mountain bike race this year and I do have a new mountain bike so I think those two things will help, but more bouncy seat time is going to be critical.  Yesterday I did a road ride to Joplin at 4:30am (I volunteered to help coordinate the biking section of a triathlon).  It was good to use my bike lights and practice a little night riding - and I remembered why safety glasses are basically a necessity at dawn (bugs, bugs, bugs).  

Paddling - I have canoe/float trips planned the next two weekends.  It won't exactly be race day conditions, but at least I'll be able to go through the motions.  

Regarding orienteering, I feel better about it than I ever have before.  I learned a lot from doing a race back in May - mostly what not to do, but sometimes that's the best way to learn.  

I'm also tentatively planning for the Berryman Adventure Race in September with some guys from the Rufus Racing team.  Hopefully training will continue after the Dusk 2 Dawn and I won't have any issues there.

As far as running races, I plan to do the Mother Road Marathon on 10-10-10.  The course runs from Commerce, OK to Joplin, MO on Route 66.  It's the first year for this local race and I want to support it.  I started training this weekend.  I have plenty of time to work up the mileage so it should be fun.  

So, goals are set - just have to stick to the training schedule.  Planning for 4 miles running, weight lifting and a chill 12-16 mile group ride tonight - that should be enough for one day.  :-)

Till next time - run on!

6AM is too early to bite the big one

OK - it's a terrible title, but what it should really say is anytime before lets say 9AM is too early.

It seemed there was a new phenomenon this morning while out running with Brooke.  People swerving towards us rather than away from us.  They would just be cruising along then all of a sudden they were coming right at us.  Then there was the guy pulling a boat making a right turn onto the road we were running on.  He never even looked right (shouldn't you look right - just in case??) and came right on out.  Brooke tucked in behind so he wouldn't hit us, but didn't notice I had come to a halt to keep his boat and trailer from taking us out.  It was another near miss, but she looked up just in time.  Maybe it shouldn't have, but it induced giggles from us on our early morning 6 miler.
So, back to the swervers - what causes this?  It's still dark - they still have lights on.  Are they just seeing us, looking our way and naturally going that direction?  Do we just notice it more because of their lights?  Not really sure, but it's something to keep an eye on anyway.  Think about it when you're driving.  Does your gawking cause you to veer towards the object of your gawk?

One more little rant.  Do people not understand that cyclists have the same rights as operators of automobiles?  Well, I know the answer to that is no in a lot of cases.  It happens more and more that I come to a stop sign and people on the through street will come to a stop and wave me on.  I understand in most cases it is to be polite, but it is more than that.  It is unsafe, illegal (I assume), and frustrating.  Unsafe because they are stopping on a road where traffic doesn't expect them too unless they are turning (and then they should have on a signal) and they may not be able to see what else is coming and direct you into harms way.  Illegal because they have the right of way, but it's not theirs to give away.  Frustrating because I have already taken the time to stop.  Once you stop it takes time to get going.  You don't go at the simple wave of a hand, so by the time you end up going (if you choose to do so) it's taken much more time than if they would have kept going and let you go when it was safe and convenient for you.  The same applies to 4-way stops.  Then there's the whole other issue of just not seeing cyclists, but that can wait, I'm all out of venting for this afternoon.  ;-)

Run With the Wind 2010

I need to back up before going directly into race day recap.  I was able to finish out my week of travel with a fairly good run schedule.  Monday 4.25, Tuesday 6.2, Wednesday 4, Thursday 1 - wait, is that right??  1 mile?  Yeah, my silly chest cold kicked back on Thursday - I tried to run, but the lungs were having none of it.  I opted for a total body weight routine.  It wore me out too, but it was better than running.  Overall given the way I felt I thought my exercise for the week was pretty stellar.  I decided to take Friday off (travel day's are always hard to get in a workout).  We flew into Northwest Arkansas, the man friend met me and we went to PF Changs in Rogers to eat with his brother & brother's gf, quick browse through Williams-Sonoma (since we were there), and then a not so quick browse through Lewis & Clark Outfitters.  We decided to do a little bike shopping - the man is under the impression I need a new mountain bike and after riding a few new ones (with shocks that actually work) I am starting to buy it.  (More on the bike shopping later.)  We got home around 9pm and I decided I would do the race the next day so I got ready and went to bed.

