tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40017672269800605932024-03-19T00:31:59.407-07:00Amblus Loves BikesI mountain bike, mostly on trails near my house. I sometimes race too, which is hilarious.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-36478525677803487712013-04-25T07:29:00.001-07:002013-04-25T07:33:18.713-07:00Pocahontas Race, April 7th, 2013Oh hey, hi. Yes. All none of you that read this since I haven't updated in forever. But! I wrote up a race report for my team email group and it was suggested by a friend (hi, Richard!) that perhaps I could PUT IT ON MY DAMN BLOG. He said it nicer than that, but the aggression was implied. Okay, here you go:<br />
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The start for Pocahontas is a beast - wet field, off-camber trail, more wet field, loose gravel, stupid, narrow-pointy-bendy bridge, <i>more</i> gravel, fire road climb, gravel, fire road, finally the trailhead. It was a fast start! I am cautious on gravel and when we hit the trail I think I was in fifth place. I passed #4 after the big creek crossing and once I recovered from the starting sprint I picked up the pace until I caught #3. I rode behind her for a while until I felt strong enough to pass and then I decided to try and catch Sonya and Melissa, who were currently in 1st and 2nd place.<br />
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I found them eventually though I kept losing them on the climbs and then making it up on the flat and downhill sections. They switched place a few times and towards the end it was Melissa, Sonya and me. If I could keep it up, a podium finish! A mile or so from the finish, Sonya hit some rocks and crashed right in front of me (quite spectacularly - she's very graceful!) and nearly gave me heart failure. She was okay and told me to keep going, so I chased after Melissa. I finally caught her and we rode the rest of the way to the finish line. I was exhausted and didn't have much left, but in hindsight I wish I'd tried harder to pass her! She pulled away far enough at the finish that she totally had it. I was delighted with 2nd and Sonya came in almost immediately afterwards in 3rd! She's a trooper.<br />
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Usually I end up by myself in races, so it was pretty exciting having some ladies to compete with!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRn7_2lk_5Kkup0rnkZghBGEtCzQ15tVyqkdFzmNBIxHm9BUA2hwSfFYOspbAF1xoHnYfev1x556XuU8KeIwkcmv__dDkvZx4Sk2vt41HywDeXH1Gb7rqTj1RHSZrQCXxDvae3OIgEHo3I/s1600/poca2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRn7_2lk_5Kkup0rnkZghBGEtCzQ15tVyqkdFzmNBIxHm9BUA2hwSfFYOspbAF1xoHnYfev1x556XuU8KeIwkcmv__dDkvZx4Sk2vt41HywDeXH1Gb7rqTj1RHSZrQCXxDvae3OIgEHo3I/s640/poca2013.jpg" width="520" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">obligatory podium shot</td></tr>
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<br />Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-70630596594220982472010-09-27T13:11:00.000-07:002010-11-10T13:15:37.890-08:00Sorry, honey, I have to work late, Part II<div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">I’m happy to say that all the things I did wrong last week didn’t apply to this week at all:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">- Get a good night’s sleep. Check</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">- Eat a reasonably healthy lunch. Check</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">- Don’t get all edgy and nervous. Check</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">I was much more relaxed physically and mentally going into this one, plus I’d heard that the course was going to be a lot of downhill singletrack and not as much gut-busting climbing. This made me happy because, while I’m not much of a climber, I can go <em>really</em>fast on some of the downhill sections. The course was a bit shorter than last week (maybe a mile and a half? I’m bad at estimating distance) and it was FAST. It went something like this:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Confusing zigzag pattern up and down the big field, long stretch of field down to the trailhead, fast fast trail around the edge of the field, down a hill, up the <a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/fh-stairs.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">bridge with the stairs</a>, across the walkway, more up-and-down singletrack, out and around the parking lot, down a really twisty <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairpin_turn" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">switchback</a>, down a long fast straight decent that ends at the<a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/fh-bridge.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">concrete bridge</a>, across the bridge, a right onto fire road, over the cobbles and a right across the dam bridge, around the walkway and UP THE HILL OF DOOM. Then a quick left, ride down stone stairs, bunnyhop up a stone ledge, then another horrible steep climb up to the race start. Then again, then again.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Oof. On every lap the fun ended where the Hill of Doom began. It was paved, but long and steep and endlessly horrible. (Did I mention I don’t like to climb?)</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">First lap: I got a decent start and dropped into the trail in a good place. Unfortunately that place was somewhere behind 20+ other riders and the trails were all a haze of dust. Like last week, I couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow. Awesome! I stayed behind a couple of riders who were going slower than I felt like I could be going, but it was fine because I needed the time to gather myself back together and relax into a steady pace. I passed them before the twisty switchback (love!) and freaking sailed down it and also the long awesomely fun oh-my-god-I’m-going-too-fast decent after that. The decent ended at the concrete bridge and the dude in front of my chose to walk, so I passed him and rode right across.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Then, I made my first mistake. The section of road between the gravel fireroad and the dam bridge is pretty wrecked from the last hurricane - buckled asphalt, cracked pavement and giant rocks, with a thin strip of cobblestones to the very left edge. That thin strip is the only clean line across and I missed it. I ended up standing in a pile of rocks while everyone behind me passed me in a blur.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">I realized pretty quickly what that meant - I was going to have to catch them all at the Hill of Doom or not at all. So up I went, red-faced, panting and mad as hell. I caught, I passed, I thought I might die. (I didn’t die.)</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Second Lap: It went better and it ended up being my fastest lap. I rode alone for most of it and took the switchback down so fast that some dude ahead of me pulled over to let me past. I think I was freaking him out. I was feeling great until I hit the Hill of Doom for the second time and where I thought I might die the first time, I was SURE I WOULD the second time. I think that four or five minutes was possibly the worst I’ve ever felt in any race, ever. I vaguely remember a friend cheering me on as I hit the second part of the climb but I was so close to stopping that I couldn’t even spare the energy to acknowledge him. I didn’t stop, though, instead I went for my third lap.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Third Lap: At this point it was after 7pm and the sun was setting. I kept seeing lights through the trees and eventually realized they were the street lamps around the lake. The wooded trails get dark really fast and by the time I hit the switchback I was riding more from memory than sight. I spent the entire lap dreading the climb at the end and wracked my brain for a way to make it suck less.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Then I remembered something from <a href="http://www.teamestrogen.com/content/asa_climb" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">an article</a> I read years ago, which is sometimes all you need to make it up a climb is a better attitude. I stole a mantra from that article and spent the entire climb chanting (out loud, mind you) “I LOVE TO CLIMB. I LOVE TO CLIMB.” And, while it didn’t actually make me love to climb, it did force me to breathe more deeply and pace myself more evenly up the hill. I made it up the first hill, rode down the stone steps, did the saddest bunnyhop up the curb and began my final slow ascent up the steep grass hill to the finish. And I finished, red-faced and shaking, but I finished.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">I came in 4th place in women and 27th overall, which means I beat nine dudes. Yeah! Oh, and the guy I beat last week, Mr. You Could’ve Used A Harder Gear? Didn’t even show up.</div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-28053709382390680932010-09-20T11:22:00.000-07:002010-11-10T13:14:52.850-08:00Sorry, honey, I have to work late.<div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">It was a lot to do after a full day’s work and a not-full-night’s sleep. The night before the race I did not sleep well at all, maybe three hours tops. I woke up that morning in a Benedryl haze feeling <em>less than awesome</em>. I dragged myself to work, drank way too much caffeine, had an unhealthy lunch that my stomach did not love and, around 3pm, realized I was nervous. Crazy, green-around-the-gills, stomach-clenching nervous.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">It was stupid to be nervous because this was just a small, casual, training race. No prizes, no crowds, nothing but trails i ride all the time and a group of riders I mostly know. Stupid to be nervous, but OH I WAS ANYWAY.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">Because it was being run concurrent with a cyclocross race, there was a confusing start that zig-zagged up and down a large hilly field before the two groups split, the mountain bikers (men and women together) hitting the single track for a two mile short loop, the cross racers cutting back towards the field. I’m a bad starter in any kind of terrain, but man, I do not do great on steep grassy fields. Despite starting relatively slowly I still entered the woods <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=suck%20wind&defid=902020" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sucking wind</a>, nauseous, and feeling like I was going to die. The usual sprint race feeling.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">The entire first lap felt like this:</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">NONOOOONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">I couldn’t breath, I couldn’t swallow, I could barely see for the dust, I felt like ten different kinds of awful. I did manage to mostly hold my position (near the back) as we dropped into the trail, crossed a bridge, up a steep climb, sharp left, up and down some fairly intense singletrack, around to the switchback on the very top of the hill, down the hill, a sharp left onto the short gravel fire road, across that cement bridge (the one I posted about in my last entry), up another long climb, up a short switchback section, down and around the parking lot, back into the trails, more up and down roller coaster type stuff, up a hill, across a walkway, back down the trails, onto another walkway, ride down some stone steps, bunnyhop up a stone curb, ride up a stupidly steep hill, around the cones and back in for another lap. Or something like that.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">I did three laps, the first two were both at about 17 minutes per lap which is pretty slow comparatively, but, while I’m familiar with the trails and can ride them pretty fast, some sections were super dusty and I was afraid of slipping out and going down hard. (Hi! This is foreshadowing.) I am also not the best at climbing and tend to pace myself slower than I probably should in a race.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">My second lap was much better, overall. I was feeling a more recovered and was definitely more collected. I rode everything clean and barely saw another rider. I was pretty much expecting to be lapped by the leaders at any point, but this didn’t happen until my third lap and it happened at the most awkward spot imaginable:</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/forest-hill-switchback.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3641" height="375" src="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/forest-hill-switchback.