The Stuff of Champions

Posted on March 5, 2007 by 21cm

I was just reading Cameron Brown’s IM New Zealand race report on TriFuel. He won this race for the 6th time in spite of having suffered with an intestinal bug for much of the week before. He concludes his report with this:

I was absolutely exhausted at the finish line and needed to be stretchered off to the medical tent for oxygen and 2 litres of IV fluid. I think my body was still feeling the effects of being sick, and pushing myself to the limits for the entire race only added to this.

So that’s how it’s done, folks. Talk about leaving it all out on the course. Congratulations to Cameron for his 6th IM New Zealand win.

Posted in triathlon | 4 Comments

Okay Ann – Word up.

Posted on March 5, 2007 by 21cm

Ann Coulter, that spawn of Satan with a mouth that just won’t quit, is quoted as saying “I was going to have a few comments on the other democratic candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word “faggot” so I’m kind of at an impasse. Can’t really talk about Edwards” I didn’t make that up – you can find the clip on YouTube. It’s her, and those are her words. Sadly, there were people in audience who laughed and clapped. What a bunch of yahoos.

But getting back to little Annie, I would just like to suggest that if she can’t talk about a man who was the first guy in his family ever to go to college, who got an undergrad degree in textile technology (because his Dad was a mill worker) and went on to law school, who made partner and then became a successful senator, who endured the loss of a child to a car accident and who supported his wife through breast cancer rather than serving her divorce papers at the hospital (like Ann’s buddy Newt Gingrich) without using inappropriate and nonsensical epithets then maybe it is time for her to back off the stage and shut the F#@%! up.

I rather like the way Henry Rollins put it some time ago. I wonder if he’ll update his open letter to Ann Coulter. (Warning – the audio no this clip is neither work nor child friendly)

Posted in say what? | 6 Comments

Queen of the Hills

Posted on March 3, 2007 by 21cm

*** Updated with long overdue attributuion to the photographers who took the pics I used (and an apology for being lazy about it to begin with) ****

When I left for my ride this morning I was excited but not confident. The plan was to ride the famous 3 Bears, so named for 3 pretty substantial hills – Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear. I managed this ride 2 years ago on my old Schwinn but hills have not been my friend lately so I was at the least concerned and I was pretty sure I’d be bringing up the rear by quite a margin.

NOT!

I was the Queen of the Hills. I was so far ahead of my riding partners that I had to stop and wait at the top of the first hill because I was sure someone had flatted or dropped a chain or something. Not so. My new love machine just has some secret turbo booster thingie that kicks in when I least expect it.

The ride was short but beautiful and it did wonders for my confidence. I got a definite case of butt munch at the end but I think the distance was just right for that. I might even go for another ride tomorrow. That’s how much love how I feel right now.

Here’s the elevation map but it has a definite artifact. That spike at the beginning of Papa Bear is all wrong. Just figure the hill is continuous, which it was. I think I need a handlebar mount for my Garmin.

3Bears_030307.jpg

Here is an elevation map from another source:
3Bears_other.jpg

Imagery from along the way (this is for you, Juls!)

Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, motivation, training | 10 Comments

The Black Hole That Was February

Posted on March 2, 2007 by 21cm

February just whizzed by, now didn’t it? And what happened to my training? It got lost somewhere in the dark cold mornings and in the rain.

Training Log for the Month:
Swimming – 10x for a total of ~14 miles (~25,000 yards)
Running – 3 x for a total of ~20 miles (gulp)
Cycling – 3 x for a total of ~46.5 miles (double gulp)

The swimming wasn’t too bad but the running and riding totals should be per week, not per month. I’m not sure what happened but I do know that I just keep waiting. Waiting to get stronger without strength training. Waiting for more light. Waiting for more warmth. Waiting to feel like it. Waiting for inspiration. And I know better. I know that there is no waiting – there is only doing and I know that the inspiration comes from within – it comes from riffing off of the achievment and dedication and performance of others and leveraging that as a personal call to action. It means just doing it.

Oh yeah- there was the part where I was sick for the entire last week of the month, too. Thanks to all for the well wishes. It worked! I’m back and now IT’S HAMMER TIME! Really – it really is. If I don’t hunker down to a plan I will totally humiliate myself at Wildflower so here’s the plan: There are 8 weeks to WildFlower. I’m going to spend 2 weeks building a base (hee!) and then I’m going to adhere to a 6 week training program. That’s it. I’m all in. No more waiting. No more hoping. No more wings and prayers. Time to get some Drive.

Posted in training, triathlon | 3 Comments

Booooring…….