So.....Run With the Wind 25K??  Unlike last year's 'Run INTO the Wind' this year really was a 'Run With the Wind'.  It was pretty chilly to start (high 20's/low 30's) but once we got going it felt pretty nice.  The wind wasn't so strong that I felt it propelling me forward, but the two times we turned into it I could definitely feel it was there!  The race is either solo or a team event.  I was running solo, but I had friends that were running as teams.  It was nice - I first hooked up with Linda (her and her hubby/teammate were each doing a little over 10 with 5 mile overlap in the middle) and we ran till around 5 miles.  At that point Scott E. joined in and before long Scott M. (and Cloe the dog) caught up to us.  We all ran together for a bit then Scott M., Cloe and I took off a little faster until we got to the next transition point - mile 10.  At that point Amy took over for Scott M., Linda finished up, and Scott E. hustled to catch up to us again.  The three of us pounded along the eastbound rolling hills that lead into Sarcoxie.  After a couple miles Scott E. checked up a bit and Amy and I continued on.  She gave me the go ahead with around 2 miles left - lol - maybe she thought I had something left in reserve, but I really didn't.  I was able to speed up just a little until my mom happened to drive by and thought that she would cruise along and chat with me for a bit (that's hard to do when you are 13 miles in).  I was able to get some momentum back after she drove on.  Brady caught me shortly after on the bike and helped me get to the turn in point (about 1/2 mile shy of the finish) before he took off so he could have warm clothes waiting on me at the finish.  I had Scott M. and some of their friends and other runners to cheer me on and a 9-10 year old boy ran it in with me for some extra support to finish in 2:24 something.  I was so glad to be done.  It hadn't hurt as bad as anticipated, but that was before the coughing started.  I must say running is more fun with others.  Next year I will have Brooke back so watch out wind!!  ;-)

Side notes - the t-shirt was pretty awesome this year - short sleeve tech t-shirt vs. the long sleeve cotton last year (that was complete with the prior years date).  I was even able to snag a small - love it!  Support was also great this year - plenty of water/gatorade and the finish line bagels, oranges and banana's hit the spot.  It's a great race that I hope continues to grow in size!

Till next time - run on, bike on!

Winter riding and a little running

Things have been hectic and I've gotten off schedule yet again.  A lot of it was due to travel and working 12 hour days over the weekend while on the road (did I mention I love my job??).  The other part was due to my Grandpa passing away - it was expected and for the best, but it has still made sleeping a struggle for me, which translates into a fatigued body that doesn't want to work out.  This weekend I started to get out of my rut.  I had scheduled to do a long run on Saturday, but I didn't feel like it, especially since it would have meant hitting the treadmill to do it safely with the snow that had covered everything the night before.  Brady was a sport and we decided to head out on the cross bikes for a ride in the snow.  It was hard, but parts of it were so much fun I didn't want to quit.  We started out on snow covered roads, they were a little tricky and I had to learn to just relax and let the bike do it's thing.  Next we hit a park with 6" of snow where I learned you have to keep pedaling hard to move through that stuff.  Then there were some slushy roads with patches of ice - I learned they aren't good for anything!  ;-)  Then, we got to the real fun, we hit another park with some great downhills.  Downhills that are usually a little steep for my comfort, but once I learned how much the snow slowed me down I realized how much fun they could be - sledding on bikes - awesome.
Our bikes were so covered with snow - it was just like being in the mud - the brakes were basically useless by the time we were done.

At one point during our ride, while we were out on the road a car pulled up next too me and rolled down the window and the lady in the passenger seat tells me in broken English that I am brave while her son in the backseat films me.  Hilarious - not sure if he was waiting to see if I would fall and hoped he would win a million dollars or if he had just never seen anyone so stylishly dressed on a bike - LOL, but at least I was warm!  :-)

Sunday we opted for single track riding in the snow.  It was pretty cool.  Brady and two of his biking friends rode ahead while I made my way following the paths they had made, or my best attempt at it anyway.  It was rough.  I finally got clipped in and was able to go quite a ways without putting a foot down, but all the work of going through the snow made me hot.  I stripped off my hat, gloves and tied my jacket around my waist - things were good...then I decided (not really) it would be a good time to fall.  Lovely cold snow up my sleeves and down my back.  Maybe taking the gloves off was pushing it.  I put them back on and made it through the rest of the course with only a few more tumbles - it was OK, falling in snow doesn't really hurt - just watch out for the trees.  I guess everyone bit it at least once so I didn't feel bad.  It was my first single track in the snow and I enjoyed it.  

Monday - finally, decided to get a run in.  The roads here still aren't clear so I had to stick to main roads and even then I had to 'run gently' in a few places.  I didn't make it out till about 5:30pm so it was already getting dark and colder.  I probably looked pretty silly doing my shuffle through any wet looking spots, trying to make sure not to hit an ice patch, but it was worth it.  The run felt good - the temperature was perfect for me.  I didn't want to stop, but it really wasn't safe.  Vehicle traffic around here isn't very runner friendly on a good day, but add in snow/ice patches & dark and it goes downhill.  I called it good at 4.25 miles.