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="500" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">Yeah. The edge of that turn is just a drop down a steep hill. Luckily those guys are REALLY fast and know how to pass, but I was still all, “wha?” and slightly shaken. I got to the bottom of the hill, took the sharp left to the fireroad, hit a patch of gravel and went down like a ton of bricks. Is that not the uncoolest way to crash in a race? On a patch of gravel? On the fire road? I was MAD. Not to mention filthy and bleeding, but I picked myself up and got back on and just kept going. I just wanted to finish this thing. I think I messed up my derailleur when I went down because I couldn’t seem to stay in my middle ring and had to ride the whole second half of my last lap in my granny gear. But I finished, and I didn’t come in last.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">At several points during the race I remember thinking how much I absolutely was NOT going to do the final series race next Wednesday. No way. Not a chance. But afterwards, as the pain wore off and stories got bandied about I found myself saying things like, “Well, next week I’ll know to avoid that spot.” And the guy who was behind me for the entire race (who I beat, mind you) mentioned that I seemed to be spinning too fast when I could’ve been in a harder gear. ORLY? Thank you, dude, for telling me how to beat you <em>more</em> next week. I call this phenomenon “race amnesia” because if it didn’t happen nobody would ever do more than one race, ever.</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 1.6em;">So yeah. Banged up and bruised but already plotting next week’s torture session.</div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-6256846419560752010-08-10T13:16:00.000-07:002010-11-10T13:18:56.566-08:00Nine-Hour Race Report<div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Short Version:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">It was fun but anticlimactic.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Long Version:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">I should start by explaining that mountain bike mile is not the same as a road bike mile, so when I tell you the laps were 6.2 miles long please don’t think that is necessarily an easy distance. See, the course where the race was held is famous for it’s gnarly roots. It’s a wooded, rooty single-track course with short steep (rooty) climbs, steep (rooty) ravine drop-ins and a fun (to me) dirt mogul section near the end. It’s technical, is what I’m saying. So, while i could probably do 6 miles on flat pavement pretty quickly, this 6 mile course took me anywhere from 40-45 minutes to complete. (Which is pretty slow, but my main goal was to not crash. And I usually crash on this course.)</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">So! After a night of not very good sleep my husband and I got up painfully early Saturday, packed up the bikes and gear, and hit the road. The race course is about 30 minutes away and we made good time. We joined our friends under their team tent to set up camp and then we went down to the registration tent and got our team numbers:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/race-sign.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3205" height="288" src="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/race-sign-300x216.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">That’s us, team Bitey Badger.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">The race worked like this: Each team of two rides laps in whatever sequence they like and the team with the most laps completed within the nine-hour time frame wins. We were not in it to win it, I should put that out there right now. We were competing against folks who do nothing but train for endurance races so there was no pressure on us. We were gonna lose! And it was going to be fun.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">My husband started first and completed three laps while I sat around all antsy and impatient. Then I went out and did two. My first lap felt slow but it ended up being my fastest. My second lap was clean, but I got a stitch in my side which went from annoying to really painful to annoying again. It slowed me down, but I didn’t stop. I finished the lap and went in to eat while my husband went back out for two more. I looked really pretty:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sweaty-and-gross.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-3204 aligncenter" height="302" src="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sweaty-and-gross-300x227.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">Pretty gross, I mean.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">My third lap was fine, I think. I get the race amnesia where I forget about the pain and suffering immediately afterwards but I do remember being halfway through the lap and realizing I was digging the ride. I wasn’t riding fast but I felt pretty good overall. I was relaxed and enjoying the challenge until about 2/3rds of the way through when I started to feel a little twinge in my right knee. Ugh. My husband did another lap while I rested and then I went out for lap four. My knee started hurting pretty badly and I had to pedal gently to give it a break. Gentle doesn’t really cut it in a race, but I finished the lap in 45 minutes. My husband went back out while I tried to figure out what to do. My knee was not feeling good and even though I otherwise felt capable of riding at least one more, it wasn’t worth making my injury worse. I was disappointed, but we weren’t in contention so there was no point in pushing it.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">My husband completed two more laps and had a bad crash on the last one. He’s fine, but it was the race-ender for him. So we finished 11 laps between us and were happy to call it a day and break out the beer. The best part was hanging out under the tent between laps, trading race stories with our friends:</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/tent-camp.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-3203" height="300" src="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/tent-camp-300x225.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">PS. I’ve since self-diagnosed my knee pain as an <a href="http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedicine/a/itbs.htm" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #05a9fe; text-decoration: none;">IT band</a> issue, so at least I know why it hurts and how to fix it. Apparently ramping up your distance all sudden-like is a bad idea. Oops.</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #4b4b4b; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em;">PPS. I took Sunday completely off and thought I was recovered enough yesterday to go lift weights and I was SO NOT. Note to self: two days of rest post-race. I mean, <em>really</em>.</div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-27320626440710833192009-09-14T11:26:00.000-07:002009-09-14T11:46:40.474-07:00Two Sundays.I've been slack about updating, but here's the thing: we've been riding the same trails all summer long and there's only so much you can say about doing the same thing over and over again. I will say this: I'm not sick of it yet. Really! Even though it's the same 16 miles, there's always some element of nature or humanity or weather that makes it new and different every ride.<br /><br />Yesterday we dragged ourselves out for an afternoon ride, still feeling slightly hungover from a late Saturday night out. The weather was glorious. It was just picture perfect yesterday and even though I felt stiff and hadn't been on my bike in a week, I was anxious to get outside.<br /><br />September is probably my best month on the bike because I have the springtime slog behind me and a summer's worth of fitness still hanging in. (I also have a mysterious patch of poison ivy in a place on my body where poison ivy has no business. WHY.)<br /><br />We started on North Trail, crossed the pedestrian bridge, rode the lost trail around the far side of Belle Island, hit Buttermilk and then did the loop of Forest Hill. Kenny wanted to take the road home from there but I wanted to take the trail home, a suggestion I began to regret because man, was I tired. I make mistakes when I'm tired and ended up missing a few tricky sections. No injuries or bloodshed, thankfully.<br /><br />We also rode last Sunday (same trails, opposite direction) and I actually remembered to bring a camera! Woo.<br /><br />Somewhere in Forest Hill Park:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ksTEsG2pCYK2DbG9j46CiDdFgsDnxp9VxHLCXhKv9xyDu86iQ4gnjafIVlbXKGWx6wOF4BQmvpgMmjJZGm6i9rNP00R9AgQ3kb_H_x_5ySielBlYgbhJtVmm5LURIytobQGjeUTbeEVV/s1600-h/photo+%2854%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ksTEsG2pCYK2DbG9j46CiDdFgsDnxp9VxHLCXhKv9xyDu86iQ4gnjafIVlbXKGWx6wOF4BQmvpgMmjJZGm6i9rNP00R9AgQ3kb_H_x_5ySielBlYgbhJtVmm5LURIytobQGjeUTbeEVV/s400/photo+%2854%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393196840519394" border="0" /></a><br />Kenny saw this branch seething with tiny white bugs:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yOyIlgqw3qrAcA5QRb7b86UKjEmq4XgWmbwQJyzhUlBKpAzCRZMni3qi-wJRrmmoX5al9X6yqePWyH9xqMYLsqOoNAHrOObekqGCeNSpJ6PnS0CoCPwVk0oZ8uEdfCPPS53E1ypiUYWL/s1600-h/photo+%2853%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9yOyIlgqw3qrAcA5QRb7b86UKjEmq4XgWmbwQJyzhUlBKpAzCRZMni3qi-wJRrmmoX5al9X6yqePWyH9xqMYLsqOoNAHrOObekqGCeNSpJ6PnS0CoCPwVk0oZ8uEdfCPPS53E1ypiUYWL/s400/photo+%2853%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393182620853570" border="0" /></a><br />Oh, that is the grossest thing ever:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5l0ZeeecxHvebq2SPdM9XJvYjs405RTGSN5QJ3F33LkSNrAdo86qqswaOcOZHIrM9UkzUG92AV4qPExTXnV-l3ezXhHOXCyIOIy5P-bK_R8e65_ntNzu7HCCFEI6TLx8EL4vogLwRzrn/s1600-h/photo+%2855%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5l0ZeeecxHvebq2SPdM9XJvYjs405RTGSN5QJ3F33LkSNrAdo86qqswaOcOZHIrM9UkzUG92AV4qPExTXnV-l3ezXhHOXCyIOIy5P-bK_R8e65_ntNzu7HCCFEI6TLx8EL4vogLwRzrn/s400/photo+%2855%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393566292038370" border="0" /></a><br />The climb known as Heartbreak Hill. Oof:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHA4aDs4I8rP1ZV56MB7grIQrDxAAEBY-h8ZQ8EZJZT4urRLpa4eKPXydmH5GT6acF7duJs4R1OR1w_2fQaV03fx1g-5jwV1HIUZsWH9YZIAflRJnmoJv-uCtXtKZxBqUiLD1dJ-tMT7G/s1600-h/photo+%2852%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHA4aDs4I8rP1ZV56MB7grIQrDxAAEBY-h8ZQ8EZJZT4urRLpa4eKPXydmH5GT6acF7duJs4R1OR1w_2fQaV03fx1g-5jwV1HIUZsWH9YZIAflRJnmoJv-uCtXtKZxBqUiLD1dJ-tMT7G/s400/photo+%2852%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393179618496274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpbvMw3nZicwXtx47-1Tox6TimFdyvBOW0geOkryduBK6X1MCuPaT5ummuDhucUVtV_cCyFQOXW0IiZ2YoPOAUHzuQH10p8TVIXVV8KA_fqxq147zGIRZ_XZEhzYTonb4gcZzc7P8Pu2t/s1600-h/photo+%2851%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpbvMw3nZicwXtx47-1Tox6TimFdyvBOW0geOkryduBK6X1MCuPaT5ummuDhucUVtV_cCyFQOXW0IiZ2YoPOAUHzuQH10p8TVIXVV8KA_fqxq147zGIRZ_XZEhzYTonb4gcZzc7P8Pu2t/s400/photo+%2851%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393155853996018" border="0" /></a><br />One of the ravine whoops in Forest Hill:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e1dE-O2hL5z5tjKvQPBhovk26bu1pxUOh8Y2Vctr5V5GfbNNi-WQEXOanOY08_zRI4JFkg7y51CtRMRHxZ68OAZu_U28LA3Lf4EkEhfDcW4rsHDFCyZKIaAK2ABZqKRa887wX8T8MwUe/s1600-h/photo+%2850%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_e1dE-O2hL5z5tjKvQPBhovk26bu1pxUOh8Y2Vctr5V5GfbNNi-WQEXOanOY08_zRI4JFkg7y51CtRMRHxZ68OAZu_U28LA3Lf4EkEhfDcW4rsHDFCyZKIaAK2ABZqKRa887wX8T8MwUe/s400/photo+%2850%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381393150162678658" border="0" /></a><br />What's that up ahead on the trail?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctboFaDnI6cxDrCXzY366NyRJYuF872L4E4so6HGkLHBe1MxxXMkHH87iDHFAYZVcTCthlhBAotsuSB1hbA0EoRUHbFN2ePBaTz1HzPaLdJnNRW5Qf1P7JAHjJZRgtPyq_gBbOu9fvXjy/s1600-h/photo+%2845%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctboFaDnI6cxDrCXzY366NyRJYuF872L4E4so6HGkLHBe1MxxXMkHH87iDHFAYZVcTCthlhBAotsuSB1hbA0EoRUHbFN2ePBaTz1HzPaLdJnNRW5Qf1P7JAHjJZRgtPyq_gBbOu9fvXjy/s400/photo+%2845%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392356025265314" border="0" /></a>Why, it's turtle business time and we interrupted:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQgdOlS_gXUoFVcOqM40HK3p8o4znMwS5HmpikHdFUTo8qa_qPmASUDEJwsURzMKKdyBUEd7XswKKeeMOSYFPxc9aFKbYCl1O4WVLrMmYIqLp1qDDx96aeTVmnKnfRmLFhzuaxMVoxF4R/s1600-h/photo+%2844%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQgdOlS_gXUoFVcOqM40HK3p8o4znMwS5HmpikHdFUTo8qa_qPmASUDEJwsURzMKKdyBUEd7XswKKeeMOSYFPxc9aFKbYCl1O4WVLrMmYIqLp1qDDx96aeTVmnKnfRmLFhzuaxMVoxF4R/s400/photo+%2844%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392355322958066" border="0" /></a>Sorry little dudes.