I survived!

Posted on 05/19/2013 by

I remembered how to bike!  Whew!

I honestly have been freaking myself out about biking and whether I’d remember how and whether I’d fall again etc.  Happy to report that after a little assistance getting the tires filled with air (uggggg; not sure what the heck I was doing wrong that they wouldn’t fill!), the derailer (is that what that thing is called?) adjusted and my pedal clip thingys (I clearly don’t know bike terminology) loosened, I was ready to roll.  Did a few circles around the neighborhood working on remembering how to clip in and out without falling (remember this disaster – my maiden bike voyage?).  And then was off for 17 sort of slow and sort of hilly miles.  And I didn’t fall!  Woot!

Random thoughts about cycling:

  • It IS fun!
  • It is amazing that I consider myself to be very fit – I could go out tomorrow and run for 3 – 4 hours without stopping (granted, at a relatively easy pace, but still . . .)  But put me on a bike and make me go up some hills and I feel like a couch potato!  My legs were all jello-y and I was huffing and puffing at the top of the hills.  Funny  how working out in a different way really mixes things up!
  • I’m excited to keep cycling and get in better shape and have the legs feel as strong and good as they did last summer.
  • I need to work on getting comfortable with the rules of the road and road biking in general.  Left turns freak me out.  Stopping and starting still need help.  I also need to master drinking while riding.
  • While I like biking and have fun with it, it’s DEFINITELY not relaxing in the same way that running is for me.  With running I can put on my shoes and just GO and lose myself forever.  With biking I need to concentrate on fueling (I feel much weaker, and therefore unsafe, when I don’t eat enough before and during riding).  It’s also necessary to be alert – to hazards in the road (pot holes, loose sand, glass, uneven pavement, etc.) and to drivers.  So while it gives me a great supplemental workout – it will never replace running for me because I run not just for exercise,  but also to lose myself and sort through my thoughts and figure life out!
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Free Strava Stuff!

Posted on 05/18/2013 by

This is one of the many reasons I love Strava.  Free stuff! :-) Strava Boston 2013 pint glass and Strava compression socks!*

strava

Is there any better way to unwind after a 12 mile run in a major thunderstorm (Sorry Mom!  Not very smart, I know) than with a beer and kicking the legs up with some comfy compression socks doing their magic??

I had RSVP’d for the Strava Boston finishers party – but it was obviously cancelled because of the bombing.  How cool is it that they mailed the goodies they had planned on giving the Boston Marathon finishers??  And how cute is the postcard they sent with their running route spelling out Boston??

strava pint

strava pint boston

I need to get more creative with my runs and try to make routes that spell stuff!  On that note, I have to say that a group of people I run with are getting pretty in to the whole Strava thing – with titles to their posts that describe the run, explain any deviations from “normal” pace, etc.  And the whole group is getting in to the kudos and comment thing.  Not sure if Strava intended it, but I see it kind of being like a quick way to blog about your daily run, without actually taking the time to blog about your daily run!  Don’t worry, I’ll still stick with the blogging.  I have too much to say about how much I love running.  Stay tuned.

*For those that have been hiding under a rock and don’t know, Strava is a GPS powered run and ride analysis/tracker.  Very cool.  Upload data from your garmin and it shows your route, pace, who you ran with, who went fastest on certain segments, etc.  Fun stuff.

******

Rest day from running tomorrow.  Finished the week with 57 miles.  Wheeee.  Hoping to get the bike out for a test ride.  Fingers crossed that there are no falls. :-)

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Thursday Thoughts: Deliciousness Edition

Posted on 05/16/2013 by

Thursday Thoughts: Deliciousness Edition

Best burger in the world

  • I am not kidding you when I say that the burger in this photo (yes, there’s a burger under all that mozzarella cheese and crispy onion straws – with spicy garlic mayo) is THE BEST hamburger I’ve ever eaten in my life.  I was literally sad to be done eating it.  I might declare Thursdays to be Burger Night from now on.  For those of you local, you can find this piece of heaven at The Narrows Saloon in Navarre.  Call me if you go – I’ll join you! :-)
  • Did everyone see that BAA announced today that they have extended invitations to the 2014 Boston Marathon to the 5700 runners who didn’t finish the 2013 marathon?  Good for them!  That was the right thing to do.  Classy organization.  I got into a little riff on FB with a friend who posted that she thought the charity runners who didn’t finish should have to raise more money to participate, since it’s not fair they are taking away from runners who qualified.  Ummm, no.  Just wrong.  In so many ways.  The charity runners may not have run a qualifying time, but they were allowed to run in the first instance under the BAA rules and raised ooodles of money for their charity (which is hard stuff; I HATE asking people to pledge money on stuff I do – so kudos to them) PLUS they trained just as hard as all of the qualified runners did.  And they didn’t get to finish.  So of course any invitation to run next year for non-finishers should include them.
  • Do you sometimes see a train wreck in the works and want to speak up to tell people to switch directions because they are headed down a bad path, but you don’t because doing so will just lead to drama that you don’t want to deal with???  Yeah, me too.  And I’m keeping quiet. ;-)
  • I’m volunteering for the Buffalo Tri.  Let me know if you are participating and I’ll look for you!
  • I’ve LOVED running the past couple weeks.  Lots of slow easy miles, building up my base for Twin Cities training.  Usually I hate the down time between marathons because I feel like I’m wasting time and spinning my wheels.  This time I’m loving it because it sort of feels like training – but in a really low pressure, just run lots of miles for fun, sort of way.  Wheeeee!
  • Still haven’t been out on the bike yet.  Must do that soon.
  • Ha ha ha – someone found my blog by searching “gorgeous cycling legs”.  Must cycle soon.
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Move Forward, People!