This morning we actually made it out of bed and went to spin class at the Y.  I've been talking about going for a month and finally did it today.  It felt good to have 1.25 hour workout in before even having a shower.  I felt so good I rode my bike to work (like I should have yesterday!!).  :-)

Till next time - run on, bike on in the snow...

Winter weather

Or not?  This 30, 40, and even the occasional 50 degree weather is just fine by me for winter weather.  I'm biking to work sans coat, running in shorts and actually able to go out for distance on the bike and not freeze my you know what off.  It's pretty rockin'.  
For example I went out to run on Saturday in shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt.  I went out for 10 and ended up running 11 (mostly because I was without my Garmin), but also because it ended up being such great weather for a winter run.  When I started it was raining - which felt cold with temps in the high 30's, but it stopped within 30-40 minutes of the run and thanks to dri-fit technology I was able to carry on and warm right back up.  I met Debbie about this time who was brave enough to come out and run even though it still looked rainy.  We ran 5, with a quick stop at Brooke's just to say Hi since she's unable to run right now :-(.  After Debbie finished I kept going and wanted to make sure I got in my full 10 so I went further then I thought I needed and a quick check on gmaps pedometer confirmed I had - I think it was 11.16.
  
Sunday the weather was still in the low 40's and drizzling, but we decided to bundle up for a 'gravel grumble'.  I wore thermal tights, long sleeve tech t-shirt, and biking jacket (mid-weight).  I also wore heavy biking gloves, a buff around my neck, fleece hat, and two pair of smart wool socks.  My core warmed right up - within the first 20 minutes I had my jacket unzipped.  My toes got cold and stayed cold, but I think it's more of a physical thing with me than being inappropriately dressed.  As I sit here at my desk my toes are also cold?  They have extremely bad circulation.  Other than that, I think I have dress for biking under control.  We rode gravel trails, road, and also hit a little single track on our cross bikes.  We were filthy with mud by the time we got home, but it was fun.
  
Yesterday temps got up to 54 I think.  I started my run at 5:30pm so it was already getting dark and cooling off.  I opted for shorts and long sleeve tech shirt again.  Without the rain the long sleeve was unnecessary, I could have made it with short sleeves - possibly a tank, but that might have been pushing it.  I was pretty warm for the first 1/2 of the run and worked my way to comfortable by the end of my 8 mile jaunt.  


This has me hopeful for a good early season.  I never feel prepared for the beginning of the season if I have been rockin' it on treadmills and spinner bikes all winter.  We shall see - who knows what the rest of winter will bring, hopefully I will be ready!  


Run on, Bike on...

It's that time of year

It's time to get back in it - starting with the review of 2009, and heading into what's on the calendar for 2010!


2009 race recap:
March 7 - Run with the Wind 25K
March 21 - St. Patty's Urban Adventure Race with Brooke
April 26 - OKC Memorial Marathon
May 16 - Ozark Greenways Adventure Race - Durty Nellies team
June 13 - Boom Town Days 1/2 marathon - 1:59
July 25 - Dusk till Dawn with Amy
October 11 - Chicago Marathon


I thought it was going to look much more sparse than that - so I'm OK.  Next up, I figured up my totals for 2009 - I broke it into actual miles ran, actual miles biked, and finished it up with a generic category for hours of other stuff.  This includes 2-12 hour Adventure Races that I was unsure of actual distances for, hours in spinning, yoga, and other miscellaneous run, bikes, hikes that I only logged time for.


Totals:
Running Miles - 1059.75
Biking Miles - 569.5
Hours of other - 115.5 


Summary for 2009 - overall it was a good year.  There was too much going on personally for me to have had a great year running wise so no major PR's.  But, I'm happy with where I'm at and looking forward to some improvements for 2010.


So, the game plan for 2010...


Races:
Run with the Wind 25K - February 27
Planning to tackle the Fat Tire Duathlon Series as a team with Brady - I'll run, he'll bike - there are 3 races - 2 in March, 1 in April
St. Patty's Urban Adventure Race - March 20
St. Louis Marathon - or maybe just 1/2 - April 11
Ozark Greenways Adventure Race - May 22
Mother road Marathon in Joplin - just to support the local race - Oct. 10
Dusk till Dawn Adventure Race - date not announced yet
I'll probably add, remove and tweak heavily between now and then, but it's a start.
  