<br /><br />This switchback is one of my favorite sections of Forest Hill:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-UgY2N98cuG55FJbZsSBSWpzStKR5NArkWgWPGs1-_ZDUIAv4HYgqvoZLjYaxAjZcKahCdfuQLPHoXopPzt7SWpGGKOQuJpu6l9SH9rLGgaD8TWS5L35zI3o_tqQbi2ucBmUjI_lX9rq/s1600-h/photo+%2849%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-UgY2N98cuG55FJbZsSBSWpzStKR5NArkWgWPGs1-_ZDUIAv4HYgqvoZLjYaxAjZcKahCdfuQLPHoXopPzt7SWpGGKOQuJpu6l9SH9rLGgaD8TWS5L35zI3o_tqQbi2ucBmUjI_lX9rq/s400/photo+%2849%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392708964507858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPGbbbZcwgXYGjHQDALjaV1Gn9iVc5dzboWn-864eZde65LdB6gp6ErdzZRFZr7f7e12U2teHsEiDizczk4zmuUkWJKUXQLAiwF6583gjiMOmQEEFso1nx-U8GuM2HrNj1witARPqzU3k/s1600-h/photo+%2848%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPGbbbZcwgXYGjHQDALjaV1Gn9iVc5dzboWn-864eZde65LdB6gp6ErdzZRFZr7f7e12U2teHsEiDizczk4zmuUkWJKUXQLAiwF6583gjiMOmQEEFso1nx-U8GuM2HrNj1witARPqzU3k/s400/photo+%2848%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392701281928050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ehc6eo3CZh9XC9rB1ztcJsRCcOtEpLZAveV27N2dVIpY7CkS3IVaH3fkJWMaIee2ijGdzl7QBy5LUKPQ7XCxt99g7ElUyqiqUDR9LcRTCgWVPGDbNjIbRZHGVPfpQ9BTIetvu7cP47dJ/s1600-h/photo+%2847%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ehc6eo3CZh9XC9rB1ztcJsRCcOtEpLZAveV27N2dVIpY7CkS3IVaH3fkJWMaIee2ijGdzl7QBy5LUKPQ7XCxt99g7ElUyqiqUDR9LcRTCgWVPGDbNjIbRZHGVPfpQ9BTIetvu7cP47dJ/s400/photo+%2847%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392697953160594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Dd80AICsFBr-_aYO1mNCaV3avwK1nNPP5CF91hSvoAqyVaez2urJHSbS8ktk_1AqMBM11buk9204E5ZBe2OZIpyTObxmJBIUO8Uc6wbWfLflb70MlEpvUYjcVvTD-Sk23XJ7p8etrlD5/s1600-h/photo+%2846%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Dd80AICsFBr-_aYO1mNCaV3avwK1nNPP5CF91hSvoAqyVaez2urJHSbS8ktk_1AqMBM11buk9204E5ZBe2OZIpyTObxmJBIUO8Uc6wbWfLflb70MlEpvUYjcVvTD-Sk23XJ7p8etrlD5/s400/photo+%2846%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392693335336738" border="0" /></a><br />Kenny going down the hill on North Trail:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3JWZcuC89lULZouLaYLyTk7zTrhJHeYoknLdVQUMCQ7qKJPFETOtUhEbOpMuDF-3i6rSl0xcdxOFTC44UR1fbaOK5Z6kWEqXPjc0OXC_AITDYieiben_7Hsx2OtXHyNGHcYyA5oLyPl3/s1600-h/photo+%2843%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3JWZcuC89lULZouLaYLyTk7zTrhJHeYoknLdVQUMCQ7qKJPFETOtUhEbOpMuDF-3i6rSl0xcdxOFTC44UR1fbaOK5Z6kWEqXPjc0OXC_AITDYieiben_7Hsx2OtXHyNGHcYyA5oLyPl3/s400/photo+%2843%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392344537559250" border="0" /></a><br />I love the crazy giant monster kudzu shapes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh893MZJtwfm9tezmZbps7Iw2g8x698QPda4zm1vkQyUvF_jRj6m3HXwAIQnAzE7u8NFxGT7vjy2suN5Jxag8eNzLm5VTY5okokZRaqMPtCIyH3K6MWDDQQBSEjHaYGTdkFMYeGf27XinoL/s1600-h/photo+%2842%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh893MZJtwfm9tezmZbps7Iw2g8x698QPda4zm1vkQyUvF_jRj6m3HXwAIQnAzE7u8NFxGT7vjy2suN5Jxag8eNzLm5VTY5okokZRaqMPtCIyH3K6MWDDQQBSEjHaYGTdkFMYeGf27XinoL/s400/photo+%2842%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392340559695266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNuvOvwWut1A_gQsLzZ0ZlF15-FOg7i-VpzHqu-o7TBi_RZJpteHCZCuyTlvO6dwDpCQZTimuxTH31AxkG1F5RRLE8X7KxxF_XGOH5jY6kZlwkZi7-WXpSlJRUme9II9RhKdPTmb1dhbC/s1600-h/photo+%2841%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNuvOvwWut1A_gQsLzZ0ZlF15-FOg7i-VpzHqu-o7TBi_RZJpteHCZCuyTlvO6dwDpCQZTimuxTH31AxkG1F5RRLE8X7KxxF_XGOH5jY6kZlwkZi7-WXpSlJRUme9II9RhKdPTmb1dhbC/s400/photo+%2841%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392690110253090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmGc146Y0aDZP35NAujH_I4fXaJMqPTkx66zQExyiqwEPFN4F1GhF3-gv48xrTQcXEXJXrEG4Sv7LiIXrhXkJaKO-l7H1fWFzxFTLY6vIPAVFoc406lGnAa77FifL608gWrfHQksiv7E4/s1600-h/photo+%2840%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmGc146Y0aDZP35NAujH_I4fXaJMqPTkx66zQExyiqwEPFN4F1GhF3-gv48xrTQcXEXJXrEG4Sv7LiIXrhXkJaKO-l7H1fWFzxFTLY6vIPAVFoc406lGnAa77FifL608gWrfHQksiv7E4/s400/photo+%2840%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381392336468977682" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The End!<br /></div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-17521671475463963492009-06-29T13:03:00.000-07:002009-06-30T05:58:34.437-07:00Race Report: Camp Hilbert<div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><i><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal;font-size:16px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Amateur racers. We drag ourselves out of bed at 6 am on a Saturday and haul ourselves to a race we have no chance of winning. It's either a noble rage against cosmic meaninglessness or, like, way more fun than mowing the lawn. (Bicycling, March 2004)</i></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal;font-size:16px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: normal; font-size:16px;">Having finished the Urban Assault race, feeling all good and full of endorphins and post-race amnesia, I blithely stated OUT LOUD that I'd probably be doing the Camp Hilbert race in June. At the time, June 28th seemed a long, long ways away. Or, you know, yesterday. Oops.</span></div></div></i></span></span></div></div><br />I didn't train for it so much as I just rode my bike every chance I got. This isn't a terrible strategy for me because nothing makes me a better rider than riding. If I go too long between rides I get more fearful and cautious and start avoiding some of the more technical sections of trail that scare me. If I ride a lot those sections still scare me but I ride them anyway. So there, trail.<br /><br />Anyway, I registered for the race on Friday and felt good about it in general. I hadn't raced (or ridden) Camp Hilbert in a couple of years so I couldn't really remember much about it, specifically. For me, ignorance is bliss. If I don't know what parts to be freaked out by, I can't be freaked out by them, right? Right.<br /><br />(Note: Camp Hilbert is the site of my disastrous Very First Bike Race back in 2002. I entered the Sport category because I'm stupid and then rode the entire thing in my small chain ring. I came in dead last, went home and slept for the rest of the day. )<br /><br />Early Sunday morning and the weather was perfect. Perfect! Warm but not hot and slightly overcast. We ate breakfast and loaded up the car. Kenny proved that it is completely possible to put two full-suspension mountain bikes in the back of an Avalon:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TpizBj9B94R0M1qkn1hY1ZjCS4hUDNBdk98N7ZaAyAx0a8090L33aVrY65gb7hyphenhyphenDd2VlpNBHU07AaQkGNLkwQHf_PIrEaoMH4VxxQig7NmEanNhY-RwBSCJP9_CJFBUxy572UJr7IHsA/s1600-h/car.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TpizBj9B94R0M1qkn1hY1ZjCS4hUDNBdk98N7ZaAyAx0a8090L33aVrY65gb7hyphenhyphenDd2VlpNBHU07AaQkGNLkwQHf_PIrEaoMH4VxxQig7NmEanNhY-RwBSCJP9_CJFBUxy572UJr7IHsA/s400/car.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352845775390343810" border="0" /></a><br />Impressive! I was feeling okay, aside from flashes of pure fear when I thought about the race start. I hate the start. I'm usually fine once I'm in the woods but the start always sends me into red-lined horror. It's the part that leaves me panting and panicked and I'm always afraid if I go out too fast I'll blow up immediately.<br /><br />We drive out to Camp Hilbert, gear up, pee 200 times (me) and before I can even blink, I'm lining up with the other Sport Women. Wow, that was fast.<br /><br />WE GO. The start was blissfully downhill on a gravel fireroad that led around to the left and then down into the singletrack. It's fast and I manage to go in with the front four or five women. We hit the woods and I'm panting and winded, but handling the fast, twisty trail just fine. We head towards the bottom of the woods near a creek and there is a small disaster- a sideways (and giant) root has taken hold of my friend Malissa's front tire and she crashed. A flat takes her out of the race before she'd even got started. Totally sucks. I rode on and tried to pace myself. Donna is behind me and Amy ahead, though (I think?) at one point Amy pulls over and lets me pass (I think. I always get confused as to who is where.) She stayed behind me for the whole first lap (<i>hey</i>, that's my trick) pacing me and never quite letting me pull away. I felt TERRIBLE for most of the first lap. I rode everything and never stopped, but I felt like I was dying. (This is the part you conveniently forget the minute the race is over, which is why anyone ever does more than one race, ever.)<br /><br />I rode the whole first lap clean and Donna passed us right as we started into the second lap. I was starting to settle in and feel better when I came to the root section that had taken out Malissa. For some dumb reason instead of taking the left line (like I had in my first lap) I went straight into it and my tire caught the root and over I went. I managed to do one of those weird flying dismounts and landed on my feet, but it didn't matter. I was shaken and Amy got her opportunity to pass me. Go Amy! She earned it.<br /><br />She was gone by the time I got back on my bike and got myself going again. I settled back in and was concentrating on catching her when I hit the little tiny mud-slicked bridge that was right before the steepest climb in the race. I hit that bridge and my bike slid off it like it was covered in ice. I landed in the underbrush and had to push up the hill. Not a big deal, but I lost a fair amount of time.<br /><br />After that, I just rode. I just rode my bike and enjoyed the fast, whippy trails and pushed as much as I was able. This was the first long race I've done since September of 2007, so I just didn't have the race endurance that comes from, well, racing. So! I finished a very respectable 4th place and I'm happy with that. Funny, the 1st - 4th lineup is the same four women as my last race, but with a few places rearranged. I was in good company, for sure. Donna came in 2nd place despite the titanium plate she just had screwed into her collarbone after a crash in her last race. I was a little worried that she was back racing so soon, but, um, I shouldn't have been. That plate just made her faster, I swear. Andrea won both races and she's so fast I never see her after the start. She gets out in front and stays there. Solid.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkqDwOl5niWjXHYhmIZbwGn_m7GiL47jJcUFAQ94dmrp199_ss2T9MtWw_U9K6ZKkXWV4fJvvCNLX9d0Ukr5trVeRYRRSy5K_pJJ8rl4nYY9EcmYtBoFWuCvrvkcXUvVJO5BamFetXWJp/s1600-h/sport+women+podium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkqDwOl5niWjXHYhmIZbwGn_m7GiL47jJcUFAQ94dmrp199_ss2T9MtWw_U9K6ZKkXWV4fJvvCNLX9d0Ukr5trVeRYRRSy5K_pJJ8rl4nYY9EcmYtBoFWuCvrvkcXUvVJO5BamFetXWJp/s400/sport+women+podium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352846069443159474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Sport Women podium.<br /></span></div><br />Kenny rode with the early group and came in 7th, which is admirable. His field is way bigger than mine. He was happy, I think. We watched the noon start:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVE1jHgtjeEWJQx3CDF1LTtwvKr6CVm9Up2wU2TdZLzXoD63XvFMquEjunbXQ-eOEta9bMjNRwL-F5xaqFyxq44f45wxV29vsb4cFKUrLCV1ZOPple1hN61OEaMpgoYxYi6kNx_00q2i3/s1600-h/Paula.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVE1jHgtjeEWJQx3CDF1LTtwvKr6CVm9Up2wU2TdZLzXoD63XvFMquEjunbXQ-eOEta9bMjNRwL-F5xaqFyxq44f45wxV29vsb4cFKUrLCV1ZOPple1hN61OEaMpgoYxYi6kNx_00q2i3/s400/Paula.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352845788217671426" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Go Paula!</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeJtUAvETcg1bwaCxTIRo2ZfhtH5sOrVhDIeADE3-zlCO9EScERfaD7V2w81SYXYCtr8jytv7CLCHenyrsMcjpnySXNk3ixPTFVhd5q6cN4AlvkUUjx-cObev1J1KlmL4o3oCJTVRhipi/s1600-h/fast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeJtUAvETcg1bwaCxTIRo2ZfhtH5sOrVhDIeADE3-zlCO9EScERfaD7V2w81SYXYCtr8jytv7CLCHenyrsMcjpnySXNk3ixPTFVhd5q6cN4AlvkUUjx-cObev1J1KlmL4o3oCJTVRhipi/s400/fast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352845785441612178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">the iPhone doesn't so much do speed shots.<br /></span></div><br />And then packed the bikes up and went home. And immediately took naps because that's all we were good for. And that's still kind of how I feel today. Bleh.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UjkDxf5ssqayy7aswwt8v-mWO42GmYNlaDjryFaLYUPPu0NQ-W53io8h-R7sLrz4emKedtTm0SOcUp7p7wgQ5zC6VAo_EmryFfgWwK9GWJXvIzHSVJPDhcTo-yzmxrvPZyv77zsBBa1X/s1600-h/dork.