Posted on February 27, 2007 by 21cm

People – I got nuthin’. Actually, I have one thing – it is the one thing that happened before I got sick but now I’m sick and cranky and feeling totally uninspired. There will be no Hump Day Miscellany tomorrow.

My weekend started out great – Humbly Anne came to town Thursday night. Friday was kind of screwed up because I had to work and she kept thinking I would stop any minute and we could go out and do stuff but the infernal phone kept ringing and the emails kept showing up and before you know it it was time to go see the caterer and taste some food. That part was great! The food at this wedding will be deelickcious. Friday night we went to see “Notes on a Scandal” and then had dinner.

Saturday I went out for a quick, early bike ride on my new love machine. I took a back road that has a hill that defeated me last time I went there. I was on the hog at that time so I figured I’d have no trouble getting up that hill. WRONG! I quit before I got to the top even though I was still moving at 5 mph and really didn’t need to quit. I quit. I got really mad at myself. I tried to get going again but it was too steep. I fumed, I railed and shook my fist at that hill and yelled “I’ll get you next time!” . And then I realized that I didn’t have to wait until next time. I could just ride down the hill, let my heart rate come down and head back up. And I did. All the way to the top, down the other side and then back up again. HA! That hill tried to kick my ass but I kicked right back. Now I just need to work on that ‘I never give up on hills’ thing I used to have.

After the ride we went forth and shopped! Saturday was all about my under construction bathroom (total re-model). Before, during and after pictures to be posted when it is complete in a week or so. Sunday was all about wedding stuff. Sunday night was all about the Oscars although we missed the first 30 minutes which, as it turns out, wasn’t that great so ho hum.

The sick part started in earnest Sunday morning. Lung congestion, headache, that “ugh” all over feeling. So – Sunday no workout, Monday no workout and today I went to the pool and scared everyone with how bad I looked so I turned around and went home and got back in bed. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I’ll try to write something more inspired when I get better.

Posted in say what? | 12 Comments

Hump Day Miscellany – The Mashup Version

Posted on February 21, 2007 by 21cm

My thoughts tend to zing around in my little head like a pinball. I read or see one thing and it reminds me of something else and that thing sparks another thought and zing! zing! zing! my brain is running open loop, hither and yon, never really getting anywhere.

Lately EveryMan has fallen in love with the Mashup as an art form and has been featuring his fave mashups on his blog. Every time I read about one I am reminded of my current fave mashup from The Buena Vista Social Club who released a CD called Rhythms del Mundo where they took the vocals off of popular rock hits and put them to their own Cuban style of music. This video takes it one step further by putting the music to a ballet mashup.

Roman’s last mashup also served to remind me of the difference between women and men so I offer a second video that is a little more obvious about it.

And on that note – it’s time to go take a shower.

Posted in Hump Day | 6 Comments

A Perfect Maiden Voyage

Posted on February 19, 2007 by 21cm

Saturday dawned perfect and warm, the sky a beautiful cerulean blue. I was excited because I was going on the first real ride on my new bike (other than tackling ‘the hill’ I hadn’t really ridden her) and I was going for my first ride with my fabulous race club. I had sent the organizer an email warning him that I was going to be the “B”-est of the “B” group and he replied “Great! Come on down!” so I was super stoked.

I rode from my house to the store where we started, getting passed on the way by a guy in team kit. I yelled out “tell them I’m on my way – don’t leave without me!!” and tried to pick up the pace. I had thought it was about 5 miles from my house but it was closer to 7 and I was worried I’d be late. I characteristically took the wrong way into town but didn’t have any trouble cutting over a block and finding a large, obvious group of cyclists congregating in the street.

I met the women going with the “B” group. There were 3 other women – 2 of them in Wildflower jerseys – my kind of people. Then team kit guy pulled up and said, “you made it – I didn’t have to tell them at all”. I’m pretty sure he must have stopped for some eggs Benedict on the way.

I told the “B” group leader I wouldn’t go all the way because I had 14 miles round trip just between my house and the store and I wanted to do about 30 total for my first ride. After appropriately admiring my new ride (you just can’t help it – trust me!) we took off.

Livermore.jpg

The greatest minds on the planet could not have conjured up a more perfect ride . The women were super nice, the course was about as flat as it gets in these parts and it was beautiful – just perfect. I rode out to my 15 mile mark but by then I had been dropped by about 1/2 a mile so I had to keep riding to the turn so the other ladies wouldn’t wait forever for me. I said my goodbyes and headed back but of course – took a wrong turn – and then another wrong turn. I’m not kidding when I say I could get lost in a walk in closet. Put a door on 2 sides and I will invariably walk out the one I didn’t use to enter.