So far my mileage for 2010 is not to par because of my severe case of the funk - only 15.5 miles total.  I plan to remedy that this coming week and weekend!  Power of positive thinking will help to get me through this dang cold!


Till then, run on, ride on!

Winter runs and rides

It's pretty dang chilly outside these days. My body is slowly getting used to it though. By around March I'll have the hang of it again! :-)

Some fun runs as of late included a Saturday run with Brooke, a Sunday run with Brooke and kids, and a SWAT run through the lights last night.

Saturday I was set to run 10 - not because I'm training for anything, just because and that's kind of fun in itself. I ran 2 miles to Brooke's house then we took off for our 6 miles. We were on our last two miles back to her place when it started spitting rain on us and from the look ahead of us it was getting ready to start raining much harder. We decided we would head back towards my house in the interest of health (cold + windy + wet = sick). Once we got to my house it had basically stopped so we looped around the courthouse so Brooke could get in her six and that put me at 8. I decided to go ahead and stop so I could drive her home and since I'm not training I can do that without guilt! :-)

Sunday I decided I would try to make up for my shortage a bit. The kids & Brady were in tow (and on bikes) while I ran. We ran a mile to meet up with Brooke and Michael (on his bike). From there we ran a loop and then back to Brooke and Michael's house for her 4 (actually 4.25). Then, we headed the 2 miles back home (6.25 miles total). It was fun, the kids sped up so I tried to keep up with them. They would leave me going down hills, but they would wait at the stop signs for me to catch up. I have to think we were quite a sight on the streets of Carthage. Picture a runner girl (me), being paced by a man (Brady) and boy (Kobe) on a tandem and two kiddos (Peyton & Haydon) on mountain bikes - pretty hilarious.

Last night was the 2nd annual SWAT run through the lights. We had a good turn out. Brooke and I wore bells on our shoes to liven it up a bit. There was a lot of chatter and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We ran through the light display at the Vietnamese college then around the square and back to the Y - 5.5 miles in the brisk night air. It felt great.

Update on biking - the day the thermometer said 12 degrees, feels like 2 Brady and I both opted for the heat of the car. Other than that I have continued to ride. I even rode to/from the Y last night for the run. After sweating a bit on the run the ride home was chilly, but tolerable. I'm still rocking the cross bike though (too lazy to dig the hybrid out - really just haven't had time). I think I look pretty funny on a Bianchi cross bike in my black, 3-1/2" heel dress boots, but it works!

Run on, ride on!

Back to running, biking, and crashing

I finished Chicago and headed straight to Atlanta for work (just outside actually in Monroe, GA). That week I was able to make myself run a couple miles on Wednesday (I was very sore in my quads due to lack of training pre-marathon!!). Thursday I ran 3 and it felt better.

The following Sunday I decided to go for a chill bike ride with the man and the niece & nephews on my new cross bike - this seemed like a great idea to help aid my recovery! It was smooth sailing going out. We got to the park and the kids wanted to play around a bit so I thought I would play around myself on my bike. I was riding loops on the asphalt around the area of the park where they were playing - just working through the gears - checking everything out. Next thing I know I'm on the ground. All we can really figure happened is my pedal came out (I was clipped in), possibly on the down stroke, I still brought my left knee up and probably hit it on the handle bars since it's bruised on the inside. Hitting the handle bars with my knee jerked me enough to cause a crash. I landed on my head and rear. I remember thinking I heard my cell phone sliding across the pavement, but later realizing it had been my helmet (the cell phone was still stashed safely in the pocket). I hit hard enough to crack the helmet (let this be a warning to all you who don't wear yours for chill rides - I had mine on as a good example to the kiddos and I am so glad I did!!). I had a tear or two, then shook it off before the kids were cognizant of what had even happened. I had yelled loud enough (unintentionally) when I fell to get the man's attention so he helped me up and helped me put the pedal back on the bike and make some minor adjustments so I could ride home.

I thought all was well until day 2 - I woke up with terrible pain in my neck - ended up visiting the doctor - getting a couple pain meds & a muscle relaxer and taking a couple days off work. The main thing was that I felt it stunted my marathon recovery - it's hard to run when your neck and back hurt.

I finally got back into some mileage the next weekend with 8 miles - they were slow, but felt better.

The weekend after that I had friends along - 1 runner and 3 bikers - we did 8-1/2 miles at a 9:08 min/mile pace - it felt great - this weather was awesome!!

The next weekend (last weekend) I had friends again - 2 runners and 3 bikers - also 30 mph head winds, but we ran 9 miles at a little over 9 min/mile pace - the weather was still great!

I followed that up Sunday riding with the boys - 62 miles on road bikes - they kicked my butt, but it was good for me. I need to push it more.