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UjkDxf5ssqayy7aswwt8v-mWO42GmYNlaDjryFaLYUPPu0NQ-W53io8h-R7sLrz4emKedtTm0SOcUp7p7wgQ5zC6VAo_EmryFfgWwK9GWJXvIzHSVJPDhcTo-yzmxrvPZyv77zsBBa1X/s400/dork.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352845782195184754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">sweaty and gross.<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizksuzo0CIkOL0d9eWiQpfyMlIcFoIcdoYXJWGlDQNTf2ObmCsuqQjmodmuxpBlGTEOaXBtVF0yis-Dglgm0bKoRCj6TuD7y53ZK4BopBPoVvv3KHETHpcFrySMcyP6CdKWhK0DGP6ajAd/s1600-h/Kenny.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizksuzo0CIkOL0d9eWiQpfyMlIcFoIcdoYXJWGlDQNTf2ObmCsuqQjmodmuxpBlGTEOaXBtVF0yis-Dglgm0bKoRCj6TuD7y53ZK4BopBPoVvv3KHETHpcFrySMcyP6CdKWhK0DGP6ajAd/s400/Kenny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352845789170001634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Kenny chilling with my bike.<br /></span></div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-70570727682292350162009-05-22T11:37:00.000-07:002009-06-29T13:13:36.726-07:00Race Report - Urban Assault 2009<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggg9OQHRRkX3lOCBH20K0KERtR_oyUyx_CiI7uf_btkzqjM-ZFXjZuQXNPtwn8YC8nwcsgbVsqkEUWFNsr_hI11x_juRTbYLzxpF7aOgCwd5NIBUyVe1XN_sQk2RYs3KfTg3HwFGVX3LYm/s1600-h/urban+assault3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggg9OQHRRkX3lOCBH20K0KERtR_oyUyx_CiI7uf_btkzqjM-ZFXjZuQXNPtwn8YC8nwcsgbVsqkEUWFNsr_hI11x_juRTbYLzxpF7aOgCwd5NIBUyVe1XN_sQk2RYs3KfTg3HwFGVX3LYm/s400/urban+assault3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338722739530446978" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(photo courtesy of Ben Madden: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.title9photo.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">www.title9photo.com)</span></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></span><div>I wasn't going to do it. No way, no how. How could I race when it had done nothing but rain for weeks? And then I got a cold? The race was fast-approaching and I'd barely gotten more than one ride a week in, if that. It was a bad idea. A BAD IDEA. </div><div><br /></div><div>My friends Paula and Malissa were both signed up, so on Tuesday I joined them on a practice run of the course. I felt pretty good to be out but definitely could tell I wasn't recovering after climbs as fast as I would like to be. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The, on Thursday I went out with Kenny to join Paula on a slow last-ride-before-the-race ride. I felt great. Legs were strong, lungs were hanging in, my confidence was up. But I wasn't racing, no way was I ready. At one point I confided in Paula that I didn't want to race because I didn't want to embarass myself by coming in last. Paula stopped her bike and looked at me like I was crazy. Then she started working on me and by the end of the ride, I was on board. I was racing? Oh, shit. She totally missed her calling as a motivational speaker, or something. That woman could talk anyone into anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>Kenny wasn't so sure, but he wasn't quite saying he <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">wasn't</span> going to do it. (He did it.) I was pretty certain I had no choice. Paula was right - this race is on our home course and there's no reason not to do it. None at all. Except for the PAIN.</div><div><br /></div><div>The start of the race had a few things going for it: </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1. Unlike previous years, Sport Women got their own start. No lumping us in with beginner men, a practice I loathe. I don't enjoy dodging spazzy, nervous newbs. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. No Lemans start! Woo! I firmly feel that all bike races should start on bikes. If I wanted to run, I'd sign up for a duathalon. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. Noon start! I hate it when my race starts at 9am and my husbands doesn't start until noon. That's your whole day, right there. </div><div><br /></div><div>The short course started at Tredegar, followed fireroad up and around to the Lee Bridge, across the bridge, down to outdoor stairs (nine, count em, flights) more fireroad, up another set of stairs (again, nine. flights.) then finally singletrack down the southside of the James River to the Boulevard bridge, across that bridge and more singletrack on the north side to the finish. It was about 8 miles. It was a death sprint. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJq3WfnwjJLLaZV4W8c8qI1c98h47XNupPhFvUlgiCrTjjXPSk5LgUuLLCddPz8gQJpYeslULOdbgMalrx5nto-heyDFdqm4WkoE7URx2aKSI52bFPWUqCR_X-USDShyphenhyphen7hF6_faQU1fdL/s400/map" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338720113747477026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>There were ten of us in Sport Women and I only knew one other person in that category, so it was hard to know what I was up against. We started fast (well, they started fast) and I was too afraid of blowing up to try and keep that pace right away. As soon as we were up on the bridge, though, I put it in my big ring and started picking them off. One, two, three, four passed on the bridge. I think there must have been a couple of girls behind me, but I'm not sure. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1a5AQ-aaMfEwalp2J65caVBBzY6qiHf4tPlHZF-rNpS1uNIwofZpsKdjt-rRN4Rjq3e6xffYqt0GQg8fkCNIavymWAfdV8yVNpzs65DrlRxOmBkYubsMLfMVk6OezOVav-HBm5bHmtGpD/s400/bridge.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338720367944077042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 311px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">On the bridge (thanks Billy!)</span></div><div><br /></div><div>We dropped down to the the stairs and I had one girl right on my ass. We trotted down the stairs with our bikes (ugh) and hit the fireroad. I passed two more on that stretch and was feeling winded, but not too bad. Then, more stairs. Carrying a bike upstairs is way, way harder than carrying a bike downstairs. By the time I got to the top and was facing actual, real singletrack, I felt like I was going to explode. I was sucking wind and my knees were wobbly, but I got on my bike with another rider right behind me. The first real technical obstacle was a rocky creek crossing that I've never been comfortable with, so I jumped off to run it rather than risk crashing. The girl behind me was much closer than I thought and I nearly de-biked her. Eek. I apologized and jumped back on to head down the trail as fast as I could manage. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the next creek crossing I bobbled and got out of her way so she could ride it, but somehow our bikes got tangled and we both floundered. We got loose and she continued on, asking over her shoulder if I was okay. I was, but I couldn't actually talk at that point, so I couldn't answer! I think she thought I was mad, but no way, man. That's just the way racing is! I got back on and headed up the trail, starting to feel a little better and more recovered. This section of trail is really, really technical and it also on a steep hillside, so you really need to be sharp and pay attention. I rode everything fine and headed up the hill to the second bridge crossing.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was another girl who was riding with me and passed me at one point, who was riding a singlespeed with amazing dexterity. I think I managed to weeze, "You're kicking ass on that thing!" because damn, that is impressive. She and I traded spots back and forth a bit, depending on hills. I think I finally caught her after the ramp on northside and rode behind her until we hit a climb in northside, at which point I passed her again. Then she rode up behind me and started to ask to pass and I decided to put the pedal down and just use up everything I could to get some distance between us. At some point on the northtrail I also caught the girl who I'd gotten tangled with and passed her. She told me afterwards that she was so impressed that I managed to come from a deadstop to catching her that she felt like I'd earned that pass! I don't know about all that, but thanks! Those two ended up sprinting together to the finish moments after I finished, which was pretty exciting.</div><div><br /></div><div>I crossed the line not having any real idea of what place I was in, but I felt like I'd ridden a good race and I'd put everything I had into it. I checked around and, woo! 2nd place. Not to bad! The girl who won was someone I never even saw. I think she must have taken the lead immediately and just kept it the whole race. That is impressive, for sure. So, here's the top four lineup (from the right: me, 1st place, 3rd, 4th)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKg8qiXMZuyp8SyIdoNxxtf0i8NhQ1dSr8dIbx7GOxWw9rHE6sKApVA0oLi5mVYgpYxNvUBJP2eYylP5T0c_6oBFDOH-P6rpdS-ZI6ikRUraBBIH6HltcDEDdJVFyjVvMWqFM6vLgt1Bn/s400/top+four.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338720712173594690" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(very cool photo courtesy of Ben Madden, who you should check out at: </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.title9photo.com/" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">www.title9photo.com)</span></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div>And here I am with my prize-winning razor! It was one of the items in the backpack I won. I was the only one who got a razor and I think everyone was totally jealous. Who's hairless now? That's me. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis59UXW-oBhlg1aMX3s3L5-bJpMwiK2Ma3OxV778Ak8890RVvFkIUdt4QvIRDfrETHliO6Z-lseyelUEPZylMg9wLzJGB2RIxooK0P75nb8qC7Ba_iFU7oHi03nHCy8_CxLbnhUik6qBmh/s1600-h/prizes!.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis59UXW-oBhlg1aMX3s3L5-bJpMwiK2Ma3OxV778Ak8890RVvFkIUdt4QvIRDfrETHliO6Z-lseyelUEPZylMg9wLzJGB2RIxooK0P75nb8qC7Ba_iFU7oHi03nHCy8_CxLbnhUik6qBmh/s400/prizes!.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338720710362134258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Kenny finished his race handily in 14th place (his field is way bigger than mine) and Paula unfortunately had a mechanical and couldn't finish. Totally sucks considering she was the reason I did the race. </div><div><br /></div><div>So thank the lord that's over. There's another race at the end of June I'm considering, so apparently I've drunk the Kool-Aid. We'll see.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-79418786283286030812009-04-09T12:26:00.000-07:002009-04-10T09:14:55.632-07:00Sunday Ride is Teh AwsumI spent most of last week down and out in <a href="http://amblus-amblus.blogspot.com/2009/04/poor-me-literally.html">tooth-pain misery</a>, so when Sunday turned out to be sunny! and! warm! I was dying to get out and ride. Never mind that my husband had ridden in (and won!) a race the day before and was tired, we were GOING TO RIDE and I wanted to do AOTT. YEAH. I was ready. In an unexpected move of non-introvertedness, we planned ahead a bit and met up with some bike friends and teammates we don't get to see very often.<br /><br />They were a very chatty bunch (seriously, you guys talk <span style="font-style: italic;">a LOT</span>) but that made it fun and I got to catch up with my friend Lisa, who is going to confuse people by wearing my cool Twin Six jersey in the photos we took. That's Lisa in the houndstooth, for a change. (To be fair, she owned it first. She has good taste.)<br /><br />So, we met up at Crossroads and I took a couple really grand photos:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9Dy0VUunwYn8vBrJXOvXruZbIocQwgNal_q2eNBL8lEn7OqLbzVcLXiXQigglVE97Orpdno3n80xkdQYxpzk180UGEIliokTv5eBpo5aLcanMv39hyIoq6SP_79i7Pld_KjxWHxu_rIQ/s1600-h/Kenny.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9Dy0VUunwYn8vBrJXOvXruZbIocQwgNal_q2eNBL8lEn7OqLbzVcLXiXQigglVE97Orpdno3n80xkdQYxpzk180UGEIliokTv5eBpo5aLcanMv39hyIoq6SP_79i7Pld_KjxWHxu_rIQ/s400/Kenny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323093538875387170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh472igp3q-b9eZ0hxdMezWmuX5U8ro788WVD4ouhaXZwnzDS4Ot6_Oy27dMeSyXXGzRljn6y70r4DSFrjd3-B_gIFuRgUPiNPnCPiQGfdpCZVyCSngqrxdvd2H27jM_51fGt28SgylipRQ/s1600-h/crossroads.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh472igp3q-b9eZ0hxdMezWmuX5U8ro788WVD4ouhaXZwnzDS4Ot6_Oy27dMeSyXXGzRljn6y70r4DSFrjd3-B_gIFuRgUPiNPnCPiQGfdpCZVyCSngqrxdvd2H27jM_51fGt28SgylipRQ/s400/crossroads.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323093529543388626" border="0" /></a><br />(anyone need orthodontics? Glad I managed to get that in the shot.)