Posted on 05/14/2013 by

IfYouWaitForPerfectConditionsYoullNeverGetAnythingDone

 

In the scope of this week I’ve heard Minnesotans’ complain that it’s too cold (I had to break out the tights and winter running gear last week!), too hot (it’s currently 95 degrees), too windy (it WAS crazy windy on Saturday).

Well I’m here to say it’s ALWAYS gonna be “too something”.  You can come up with a million and one excuses why you aren’t exercising, why you aren’t getting out of a dead end relationship, why you remain stuck in a job you hate, why you aren’t moving forward with what your heart tells you is right, etc. etc.  You have a choice to make – keep on making excuses and telling yourself that you’ll do IT (whatever your IT is) when the conditions are perfect.  Or just take that first step towards IT, even in the face of imperfect conditions.

And another thing for you Minnesotans – quit bitching about the heat! We just endured the World’s Longest and Coldest and Crappiest Winter.  So embrace the heat!*

*Someone remind me of this after a few more days of heat when I start to whine and complain! :-)

******

I’m LOVING my running the past couple weeks.  The miles are increasing. The legs are feeling strong and great all over.  I can’t exactly explain it, but I’m feeling renewed and inspired by running.  I’ve literally been going to bed the past few nights anxious to fall asleep so that I can hurry up and wake up and run.  Love that feeling.  Wheeee!

 

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Thursday Thoughts: Thinking More About Boston Edition

Posted on 05/09/2013 by

Random Thursday Thoughts:

  • Wondering about the stories about the Boston Marathon victims who were injured?  Who they are? Why they were there at the Finish Line?  What they suffered through and how they are doing?  Read this article from the Washington Post which is both sad and inspiring.
  • One of the runners who wasn’t able to finish the marathon (there were 5700 who couldn’t finish) has started a petition to get BAA and the cities the marathon runs through to expand the field to allow the 5700 runners who didn’t finish to run next year.  Go here and sign the petition in support of allowing the runners to finish in 2014 – it only takes a minute.  Personally, I think that if BAA doesn’t expand the field to allow more runners that THESE 5700 should be given first priority to register and then all other qualified runners should get their turn.  Why?  Because they were cheated out of the best part of the marathon – crossing the finish line.  They are also – in all likelihood – the charity runners and slower runners who just barely qualified.  So realistically they won’t get another chance.  They are like every one else who ran in 2013 – working their asses off to get there – either by running fast or raising a ton of money for charity.  They deserve to experience crossing the finish line.  I think about myself and how mad and cheated I would have felt if I was stopped 1/2 a mile from the finish line and told I couldn’t finish.   (I’m sure they are mixed feeling – probably feeling guilty about thinking like that when people lost limbs and lives.  But still – the Boston Marathon is a once in a lifetime dream for so many runners.  They deserve to be able to do it again and finish.)
  • I’m figuring out some stuff that has been dragging me down for over a year.  It feels good.
  • It’s May 9th.  I had to drag out my winter jacket, gloves and a wool blanket to watch my son’s baseball game this afternoon.  WTF?!?
  • Donut run Saturday.  Yum!
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Stuff I Didn’t Know

Posted on 05/08/2013 by

I was messing around on the internet about the Boston Marathon, preparing for my Rotary talk next week, and I just learned that now – in 2013 – there are SIX world marathon majors.  Did you all know they added another one this year?  Tokyo.   And did you know that Boston Marathon is the second largest single day sporting event, in terms of media coverage?  (Behind the Super Bowl).

Guess I’ve been too busy actually running to pay attention to stuff like this.

*******

I’m LOVING my running lately.  I’m in a base-building phase (of the RFTL plan – completely made up by yours trully).  Easy miles.  Far if I feel like it.  Not far if I don’t.  It all feels so so good.  I’ve been at about 38 miles last several weeks, hoping for 50ish next couple, followed by a couple weeks of near 60.  Then training time!

I’m also revamping my training plan and now spending 2 extra weeks base-building and just gonna do a 16 week training cycle.  18 weeks is too long for me to focus and not get bored.

*******

I’m spectating a marathon that some friends are running in a couple weeks.  She’s trying for a BQ.  He’s running for fun to support her.  What are some fun sign ideas?  (Though I think we’re biking the course, so not sure how I’ll carry a sign on my bike – I need all hands on the bars!)

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