My body felt it all so I took Monday off.

Tuesday I did a 20 mile ride before work (again with the boys), then went for a walk with a friend after work.

Yesterday I did a 4 mile run after work in the dark - it was cool, and nice - alone and no Garmin - a little refreshing!

Who knows what today will hold?? :-)

Run on!

Tandems & Tempos

Went for our chill ride last night and I just thought I would drop in some of the pics I've been taking of us riding for fun!
After the ride we went home and fixed some dinner. I laid out hamburger before the ride, but that's all I knew. I decided it would be a clean up the frig night. I started by dicing up some onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic and added to the burger. Followed that up with a couple jars of canned tomatoes and a little EVOO. Cooked up some mini-bow tie pasta and added to the mix along with some basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. It turned out pretty darn good. If I did it again I would add just a bit of tomato sauce or more tomatoes, but overall it was one of my better post workout, need food now creations! Don't we all have those? ;-)


This morning was my big tempo run and I'm happy to say it went well. Ran the first & second miles at 8:30 pace. The third I got a little closer to my goal and ran 8:40. I slowed down too much for the fourth at 8:48. (btw - goal is 8:45) Shortly after the fourth the Garmin did the dreaded and died on me. I think even if I was a little slow on the last two it wasn't enough to bring me below an 8:45 average so I'm happy! I will make a mental note to make sure the Garmin is charged up and ready for my tempo run next week!

Trail times

It was a great weekend for hitting trails! It started out Friday morning doing a little single track mountain biking in Jefferson City at Binder Park. They were very nice trails (with very little exception) compared to some of the rocky stuff we usually ride. Nothing too technical - nothing I couldn't ride (even though I had some moments of fear). It was a slow, but fun ride once I got into it. We only rode the blue and green trails - took us around an 1-1/2 hours.

I was planning to do a 12 mile run on the Katy Trail while in Columbia on Saturday, but there was just too much going on (or really, I was trying to fit too much in!). So, I skipped it and just did it Sunday. I finally hit the road around 10:30am - decked out in Adventure Race gear - pack and trail shoes. I had 2.25 miles of road before I was able to hit the Ruby Jack Trail head. Then, 7.5 miles out and back on it and followed it up with the 2.25 miles home on roads. It was a really nice day out - although it was still really humid and I was drenched by the time I was done. The animals again helped me get through it - I saw a deer first - just standing right in the middle of the trail:

Of course by the time I stopped, got my camera out of the pack it was gone and all I got was the trail! ;-) Oh well, next time. Then, there were 3 or 4 turtles:

This little guy didn't move nearly as fast as the deer! I also saw multiple bunnies (nope, didn't even attempt to get the camera out for those fast little buggers). At one point I felt to be the queen of the dragonflies with them all circling around my ankles as I ran past. All in all it was a great run - very peaceful. In the 1+ hour I spent on the trail I only saw 5 other people out - which is a shame, but also nice for me. I'm torn, the more people that use it the more the trail condition will improve (because of increased awareness and funding), but also the busier it will be and possibly cause the trails to not be quite as peaceful or so heavily populated by wildlife?? Hmmm, which is better??

I was disappointed to see that some people - I assume from the housing on either side of the trail - had decided to use the trail as a place to launch fireworks - not a bad idea in itself - but leaving the trash from it is. I hope that they just had not made it back to clean it up. I'm heading back out there tonight on a group bike ride and I'll be taking my trash sack just in case.

After the run, I showered up and we took the dogs to do a picnic lunch by the lake. They loved it - there are so many smells there that they can be entertained for hours!! Then, a quick trip to the nursing home to visit the Grandpa then back to the single track trails in Joplin.

We made it to the trails around 5:45pm and were able to ride around an hour. It was a good ride for me - I didn't fall! ;-) Also was able to ride a little faster - not bad considering I had 12 miles on my legs for the day. My confidence was up a bit after the ride - I'm ready to go again soon - so, I think we're putting it on the calendar for tomorrow. With an Adventure Race coming up the more trail miles the better.

Today is just going to be a chill group ride (us on the tandem) on Ruby Jack Trail. Pretty excited about that. Then, I'm planning to get up tomorrow morning for a 6 mile tempo run - I hope I can hit the mark! Tomorrow evening we'll hit single track with mountain bikes. Wednesday morning will be speed work at the track. Thursday will be a 4 mile easy run, then a 24+ mile ride that night. Friday will be weights and Saturday will be the Tornado Alley - still not sure if I'll do 50 or 77 miles - we'll see how the legs are feeling!! :-)

Ride/Run on!