<br /><br />We started in Forest Hill which is...hard. Lisa and I were feeling less than speedy, so we took our time in the back of the pack for a while. Here's Lisa coming off the steep switchback:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW2Jne3tz7sDJve3vGvZYKjzDgJuRCpRHt7RFrdBWjBG6iHADRW-4qQ4SAkHKQ9ai39U3uCaXIuszWfp4qaBVVwyxhwLphK2xNfvZj4J0ragd9n7KTb5_HkgkNVtqkgW74e4QEaVQOe0v/s1600-h/Lisa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFW2Jne3tz7sDJve3vGvZYKjzDgJuRCpRHt7RFrdBWjBG6iHADRW-4qQ4SAkHKQ9ai39U3uCaXIuszWfp4qaBVVwyxhwLphK2xNfvZj4J0ragd9n7KTb5_HkgkNVtqkgW74e4QEaVQOe0v/s400/Lisa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323095483712774578" border="0" /></a><br />We finished Forest Hill and moved on to do a section of Buttermilk and Belle Island:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaeGS8HxvIQ7xSrAUlKpaDCtzIqK5eiBhxB4J04c8cD9ARTuSaxurWXIbMAdEMUy-FJOLZjV4di7-ax0PiMMkTGJIAGKkQIDa0wEnNTU3whNslno1R9n1KZY8nosyqNdxsNjNs_QZKRJv/s1600-h/group2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaeGS8HxvIQ7xSrAUlKpaDCtzIqK5eiBhxB4J04c8cD9ARTuSaxurWXIbMAdEMUy-FJOLZjV4di7-ax0PiMMkTGJIAGKkQIDa0wEnNTU3whNslno1R9n1KZY8nosyqNdxsNjNs_QZKRJv/s400/group2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323093533456774034" border="0" /></a>(talking.)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNBkWDE6KpPD74SzDX2rNL0b2j8ul6Irj8AMLIqHDuX_LtqNlIHI1kmub04RBsQJb4xJuLrbtKqeQon7VVuvgyKdCv5uT8eBHOuWt7qYgUMuZLeqFWqBU4dnwoSJSI_AYVuXwcmusnhMh/s1600-h/group.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxNBkWDE6KpPD74SzDX2rNL0b2j8ul6Irj8AMLIqHDuX_LtqNlIHI1kmub04RBsQJb4xJuLrbtKqeQon7VVuvgyKdCv5uT8eBHOuWt7qYgUMuZLeqFWqBU4dnwoSJSI_AYVuXwcmusnhMh/s400/group.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323093531626302226" border="0" /></a>(more talking.)<br /></div>Richard riding the stairs!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yRKMVHYhTO3CEsBYaRleIKpZ4h9OQ-MCQg0lCa760XRXsaDSxEgMm7_rTLVtg4MfqkNEAKsPbctvguv7mVjLbT7tqSOjlr9BrD0izIHreroCDyONzo0wRdtFLAJpuNkQzI5L3Vey_1Mf/s1600-h/richard+stairs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9yRKMVHYhTO3CEsBYaRleIKpZ4h9OQ-MCQg0lCa760XRXsaDSxEgMm7_rTLVtg4MfqkNEAKsPbctvguv7mVjLbT7tqSOjlr9BrD0izIHreroCDyONzo0wRdtFLAJpuNkQzI5L3Vey_1Mf/s400/richard+stairs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323096227392568434" border="0" /></a><br />Then we fought our way across the pedestrian bridge (always my least favorite part of any ride) and headed down the Northbank trail to meet up with <a href="http://dirt-surfer.blogspot.com/">Joel. </a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHi-QOX6Y18aHEPDD3WlMlSlngyyWl7CMXgH8YtRk72DLSi7n5a36zuqSDid2xiXTxiDh_CCRhDLTFR3HLECCMqO6pS1P0Dxy1Y36lH7hDHp51u4qd6oHjVOOwNsdtiq4UKCdxzEy3UqT/s1600-h/NB2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHi-QOX6Y18aHEPDD3WlMlSlngyyWl7CMXgH8YtRk72DLSi7n5a36zuqSDid2xiXTxiDh_CCRhDLTFR3HLECCMqO6pS1P0Dxy1Y36lH7hDHp51u4qd6oHjVOOwNsdtiq4UKCdxzEy3UqT/s400/NB2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323095485623631922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6ieTof0jnIeu0L8GVlia6A0p4hgAfHo8ElPsl1CYXZeycF_AbyAyWoW-v8g_5hOuaNUuZZPeYVc_C9-NxWfdTlkFqgj-35dvLAQTIjv4hGsfeknhPLR5BF6kh1ecmX4VgK8SZqQjCPhT/s1600-h/NB+me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6ieTof0jnIeu0L8GVlia6A0p4hgAfHo8ElPsl1CYXZeycF_AbyAyWoW-v8g_5hOuaNUuZZPeYVc_C9-NxWfdTlkFqgj-35dvLAQTIjv4hGsfeknhPLR5BF6kh1ecmX4VgK8SZqQjCPhT/s400/NB+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323095492973060610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29vNnU7uEhCC5dLs8p4m7Aa5xe3-EI1p0GT-r1HnFYrtbj7v_3JzHjYSXFB3TzrRZP0wv3EpTUt45pUoBgr8fdeNWF53PJwBN-t3FQFc0Sj7z_rEg3AIMP274Yc2HIy3Flsc3HXqDu6Ge/s1600-h/NB3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29vNnU7uEhCC5dLs8p4m7Aa5xe3-EI1p0GT-r1HnFYrtbj7v_3JzHjYSXFB3TzrRZP0wv3EpTUt45pUoBgr8fdeNWF53PJwBN-t3FQFc0Sj7z_rEg3AIMP274Yc2HIy3Flsc3HXqDu6Ge/s400/NB3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323095493128454770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRm4CQFLoteITdQMjmzUih2BOVf5zKycZgXP1YQ_TQlP0XhlxAbtT0RxbdUa9NIsJ_praXjyejsBzNGux3UbDg7Wyq1ymCcwINIamMIzhroRsVt1BO7BfHz8NmU_2a4PeBvOWUjpD5lFd/s1600-h/NB1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRm4CQFLoteITdQMjmzUih2BOVf5zKycZgXP1YQ_TQlP0XhlxAbtT0RxbdUa9NIsJ_praXjyejsBzNGux3UbDg7Wyq1ymCcwINIamMIzhroRsVt1BO7BfHz8NmU_2a4PeBvOWUjpD5lFd/s400/NB1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323095483864415122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca_mvXgGgo22SuHdinpU7-rV3k53acyXpv5x0BFijnw4l3VMqvl8txePDrnPGb3n2q_hrDpFtfx8rpFg5-cVKEc17gU833foocYBkqrwMzFNb73f4_atiRV5g4OjZ556BHP7aoEMJkUDV/s1600-h/NB+steep.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhca_mvXgGgo22SuHdinpU7-rV3k53acyXpv5x0BFijnw4l3VMqvl8txePDrnPGb3n2q_hrDpFtfx8rpFg5-cVKEc17gU833foocYBkqrwMzFNb73f4_atiRV5g4OjZ556BHP7aoEMJkUDV/s400/NB+steep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323096224126048834" border="0" /></a><br />I don't have much commentary on the ride but I really enjoyed it and was surprised at my relative lack of suffering. I was tired at the end but my legs felt strong and I was just so happy to be out riding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2qid5mvmVZ-VY_R3CxyWa9DM_FmmexAHXNkH714XvHE3zFAfXXKClYKta0RoXUSRLpUZh81MetBIPT9JdqeKzs4yQlrYxeAwvwJzqT1XB_ZTGLTd-wmleaGp0H11KGoqlviALQQqp1cJ/s1600-h/home+again.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2qid5mvmVZ-VY_R3CxyWa9DM_FmmexAHXNkH714XvHE3zFAfXXKClYKta0RoXUSRLpUZh81MetBIPT9JdqeKzs4yQlrYxeAwvwJzqT1XB_ZTGLTd-wmleaGp0H11KGoqlviALQQqp1cJ/s400/home+again.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323093538110185762" border="0" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-29640383610647918342009-04-06T08:35:00.001-07:002009-04-06T08:50:21.985-07:00I love Powhite in the springtime...I rode my bike! More than once! I actually have a backlog of photos, so I'll post today about a recent ride and yesterday's ride will go up later this week (I promise! I swear!)<br /><br />The beauty of Powhite Park, the small wooded hillside sandwiched between neighborhoods, wetlands and highway, is that it stays dry as a bone even when it's wet everywhere else. A few weeks back we got the usual gang together for a casual ride. The day was beautiful and we all were just so happy to be OUT. In the sun! After I took a couple of my famously bad photos, Kenny took the camera away from me and saved the integrity of my blog by taking some really sweet action shots.<br /><br />This entry is really all about the photos because a Powhite ride is usually just about getting out the cobwebs and having a good time. I remember feeling pretty good. I was pretty slow, but I wasn't suffering. There is one pretty gnarly climb right up the middle, which was nicely documented:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd_ZnOOWI-BvrlSz5fkxPs3EVxSSCi-Nw-i_NX9FL0bBr2PuIxwbR53tUX70UmIuQuIuGnmMmJpsbHWwsIvzNXYrPqTHs6FmYbJZOj_-CttPB1sWR0WviC7CIf4ftNtHOdvpSruHElKZs/s1600-h/AdrienClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFd_ZnOOWI-BvrlSz5fkxPs3EVxSSCi-Nw-i_NX9FL0bBr2PuIxwbR53tUX70UmIuQuIuGnmMmJpsbHWwsIvzNXYrPqTHs6FmYbJZOj_-CttPB1sWR0WviC7CIf4ftNtHOdvpSruHElKZs/s400/AdrienClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321603599781681154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3G0eLA45soeivmEvZsGH9t6bPOaUPMmxocplwlTLL1WiJaHjSJ4xwY9ZneG8WWzf1E-SfGaMCr7U-hC7S6KW-dCJnfSTJP87bImZHFk35M6AJEdkp9ionVuuMoyJBB51pQGSEaFY1FYt/s1600-h/FrankClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3G0eLA45soeivmEvZsGH9t6bPOaUPMmxocplwlTLL1WiJaHjSJ4xwY9ZneG8WWzf1E-SfGaMCr7U-hC7S6KW-dCJnfSTJP87bImZHFk35M6AJEdkp9ionVuuMoyJBB51pQGSEaFY1FYt/s400/FrankClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604059830419602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCFzTTUpn-tfunw99r86EYrCbrrx8TPDOvFM3RamwzpFfyI8oPhgOQBvat4GP7ZopKMv-OQAMzxsLKkpdGytdII8fqUDjBgnx246PoIzGD1rOLdyxnnUWQBGZPGBoArHoUMljbisSwgZ_/s1600-h/BillyClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCFzTTUpn-tfunw99r86EYrCbrrx8TPDOvFM3RamwzpFfyI8oPhgOQBvat4GP7ZopKMv-OQAMzxsLKkpdGytdII8fqUDjBgnx246PoIzGD1rOLdyxnnUWQBGZPGBoArHoUMljbisSwgZ_/s400/BillyClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604053167764466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNIPqQfkuPDZnVT-0k2kA1FVcyYHTKZcDdUzx64saJAffm5PoE46VPXMtebxISr7RX35Yb71nkjs5eVXixaxoTStcDMwiYYyQy0gJLH6ldsbHF7ofOwa1v0qReGDTKJyfeIEZxnbBxiuG/s1600-h/KennyClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNIPqQfkuPDZnVT-0k2kA1FVcyYHTKZcDdUzx64saJAffm5PoE46VPXMtebxISr7RX35Yb71nkjs5eVXixaxoTStcDMwiYYyQy0gJLH6ldsbHF7ofOwa1v0qReGDTKJyfeIEZxnbBxiuG/s400/KennyClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604736911768050" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZbgJ16rqlAuySKRhPKuJS_9Nv_CBl__cL8PPDCbsZ8bi4jpWK9DgrdLEcb9vFSrvsCkRZZqsGjd7dp4e2cZQh_6s2dsNcPqgMTtSY8MjAWidM5e9wEndg_g0F9UuLSnw5m-4WByR0Hyk/s1600-h/JimClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyZbgJ16rqlAuySKRhPKuJS_9Nv_CBl__cL8PPDCbsZ8bi4jpWK9DgrdLEcb9vFSrvsCkRZZqsGjd7dp4e2cZQh_6s2dsNcPqgMTtSY8MjAWidM5e9wEndg_g0F9UuLSnw5m-4WByR0Hyk/s400/JimClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604732067276370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSxQ640yGlXfUYdlXGQQPirit5v5_JgMAE8BTnXVS8mIsH_ooSAcEYg1eQnhI0hBnuAudABQwMVu9aGnEefVm3TNQUk2MqHFgzQKM_ljsuUS5JqhT8ROujiPMaNg2ky9SKjDdWCpn7Xj0/s1600-h/PaulaClimb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSxQ640yGlXfUYdlXGQQPirit5v5_JgMAE8BTnXVS8mIsH_ooSAcEYg1eQnhI0hBnuAudABQwMVu9aGnEefVm3TNQUk2MqHFgzQKM_ljsuUS5JqhT8ROujiPMaNg2ky9SKjDdWCpn7Xj0/s400/PaulaClimb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605179294789378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I don't always make it, but I did that day. This photo shows how steep it really is (hopefully Paula won't kill me for posting this):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD7AQc9wre4LIL9bcl9IEAEavF5aK1Dq80zs-65xww0j64dg2N_NqI-pH3KSNJBlR4OhlrVx4rfQffQ-95tbPnR5Lsae8divlllQKm5zEC57-c1_jlTQ2A4SIQ115gOBhETD4jZeK7ZYU/s1600-h/PaulaClimbBack.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSD7AQc9wre4LIL9bcl9IEAEavF5aK1Dq80zs-65xww0j64dg2N_NqI-pH3KSNJBlR4OhlrVx4rfQffQ-95tbPnR5Lsae8divlllQKm5zEC57-c1_jlTQ2A4SIQ115gOBhETD4jZeK7ZYU/s400/PaulaClimbBack.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605615562282130" border="0" /></a><br />We also enjoyed some of the new trail features:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2pForzoYxqLMo-yUeZAMBqxC3tH4cP7mjlCMo4dFKUGt7yXwxM2IlHwwAlyKpQqBK-z2H-jUX3sXaRQ_MqHpvcn03n84rGiUZVc4PDyWlg5Do7uHQLA6TRDdsjFbWl3GOBdtGspNFyBo/s1600-h/FrankBerm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2pForzoYxqLMo-yUeZAMBqxC3tH4cP7mjlCMo4dFKUGt7yXwxM2IlHwwAlyKpQqBK-z2H-jUX3sXaRQ_MqHpvcn03n84rGiUZVc4PDyWlg5Do7uHQLA6TRDdsjFbWl3GOBdtGspNFyBo/s400/FrankBerm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604054388760802" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsC3KurBKtvigS-wVuFrGjX7eL-GtQsyybYkHCUU-NAoRmtVh0ukkz7g5WHPfLjxSLOot8rVNpfDABsAQIYjyk7tEWWSEyrXtwHoD66Ar7GHGk3u0SiQiRVGOzllowcaogBpSHnlreyzGU/s1600-h/RussBerm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsC3KurBKtvigS-wVuFrGjX7eL-GtQsyybYkHCUU-NAoRmtVh0ukkz7g5WHPfLjxSLOot8rVNpfDABsAQIYjyk7tEWWSEyrXtwHoD66Ar7GHGk3u0SiQiRVGOzllowcaogBpSHnlreyzGU/s400/RussBerm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605188473277762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eB-9gz3ZPY-kUq6WpBsyw7amtjA83IiqMPKEvoKDsR6B5p5-GlYZOagUx9n6mPoZrPiPpnO-Wu5spZQgjJzeXpOW-8Xevl0FJk7sLybybSNsbgDAi65fG2n1V8ttP6eijmq39JOhWOPy/s1600-h/PaulaBerm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eB-9gz3ZPY-kUq6WpBsyw7amtjA83IiqMPKEvoKDsR6B5p5-GlYZOagUx9n6mPoZrPiPpnO-Wu5spZQgjJzeXpOW-8Xevl0FJk7sLybybSNsbgDAi65fG2n1V8ttP6eijmq39JOhWOPy/s400/PaulaBerm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605174257615906" border="0" /></a><br />I'm still heartbroken that my favorite switchback climb was sacrificed for it, but the new stuff is lots of fun to ride. I'm slow to accept change, what can I say.