Distance = 34.5 miles; Time 2:42:56; Bliss – Total

I’m totally in love with this bike – it is perfect! I did get a case of SGS (smashed groin syndrome) but I think that is to be expected on a first ride. I’m going to give it one more go before going back to the shop for an adjustment. Admittedly, I was a little surprised this morning that placing my pull buoy made me wince a little.

Posted in Cycling | 15 Comments

Tri-xiety

Posted on February 16, 2007 by 21cm

I had a dream last night that I showed up for a triathlon that required a wetsuit and although I had a wetsuit with me I had never tried it on. I was immediately struck by the reality that I might embarrass myself in the process because I had never gotten a wetsuit on in my life. . Then I realized that I was in my nightgown and I didn’t have any other clothes with me. I thought about how really embarrassing it would be when I got to T1 and had to take the wetsuit off. Was I destined for a naked tri? I did put the suit on and it was sort of big but that was good because it went on easily – but then it wasn’t on (dreams are like that). We were getting off the bus at the start and it was in the middle of nowhere. So there I was, in my nightgown, with my too big wetsuit and with no clothes to wear underneath. What to do? Dreams being what they are I was soon in my sisters house, relieved that I could probably find something of my niece’s to wear. Only I couldn’t. I rummaged through drawers in every room but found nothing. The start was soon approaching. I panicked a little and then remembered that my stuff was in the house, too and somehow things were going to be okay.

Tri-xiety…..I need more cowbell

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Hump Day Miscellany – the WildFlower Edition!

Posted on February 13, 2007 by 21cm

Now that we’ve all had a chance to drool over my bike (which btw is worth more than my car!!) let’s talk about a subject that sits right on top of my little pea brain every single day – WILDFLOWER! And if you think this is too scrolly a post please drop to the bottom so you can put your 2 cents in the ring on item #7.

1). I am doing the Olympic Distance race and it looks like this:

Let’s drill in to those elevation maps now, shall we??

The bike:

Hilly but not too bad – I can train for that on my sexy new bike.

The Run:
WildflowerOlyElev.jpg

Whoa – see those hills on that run? What to do, what to do?

2). Train for Hills. I found a great article compliments of Complete Running Network that gives some really revolutionary advice. If you have a hilly race, train on hills! Love that. Will do!

3). My Wildflower goals. I have developed these goals based on women in my age group who are MOPers like me (that’s Middle Of the Pack for those of you not in the know). Going for MOP is actually quite ambitious for me.
Swim: 31 -33 minutes:
Bike: 1:44 – 2:02
Run: 1:05 – 1:25
Total time: 3:29 – 4:10

I know that is a lot of leeway but it’s my first Oly and it is relatively hard so that’s just how it is.

4). I stayed at the Hyatt La Jolla last weekend while visiting Pookie (go Priceline!) and they have a health club there with a very nice 25 meter pool that is under utilized. I took the opportunity to give myself a 1K time trial. Of course when I looked for a clock I found 2 – one with just a second hand and one with an hour and minute hand, no seconds. I had to do a little interpolating but it was about 23 minutes. Not brilliant and I would SO love to get that time down to 2:10/ 100m but I’m not holding my breath (hahahaha…. swimming… holding my breath…) Today at masters we did monthly 200s where you swim 4 200s descending starting with your time from last months 2nd 200. I about top out at 3:55 /200 yds so there you have it. That 2:10 is a long shot. C’est la vie. My times were 3:58, 3:55, 4:00, 4:02. I don’t do ‘descending’ – just does not happen.

5). I looked up how many people from my race club are registered and the number is ….. drumroll….. 40! We have 40 people going. I’m so excited.

6). I looked up all the bloggers I could think of who were going and the number is…. drumroll….12 that I know of! But here’s the really good news – REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN! Come on – you KNOW you want to join us.

7). Last but not least – a few people have asked me what I’m going to name my bike. I’m not a ‘thing’ namer but I thought I’d open it up to my readers. What do YOU think I should name my bike. It is a Specialized Ruby if that helps. I already thought of Ruby Begonia but I”m too PC to really enjoy that name.

Oh- And Happy Valentine’s Day! I.love.everyone!

Posted in community, Hump Day, training, triathlon | 13 Comments

Look What Followed Me Home From the Bike Shop

Posted on February 12, 2007 by 21cm

MyRuby.gif

That one is mine.

Here is a professional shot of the same bike
Ruby_Blue.jpg

Anyway you look at it – it’s hot! I had a fitting – it feels good… oh so good. I just wish it would quit raining so I could ride it.

Specs can be found here if you are so inclined.

Posted in True Love | 21 Comments