<br /><br /><br />This is my favorite drop-in to the ravine run:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42CNPFQ82-GQxyXz6iRqQDXxmSeNd0oZtTmfPAn02xkKwCRxpL-fbDqlaK73Uua5OwPmVbkzYAuIIsiKIPfcOuFnQ2zxu-wsbYyNibk4bibDxt-fmxHATI1T3raALOTNg-PjZe4nkSIfh/s1600-h/AdrienPaulaLog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42CNPFQ82-GQxyXz6iRqQDXxmSeNd0oZtTmfPAn02xkKwCRxpL-fbDqlaK73Uua5OwPmVbkzYAuIIsiKIPfcOuFnQ2zxu-wsbYyNibk4bibDxt-fmxHATI1T3raALOTNg-PjZe4nkSIfh/s400/AdrienPaulaLog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321603602442283266" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY67ZOF0HScuzHHS59gtvYy0o3mUddtAErx6NkSo4XWdtayY9V34l5gUJgWkVY8ATCGb4s0zluVsK7IbiFWxXCyS1dhcjKK4f9rHKW6zLzpLAYzNk61lDFeKXWMvsOxfOutaaCDOPdG44/s1600-h/Billy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiY67ZOF0HScuzHHS59gtvYy0o3mUddtAErx6NkSo4XWdtayY9V34l5gUJgWkVY8ATCGb4s0zluVsK7IbiFWxXCyS1dhcjKK4f9rHKW6zLzpLAYzNk61lDFeKXWMvsOxfOutaaCDOPdG44/s400/Billy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604047599449858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJibwFaTFQqSBpUmGpdLanGDmfnqYcFUBEuA6RwYqnAwY_MzvYmg6lTgfQmMpuce0q53UdwyHjyNNLigkjYmmNgxPadh1eqpmi70r8UWc3IpphVVbh32wIOLYq0dr_gkkxVK9-4TRH7vxX/s1600-h/FrankLog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJibwFaTFQqSBpUmGpdLanGDmfnqYcFUBEuA6RwYqnAwY_MzvYmg6lTgfQmMpuce0q53UdwyHjyNNLigkjYmmNgxPadh1eqpmi70r8UWc3IpphVVbh32wIOLYq0dr_gkkxVK9-4TRH7vxX/s400/FrankLog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604721143592354" border="0" /></a><br />Whee! Don't we all look happy? What a nice day:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHW5maK4CSGywMg5GBoxTYy-YxrpvBLoIkhSpZnKpAxF9ilI90MtL-ytJ6igaEQ-c4C0xbO3VkMGKNuoxYC4KV_f4tGpjURaoxy22_FdvnIGrOUKuVV1eLfh0_4hyphenhyphen3q2ZnB0xa0t55Epl/s1600-h/PaulaLog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHW5maK4CSGywMg5GBoxTYy-YxrpvBLoIkhSpZnKpAxF9ilI90MtL-ytJ6igaEQ-c4C0xbO3VkMGKNuoxYC4KV_f4tGpjURaoxy22_FdvnIGrOUKuVV1eLfh0_4hyphenhyphen3q2ZnB0xa0t55Epl/s400/PaulaLog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605181538664786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTHHTk9b5lv7f7ubklQvccrTkKPULNl8FOFdaRG72ZS6XgV6HcrZne85Ciaw8cH9i_MOJFeFhB-5ajtF-i14ShCLpQ8Gre_Kq_Y8DxzPkV1StBt46QdGeI53RCAMkU7NKzh6TIW1ID6Hk/s1600-h/BillyLog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTHHTk9b5lv7f7ubklQvccrTkKPULNl8FOFdaRG72ZS6XgV6HcrZne85Ciaw8cH9i_MOJFeFhB-5ajtF-i14ShCLpQ8Gre_Kq_Y8DxzPkV1StBt46QdGeI53RCAMkU7NKzh6TIW1ID6Hk/s400/BillyLog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321604050744836162" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ucWxdzTZd35WphIYHfc_iic-yNL1C2paPp-AkuGR2wM0ONt0M-hWA2-EKMc_2Crl71dA12-BgnuvybLy6ICVBk2xk5sXa73TLryqglR0CbqQvhpjBvRP4lZRY1CBR5_5ApfvYH0Reyn8/s1600-h/Posse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ucWxdzTZd35WphIYHfc_iic-yNL1C2paPp-AkuGR2wM0ONt0M-hWA2-EKMc_2Crl71dA12-BgnuvybLy6ICVBk2xk5sXa73TLryqglR0CbqQvhpjBvRP4lZRY1CBR5_5ApfvYH0Reyn8/s400/Posse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321605187443468178" border="0" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-56591876905793200452009-03-25T11:40:00.000-07:002009-03-25T11:51:29.394-07:00Why I Suck at Updating1. Up until last week, it rained every weekend for a month and a half.<br />2. How many different ways can I bore you by describing an hour-long ride at Powhite park?<br />3. How many different ways can I bore you by describing a two hour ride on the Buttermilk trails?<br />4. I have other hobbies too, some of which I write about on my <a href="http://amblus-amblus.blogspot.com/">other blog.</a><br />5. The only time I get comments is when my three readers are annoyed at me for not posting.<br />6. I don't like to ride in the dark, in the cold, in the snow, or in the rain. That's what the gym is for.<br /><br />SO, now it's spring and I might actually get to spend some quality time on my bike. Also, the <a href="http://www.sportsbackers.org/events/riverrock/urban_assault.htm">Urban Assault</a> race is scheduled for May16th, and depending on how I'm riding, I might actually enter it. (I SAID <span style="font-style: italic;">MIGHT</span>.) There are other race possibilities, but for some reason Sport Women always get completely bitch-ass punished with 9:30am start times. Now, if my husband's race starts at noon and I have to start at 9:30am, (which means leaving the house at 8am to get to the course with time for a warm-up because it will be freezing cold) this means I have to stay there ALL DAMN DAY. I don't know about you, but I have other stuff I'd like to do with my Sunday afternoon. Stuff that doesn't involve freezing my ass off while sitting on a pile of leaves wishing I had a hot shower and some real food. It's real glamorous at the bike races, as I'm sure you know.<br /><br />Now, last Sunday was an exception in that the sun was shining and it was not cold. We did a fairly casual loop of the river trails and did part of the Forest Hill section backwards, which I don't like, but always fall for. Backwards is harder and has less fun-payoff, but at least it changes the way you look at the trail. You can't cheat by using the line you always use, if that makes sense.<br /><br />So, Kenny suggests we do the trail backwards and I'm suspicious, because backwards is harder, right? Kenny's all, "Sort of, but it's easier in the beginning." This is not true. It's less heinously steep, for sure, but it's not exactly a rollicking good time.<br /><br />Unfortunately I lost quite a bit of whining cred by dragging Kenny to the gym with my all those rainy Sundays and setting him up for a weight lifting routine. Once your husband sees you dead lift your body weight and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRA_8jrlT3U">hoist a 30lb dumbbell </a>over your head real fast, the jig is up. He knows you're pretty strong now, genius. Time to shut up and pedal. Dang.<br /><br />Maybe I'll bedazzle my frame with that: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shut Up and Pedal</span>.<br /><br />PS. If you've harangued me for a new entry, how about leaving me a comment? Tell me what bike-related event you're looking forward to. Or, what you had for lunch or something.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-91550481040740019952009-01-30T10:17:00.000-08:002009-01-30T10:23:02.183-08:00Dead Weight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlERXC82FZ8sHyu8YH0zHgEhHZ87DIW95FA0w2SzwcNqwOAfDVm_rbecMrsnWsmCBJub7z1q0FYwRszw9YiTxcRNNq-3abTmJ_8QjbNIwd5vyHViMQPJyC0dsIAwyzZfbUW6lju_LR6Zdh/s1600-h/bike+photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlERXC82FZ8sHyu8YH0zHgEhHZ87DIW95FA0w2SzwcNqwOAfDVm_rbecMrsnWsmCBJub7z1q0FYwRszw9YiTxcRNNq-3abTmJ_8QjbNIwd5vyHViMQPJyC0dsIAwyzZfbUW6lju_LR6Zdh/s320/bike+photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297153395869920226" border="0" /></a><br />YOU GUYS. I think it's going to be in the 50s and not raining on Sunday which means I'll get to brush off the cobwebs and ride my bike! I'm so excited. I think I really needed a few weeks away from riding to really get excited about it again. I've been really enjoying spinning classes lately which is always a bad sign - it means I've forgotten what a real ride feels like.<br /><br />In the meantime, shall I bore you with more weights talk? Last night I <a href="http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/GluteusMaximus/BBDeadlift.html">deadlifted</a> 115lb. I deadlifted Jennifer Aniston. This is HUGE for me, considering that a year ago I couldn't even <span style="font-style: italic;">begin</span> to pick up the 70lb pre-set bar at all. I couldn't even conceive of it. My goal is to deadlift my bodyweight and I'm pretty close to that goal.<br /><br />I was feeling pretty great about this last night until I looked over and the skinny dude next to me was deadlifting FOUR HUNDRED pounds. Sheesh. Whatever. Showoff.<br /><br />I'm currently working on strength gains, so I'm doing four sets of four reps. Four reps isn't much, so you really have to lift a lot to make it work. I'm stuck at 25lb dumbbells for my <a href="http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBBenchPress.html">dumbbell bench press</a>. It's just too much of a jump to 30lb weights - I can't get them lifted in place. I wish my gym had smaller increments because I can't see how I'm going to make that leap.<br /><br />Have I bored you enough yet? Anyway, I PROMISE I'll come back to you with a ride report after Sunday. I am determined to spend some time on my bike. In the meantime, check out the photos my husband took the other day when it was all icy and foggy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYc1WDvAiPOqsXG2dCHeYlels9eGB-wmP-TEcsI2cDHyGauzdmsQUCCkgeAXPqSMA_nomTp_2VrLs9GWR2DreaYEym5nx-AUNHjgwXC4eDxDG2Oa7lAUletz_S7dqBMVD3c4kOoQGwmcy/s1600-h/fog4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYc1WDvAiPOqsXG2dCHeYlels9eGB-wmP-TEcsI2cDHyGauzdmsQUCCkgeAXPqSMA_nomTp_2VrLs9GWR2DreaYEym5nx-AUNHjgwXC4eDxDG2Oa7lAUletz_S7dqBMVD3c4kOoQGwmcy/s400/fog4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297153856695051794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ov4O4X57eI6XzXrFlQS-jasp0KrnKk3hC2wjafgKdTwn2u-jd07Z_-pB8rv8nz66hvC9YjilOkdbLEefv-dhyphenhyphenFBJWCoKA3moFbUP0LUZg_aagrhzEBBSZfQUTjMOXrqgQA4L9hQ1Jarf/s1600-h/fog3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ov4O4X57eI6XzXrFlQS-jasp0KrnKk3hC2wjafgKdTwn2u-jd07Z_-pB8rv8nz66hvC9YjilOkdbLEefv-dhyphenhyphenFBJWCoKA3moFbUP0LUZg_aagrhzEBBSZfQUTjMOXrqgQA4L9hQ1Jarf/s400/fog3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297153851542608466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA52hAfAf-_hXaN-8HbCdY14dNOmqpa2TmjrVK55WNI5xnsBxdEshkL3RKLXzx__U2mvDy1LwyT-AbuGs1rytJVG6QaXckYxlcwIic45sO6CzicskUNZYhkSM0aA2gwzDZMcpTabpViA9x/s1600-h/fog2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA52hAfAf-_hXaN-8HbCdY14dNOmqpa2TmjrVK55WNI5xnsBxdEshkL3RKLXzx__U2mvDy1LwyT-AbuGs1rytJVG6QaXckYxlcwIic45sO6CzicskUNZYhkSM0aA2gwzDZMcpTabpViA9x/s400/fog2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297153851954780658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK7qo4ehw1iexOd9xzYwLf-h84rOzRJac4IlrfVxV-xJp82NrcrdgG86P8-LasweUXXPiV00A6KB_ahWw7ODJ_L2eYhxKCRE3L7cHEa3a4er64Z1tx8YXJXVOUncxgy-fjOKRh9qrM9ny/s1600-h/fog1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMK7qo4ehw1iexOd9xzYwLf-h84rOzRJac4IlrfVxV-xJp82NrcrdgG86P8-LasweUXXPiV00A6KB_ahWw7ODJ_L2eYhxKCRE3L7cHEa3a4er64Z1tx8YXJXVOUncxgy-fjOKRh9qrM9ny/s400/fog1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297153851182858818" border="0" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-69747321911358444002009-01-22T05:31:00.000-08:002009-01-22T05:49:29.534-08:00Deep Dark Cycling Secret<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDe7qf9Lpfj6R5Zt4ipxo_Ck-x9IivGqNL7u5vjHOGZSjJ4Pz2ySYCfOVfqkI4DzDpzBKYCaaBVyw0Th_KKbKJb2ibHSdW1Oc0uc2KNoyq35QwZqKZqh-NlTuvfOOPycYEMw6ZNywbBY-N/s1600-h/short+sleeve+biking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDe7qf9Lpfj6R5Zt4ipxo_Ck-x9IivGqNL7u5vjHOGZSjJ4Pz2ySYCfOVfqkI4DzDpzBKYCaaBVyw0Th_KKbKJb2ibHSdW1Oc0uc2KNoyq35QwZqKZqh-NlTuvfOOPycYEMw6ZNywbBY-N/s320/short+sleeve+biking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294114685726095826" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a secret: I don't actually like to suffer.<br /><br />Which is why I have a 40 degree rule when it comes to outdoor cycling. I am...what is the word? A wuss. A WUSS. I don't like to be cold, my joints don't like it, my lungs don't like it, my toes don't like it. DO NOT WANT. On New Year's Day I broke that rule and went out with the group for a cold, cold ride, regretting it almost immediately. I don't really have the right gloves or shoes for cold weather and ten minutes into the ride I couldn't feel my fingers (which is grand when they are what pull your brake levers) and I couldn't feel my feet, also important.<br /><br />I whined, just a little bit. But I stuck with it and eventually everything warmed up except my toes, which just went completely numb, solving that problem. We didn't stay out too long and I was 100% relieved to get back into the warm house full of post-Christmas cookies and whatnot. Gah. I haven't ridden since then. I learned my lesson. I am not currently training for anything and I have two gyms at my disposal, so why suffer?<br /><br />I don't want to dread the idea of riding my bike, so instead I've been working really hard at the gym. I've been taking three spinning classes every week and continue to lift weights three times a week. It's been enough to keep me fit and the spinning, while not a perfect substitution for riding, at least keeps those muscles going and keeps my bike butt from going soft.<br /><br />The saddest part: that the photo above? That was taken in DECEMBER. Not long before Christmas. It's so sad that one day it's warm enough to go out in short sleeves and two weeks later the high temperature is 20. What is that? Bleh. Hurry up, spring.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-47128019713230619062008-12-05T11:57:00.000-08:002008-12-08T06:23:44.062-08:00More weight, please.Hi! So I got a really interesting comment from Jennifer after my last post asking about weight training and gym boredom. I feel you Jennifer, because for the longest time I only took classes at the gym - any solo workout requiring self-motivation was really hard and really boring.<br /><br />Here's the thing with the weightlifting I've discovered:<br /><br />1. Most machines are completely bullshit useless. Those Nautilus machines? A waste of time. Now, they're certainly better than nothing, but unless you are a 6 foot tall man, they aren't going to fit you correctly. Also, why would I spend an hour isolating small muscle groups when I can do full-body compound movements (that work EVERYTHING) in half the time?<br /><br />2. 20+ reps of anything is too many reps. I can't count that high and I get bored. 6-8 reps is a whole different story. I know I can't squat much weight 20 times, but I'm certainly willing to challenge myself for 6 measly reps. That's practically nothing! I should put more plates on the bar. This is how I think: 4-6 reps is a fun challenge, 15-20 reps is pure torture. (I should add this: I used to do B0dyPump and really loved it, but you can only lift so much weight for such high reps. Eventually you top out and need to go heavier and slower. That's what I did.)<br /><br />3. Getting strong is fun, but being strong is <span style="font-style: italic;">awesome.</span> When you start lifting as a weakling (which I was) and then six months later you can bang out a set of tricep pushups, it feels fantastic. it's even better when you can pick up a really heavy box without even thinking about it. I still have a long way to go, but the changes motivate like nothing else.<br /><br />4. For a cyclist (especially for a mountain biker like me who doesn't get in long endurance miles) there is no better winter workout than weighted leg work. Again, no press machine, no stupid leg extension machine, do the real work that will allow a full range of natural motion and will force you to work ALL the supporting muscles in your legs, not just the big ones. I'm talking about squats, lunges and step-ups. My hill climbs have gotten so much better since I started lifting.<br /><br />5. If the gym bores you but you know you have to build some muscle and improve that bone density (Hi, Jennifer!) please consider a program. For me, doing a program is like having a trainer tell me what to do, but it's cheaper and less flaky. I have my exercises, my reps, my instructions, I just need to go and do it. I really recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women because it's a great place to start and will give you a base of knowledge about lifting like nothing else. I also like that the first six weeks of workouts only takes about 30 minutes each. (Hint: if it seems too easy, you aren't lifting enough weight.)<br /><br />6. If a program is too much commitment, that's okay. You can always do something like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://randomfit.blogspot.com/2007/07/working-out-in-dilapidated-one-room.html">Working out in a dilapidated one-room shack</a><br /><br />or if you're a beginner, this:<br /><br /><a href="http://randomfit.blogspot.com/2007/06/weight-lifting-routine-for-beginners.html">A weight-lifting routine for beginners</a><br /><br /><br />PS. If you saw Jennifer's comment and wondered what story she was talking about,<a href="http://www.bodiesinmotivation.com/2008/10/how-i-went-from-an-art-school-slacker-to-a-mountain-bike-queen/"> it's here</a>.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-28619799555397154172008-12-03T11:14:00.000-08:002008-12-03T11:30:10.176-08:00Who even counts November, anyway?Yeah, I missed a month. I haven't been posting here because, as I've said before, it's hard to write about riding the same trails over and over again. I have achieved a few small milestones, though. You know that <a href="http://amblus-whitewhale.blogspot.com/2007/09/summer-is-over-wah.html">crazy cement bridge</a> I swore I'd never ride? Yeah, I ride that now. It wasn't a momentous thing, I just kind of rode it one day and ever since then I've felt obligated. I can also ride down the big insane ramp thing, but not so much up it. That just seems harder than it's worth right now. Maybe in the spring.<br /><br />We've been riding on Sundays, my usual winter ride day, weather permitting. I've been enjoying doing the longer rides (2 1/2 hours is long for me, shut up) with the old gang even if it means I'm hobbling around for the rest of the day. It's worth is to get the fitness in, to get out in the world, to get warm even when it's cold out. Last weekend it was cold <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> raining, however, and I don't play that. I didn't even leave the house last Sunday.<br /><br />As for other stuff, I've finished <a href="http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/">The New Rules of Lifting For Women</a> program and started a new one called <a href="http://www.coachdos.com/">Power Training</a>. It's very similar but I get to pick my own exercises which I like because I'll be damned if I ever do another front squat/push press. Hateful. I am required to do front squats which are also hateful, but not as much.<br /><br />My most recent workout looked something like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Squat Jumps</span> - 4 sets of 5 reps<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Romanian Deadlifts</span> - 60/6, 65/6, 75/6, 85/6<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dumbell Row (single arm)</span> - 20/6, 25/6, 25/6, 30/6<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">negative chin-ups</span> - 2<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">assisted chin-ups</span> - 60/6, 60/6 (meaning, I had the assisted machine set at 60lbs, so I was lifting my body weight minus 60lbs. Woo.)<br /><br />Then I did a bunch of ab work and 20 minutes of high intensity intervals on the stepmill. Then I scraped myself off the floor and went home for dinner. The End.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-82376693130084670942008-10-13T12:45:00.001-07:002008-10-13T13:00:40.356-07:00Did you think I'd forgotten?Stop being so grumpy about the lack of posts. I really just haven't been riding anywhere new or exciting. No races, no adventures, just the usual one or two rides a week on local trails. If we didn't have such nice trails around here I'd be forced to go elsewhere, but what can I say? I'm a lucky girl.<br /><br />We did have one weird thing happen at Powhite last week. K and I were squeezing in an after-work ride and when we got to the top of the hill we heard the sound of gunshots from the neighborhood off to the left. It was one gun, shot after shot after shot. NOT what you want to hear in the middle of a park in the middle of the city. What the hell? It was worse that we couldn't even tell what direction it was coming from or if we were near enough to worry. Bullets gotta come down somewhere. We scrammed out of there and made it home safely.<br /><br />The light is fading fast, isn't it? A month ago we could ride until 7:30 without having to worry about lights or reflectors and now we have to leave for home by 6:45 because the woods are too dark to see the trail. I have no interest in night-riding (and no funds for a good headlight) so after this week it's going to be weekends only. Sadness. Back to spinning class for me.<br /><br />It was a great summer, though, and I can ride Northtrail -> Buttermilk -> Buttermilk Heights with my eyes closed. I know all the secrets! Now, if I try to ride it in the other direction it's a totally different trail, so maybe that's what I'll work on this winter. That, and riding Forest Hill again. Too much poison ivy for me.<br /><br />Here are some photos from, um, August that I should have posted in...August:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3f45PTwgkurdKDoHMCPYNFHzHoZWX17wpobXiZZ6nLneRWO6Rx-eO8jgmk7E4RcRC0QScmNFQjNgBnjCQNj08nq8LAJZLpbE0bamhOR6LuxIGeTHT-nSVLXq22fZFr4Xl_RS_uF2At66j/s1600-h/2737529080_c20eeeb67c_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3f45PTwgkurdKDoHMCPYNFHzHoZWX17wpobXiZZ6nLneRWO6Rx-eO8jgmk7E4RcRC0QScmNFQjNgBnjCQNj08nq8LAJZLpbE0bamhOR6LuxIGeTHT-nSVLXq22fZFr4Xl_RS_uF2At66j/s400/2737529080_c20eeeb67c_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256729903582665026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiU5EGJHBKC6i-N3XR8fO49dMTdyv07mgzlciwTIXPLcee0MwAgyGb5AT3GwYUHIFJhlufWJEPSRiY3rP02T316AAgLEYs6vgaaLxJYo5Qf2WePel5dD70iw2_sx_ISV2r4xwf-aOVrlHc/s1600-h/K+action+shot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiU5EGJHBKC6i-N3XR8fO49dMTdyv07mgzlciwTIXPLcee0MwAgyGb5AT3GwYUHIFJhlufWJEPSRiY3rP02T316AAgLEYs6vgaaLxJYo5Qf2WePel5dD70iw2_sx_ISV2r4xwf-aOVrlHc/s400/K+action+shot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256730271814676290" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi534I9KZmFzzNX2yis-X3bfvZBsiEdzqruCDrWVO2MHZLv0j2DvFJOsMJ-L4_C0ZEK9VXXIApEFnVrQ016ScS_4-CP2DchTpKFb_665XQRoA1pkwMT392uIpjrTqaQ9NIwJqSnYVGXQhvL/s1600-h/kudzu+monster.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi534I9KZmFzzNX2yis-X3bfvZBsiEdzqruCDrWVO2MHZLv0j2DvFJOsMJ-L4_C0ZEK9VXXIApEFnVrQ016ScS_4-CP2DchTpKFb_665XQRoA1pkwMT392uIpjrTqaQ9NIwJqSnYVGXQhvL/s400/kudzu+monster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256730281470710546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNYnH4e9aNwfReXmZ-lD1cMqungRBwUxSHKugPiNosdFLDuYPkPcyrN4pliaz6UtnCVpqW8CwEPnm3qssw5wVWnCEhsLTi4B4EFY-_o6uw2lYOGrVBRkXBV6Wiyag8nOrqguIWTlPX32M/s1600-h/K+cobbled+trail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNYnH4e9aNwfReXmZ-lD1cMqungRBwUxSHKugPiNosdFLDuYPkPcyrN4pliaz6UtnCVpqW8CwEPnm3qssw5wVWnCEhsLTi4B4EFY-_o6uw2lYOGrVBRkXBV6Wiyag8nOrqguIWTlPX32M/s400/K+cobbled+trail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256730281141675314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrhl7Sd50ZyDyYIgDvWoUh94F1MxvT_3ELIiJfWhEJI5rqQRqbPbkMKcG75eQCn82LDHTaFy6G6NmCNBHz-2VhLRAxOy50FTjvnrT3p7Mrg4EajIcLbAoFYARXYTjmROWkmYFpyKdhIed/s1600-h/hill+climb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrhl7Sd50ZyDyYIgDvWoUh94F1MxvT_3ELIiJfWhEJI5rqQRqbPbkMKcG75eQCn82LDHTaFy6G6NmCNBHz-2VhLRAxOy50FTjvnrT3p7Mrg4EajIcLbAoFYARXYTjmROWkmYFpyKdhIed/s400/hill+climb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256730290208119394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxUanpU14Inr8uEYIt6RSyIXGSM8Q-3W-_E5fU7lskGnsSWFkdEW9Pks1rQRo_aoosDnVklifPn2BL-9kELMO4J-lmX2wOycmUuLM0AgRSu2LwrXK8_pqnFxdUKTZSaQePcniV9Z5rrE3/s1600-h/creek+crossing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxUanpU14Inr8uEYIt6RSyIXGSM8Q-3W-_E5fU7lskGnsSWFkdEW9Pks1rQRo_aoosDnVklifPn2BL-9kELMO4J-lmX2wOycmUuLM0AgRSu2LwrXK8_pqnFxdUKTZSaQePcniV9Z5rrE3/s400/creek+crossing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256729903058951922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRCGhItmcbzqjzLTKrHBHBNT3XTYVHxfyV2mT4Sq0MH9tJ6f0gtKbvEQtU3M6FU__dti_KojDj9C3Uy5Cv6Qhg7E2DUdtHub61dOpDuIiW27BUF-7s-6387y_N2oG6OxM6xBJEoqePefF/s1600-h/switchback.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRCGhItmcbzqjzLTKrHBHBNT3XTYVHxfyV2mT4Sq0MH9tJ6f0gtKbvEQtU3M6FU__dti_KojDj9C3Uy5Cv6Qhg7E2DUdtHub61dOpDuIiW27BUF-7s-6387y_N2oG6OxM6xBJEoqePefF/s400/switchback.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256729902184474626" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sY2GBy77arKm9L6-8AirlPKxMzhTCHZgeaPtHV6-AqLTk8kgXjX3zA1MgUxoKxftWH9tB34zPgvCwOfIxDE-WW00ai9wNoYq8PfGnS_fj8rdxzeR5MeSq5hSEIyiMlvTTW4E0a-3dR1x/s1600-h/crazy+nice+view.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sY2GBy77arKm9L6-8AirlPKxMzhTCHZgeaPtHV6-AqLTk8kgXjX3zA1MgUxoKxftWH9tB34zPgvCwOfIxDE-WW00ai9wNoYq8PfGnS_fj8rdxzeR5MeSq5hSEIyiMlvTTW4E0a-3dR1x/s400/crazy+nice+view.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256729906722021154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Helmet hair at it's finest:<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPMo4-Lvhcl9YW0kr7L7zDw2Sbkt-ZNSePFFti_LMHKzup8WcQfd-Rlbg7R-KE2oplAe5neq_N-h4x-O6sWd72GmydHXyXOZcxzCXMLs_H_5AKDt9DMsvcM2x5tFvgrM9Go4spI8VE9LT/s1600-h/helmet+hair.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPMo4-Lvhcl9YW0kr7L7zDw2Sbkt-ZNSePFFti_LMHKzup8WcQfd-Rlbg7R-KE2oplAe5neq_N-h4x-O6sWd72GmydHXyXOZcxzCXMLs_H_5AKDt9DMsvcM2x5tFvgrM9Go4spI8VE9LT/s400/helmet+hair.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256730292175909442" border="0" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-66187345233393739212008-07-23T11:32:00.000-07:002008-07-23T11:51:07.202-07:00OMG UPDATE.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>My bike is getting plenty of use this summer, in case you've been worried. I've just completely run out of ways to write about riding the same trails week after week. My husband and I are boring creatures of habit and we're generally pretty happy riding the local trails over and over again. It's almost never boring except when it is.<br /><br />I can say with absolute authority that I have LOVED not worrying about training for races this year. Just riding to ride has been so much more fun. (Now, I'm not saying I'll never race again, just not right now.) I'm doing decently well with my riding this summer and I think the weight-lifting has only helped me to be a stronger cyclist - I'm certainly a better climber for it. I'm on Stage 6 of the lifting program I've been doing since February and this stage is focused on working towards doing a chin-up. I can tell you with great confidence that I am nowhere NEAR being able to do a chin-up, but then again, I've never tried before. Even chin-up negatives (where you start at the top of the bar and lower yourself) are stupidly hard for me and I hang there like a sad, limp frog. But I try.<br /><br />In other news, Kenny and I did actually, honest-to-God travel somewhere different to ride when we had some time off a few weeks ago. Naturally, forgot the camera, so no pictures. We went to Freedom Park in Williamsburg for the first time. Man, those are my kind of trails - no crazy stuff, no scary climbs, just miles and miles of twisty fun single track. We were the only ones out there except for a herd of deer and one adventurous turtle. We spent the afternoon riding and cleared out every single spiderweb for the after-work ride crowd. You're welcome, folks.<br /><br />And now, here's the <a href="http://amblus-amblus.blogspot.com/2008/07/stop-pony-time.html">other kind of riding</a> I've been doing.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-86819443708975474082008-06-19T08:20:00.000-07:002008-06-19T10:36:16.666-07:00Urban Assault, Paula style<span style="font-style: italic;">Hi kids! Last weekend was the Urban Assault race, the race I won last year. My friend Paula races Expert and she did the race this year even though I declined. She's adept at winning (though she'll protest this until she's blue in the face) and this race was no exception. This girl races to win, rather than my lame strategy of racing-to-maybe-finish. Anyway, because I did not attend, I asked Paula to be my guest blogger today! Here's her race report:</span><br /><br /><b><em></em></b> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">I’m not generally the blogger type but since a few of my teammates have written about their recent Xterra/Urban Assault race experience, I thought I would give it a go. It was HOT HOT HOT on Saturday. Given the temperatures over the past several weeks, I thought I would have been prepared. I guess saying to myself and many others that “the heat doesn’t bother me” came back to punish me with a vengeance. So much for positive thinking…! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">There were only two of us in my category but I came to realize that this had no bearing, whatsoever, on my pre-race jitters. There could have been 20 of us, and it wouldn’t have made a difference. That being said, nerves all aflutter, we were off! I, like Brad, almost bought it over the first berm. Now Brad, being in the beginner category, had an excuse, I did not. I should have known better but I was already on the right side and would have had to go around the whole field of one other person to get into a position in which I didn’t have to launch over the berm. <span style=""> </span>Thinking I would lose precious time doing this, I thought I was playing it smart to go right over the berm. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Continuing the race, down the gravel road…hmmm, everyone says this is where you can gain precious time, being a roadie and all. Well, when it feels like it’s 110 degrees out and you are gasping for breath, this may not be the case. Who knows, I managed to pass a few people and climb the stairs, 9 flights. (I had counted them before, I was prepared.) I wasn’t prepared for my first crash though. I had 12 feet of clearance after I crossed the bridge. Normally, this is not an issue. For some reason, I looked right at the concrete wall and my left handlebar clipped it. Don’t ask me why, perhaps hyper anaerobicism (my new word). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Down I went, with a group of Sport guys behind me. Oh well, what good is a crash if there’s no one to see it? Continuing on, I manage to almost make it up the steep clay hill (my definition of “almost” being over the first big hump), out to <st1:place st="on">Riverside</st1:place> drive and down the dreaded rocky descent. I hate this descent, but phew, I made it down, no, on second thought I didn’t, out of nowhere some guy decides to pass me on the inside, takes the turn too wide and plows into me. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Never asking me if I am o.k., the guy gets back on his bike and pedals away. I yell a few choice words after him, I mean the adrenalin and all…they weren’t real pleasant but I got my point across. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Back on my bike, yikes, what is this horrible pain in my side? Have I fractured a rib? Will it puncture my lung? I’m short of breath, I’m dizzy…no maybe that’s just the heat. “I guess it’s not excruciating pain I say to myself”<span style=""> </span>so I decide to continue on. On to Forest Hill, this was pretty uneventful although my ribs are feeling the climbs. I reach the end and, given that I did an endo there last year in front of the crowd, I decide I will not give them a show this year. I prudently dismount to go back into the tunnel. O.k., I’m past most of the real technical stuff, now I can really start to gain some time.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><span style=""> </span>Ouch, what is this pain in my legs? Am I cramping, has my newly-deflated lung robbed my muscles of the precious oxygen they need?<span style=""> </span>Drink, drink, drink I say forgetting all about the two Cliff shots that would have been of great benefit, I continue on. Down that gravel road (again) up the stairs, this time clearing the concrete wall with ease. I finish Buttermilk, cross over the Nickel Bridge, Northbank….legs are really starting to cramp but I am reaching the end…I pick it up here, I mean I want to look like I rode the race that fast the entire time as I cross over the finish line.<span style=""> </span>The heat is excruciating but I am done! Some guy I have never seen before comes up to me with a bottle of COLD water and tells me this is the last one there is…I am too stunned to thank him as much as he deserves…I am finished. (Until next year that is!)<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-style: italic;"> (Note how she doesn't mention she won? That Paula. I'll have photos to post as soon as PhotoBucket stops freaking out. )</span>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-44504897249183929322008-06-11T08:20:00.000-07:002008-06-11T08:38:48.200-07:00She updates!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYftL5MRFPiYms4xRzUi2Nj6EfgMrePZYqV4ou3oIHlmtdjlebdaDKHs_wYv40dXqFJM2JYEXMrkZGipFvcGAlMmXK67tXLOLGL7Z-q7fwVARxjAxgyDwxeMjuWM8XfDt8xF4tcgZ4vhez/s1600-h/me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYftL5MRFPiYms4xRzUi2Nj6EfgMrePZYqV4ou3oIHlmtdjlebdaDKHs_wYv40dXqFJM2JYEXMrkZGipFvcGAlMmXK67tXLOLGL7Z-q7fwVARxjAxgyDwxeMjuWM8XfDt8xF4tcgZ4vhez/s400/me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210646166908915698" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Don't mess with me! I'm covered in poison ivy and spider webs.</span></span><br /></div><br />I can't believe how long it's been since I added an entry. It's hard to keep up with both blogs and keep finding new stuff to write about, especially since I'm not doing any racing this spring. Last year at this time I was gearing up for the Urban Assault and even though I'm not in any shape to race, I'm still a little sad to be missing it. Not sad about paying $40 to suffer for half and hour in the 90 degree heat on trails I normally ride for free, however. Not sad about that at all.<br /><br />But, I have been riding! I swear! All of it local because gas is just too expensive to justify driving all over the place just to ride a bike, when we have trails so close to home. Powhite park is always an easy option and a favorite of mine unless I'm the first rider of the day which means getting liberally frosted with spiderwebs. Those spiders freaking HATE my ass. My favorite trail is a tight uphill route with lots of switchback turns, which is prime real estate for spiders. I usually make Kenny go first because I'm selfish.<br /><br />We've also been hitting the river trails quite a bit, though you have to be really careful to stay in the exact middle of the trail because it's all POISON IVY EVERYWHERE. I know what it looks like now but that doesn't mean that every green leaf doesn't also look like it. I'm convinced that every leaf that gently brushes my leg is poison and...gross. It usually is.<br /><br />Anyway, just a quick update to let you know I'm still a-riding. I'll take my camera out and get some new photos up soon.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNhqLrVDpPyTK518IqrKpm1NW-gUzvXEs6NzUO8vyHzCrD-trMQigWAzACmTY-lf2hj_GCSqgvwKyJCOVLbQURgQLkObg_-MGMaBXfu4Iynbs8JCSLLgGP1ceXxCF5dQVwbkYVdXC0qm_/s1600-h/kenny+buttermilk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaNhqLrVDpPyTK518IqrKpm1NW-gUzvXEs6NzUO8vyHzCrD-trMQigWAzACmTY-lf2hj_GCSqgvwKyJCOVLbQURgQLkObg_-MGMaBXfu4Iynbs8JCSLLgGP1ceXxCF5dQVwbkYVdXC0qm_/s400/kenny+buttermilk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210646058515341650" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">See? I always make him go first.</span></span><br /></div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-89185268780740116832008-04-25T10:38:00.000-07:002008-04-25T11:10:13.571-07:00Stuff and StuffHey! Last night the weather was beautiful and we were feeling lazy, so we rode over to Powhite where the trails drain well. They were dry as a bone! Nice. The ride started out the way most spring rides do, with both of us whining about our legs hurting. The first twenty minutes always suck - it hurts a lot and it's hard and you wonder why you didn't pick a sport like bowling, where you can play and drink beer <span style="font-style: italic;">at the same time</span>. But, as almost always happens, as soon as we both warmed up we started feeling good and enjoying ourselves.<br /><br />Kenny had a flat (in which the entire valve of his tube sheared off. Dude, how does that even happen?) and after he fixed it we ran into a couple of guys who'd never ridden there before and were a little lost. I love that about Powhite park - it's not directional and there are no maps or arrows. It's so small that you can't really get lost for long, but it does help to know the good trails to take for a flowing fun ride. Kenny told them to follow us and we had a nice little mini-group ride. They were appreciative of the tour and it felt so nice to relax and not be under any pressure to train. Just riding for fun! So much better.<br /><br />That's it. No great stories, just a relaxed after-work ride. I did finally upload photos from our downtown ride a few weeks ago. certain parts of the downtown trails empty out at Tredegar and on Belle island, so that's where I took photos.<br /><br />Here's Tredegar Iron Works:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ8iucrBm1SB6F7ZgcYBZxso4J878P4nDaJEFAfpY77kLyYFGn90AUI7WxvNGTFEVZuMc7oueRj85TqfJz8377MV58sTbLKggVf-TtIe0gotSGD77qiLm0gKiHXdZ0dYx2kXcoDvZCUmm/s1600-h/tredegar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJ8iucrBm1SB6F7ZgcYBZxso4J878P4nDaJEFAfpY77kLyYFGn90AUI7WxvNGTFEVZuMc7oueRj85TqfJz8377MV58sTbLKggVf-TtIe0gotSGD77qiLm0gKiHXdZ0dYx2kXcoDvZCUmm/s400/tredegar.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193246411807929170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And what it used to look like:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mdgorman.com/images/Belle_Isle_and_Tredegar_USAMHI.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.mdgorman.com/images/Belle_Isle_and_Tredegar_USAMHI.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's me looking serious for no reason:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh167_5fy2cbWN1_cdodQKn6JzNlIFwrTy-x4ADaF-mMHUOEgteu64wRmJOLbhz3F1jWf8M1bjcCgITYkFOuPq4Ax3bHcZt3QM-BN7IMVQtpenieDi40C9fqRONreWecMXvzZB2U5BN89xW/s1600-h/downtown1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh167_5fy2cbWN1_cdodQKn6JzNlIFwrTy-x4ADaF-mMHUOEgteu64wRmJOLbhz3F1jWf8M1bjcCgITYkFOuPq4Ax3bHcZt3QM-BN7IMVQtpenieDi40C9fqRONreWecMXvzZB2U5BN89xW/s400/downtown1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193242658006512402" border="0" /></a><br />Very pretty view from Tredegar down to the James River:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoE-v4xyLPvh_YSCMN1WKAeNE5X-7KYb4YPnwmtvFBmUy3UYurYIIrX15GtB3ZCjGqIBmiATI4uUzvfvMgJnkDVZaF4jGVngvXvJzGWlNBcxYMEoz2_yUH1TtVhlbzBY0cR7g6OSjJg7b/s1600-h/downtown2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoE-v4xyLPvh_YSCMN1WKAeNE5X-7KYb4YPnwmtvFBmUy3UYurYIIrX15GtB3ZCjGqIBmiATI4uUzvfvMgJnkDVZaF4jGVngvXvJzGWlNBcxYMEoz2_yUH1TtVhlbzBY0cR7g6OSjJg7b/s400/downtown2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193242662301479714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some of the group:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxKjLiU0VMHA2QDItVkDhTzZ3PPYJKvQdS7l-SeaVBymZHymtMVg5pM-wlCnCunJZr-EXq4J_n6lhyCua9g5Fx-cZ8f4n1XXL-P6tR6BCmv6LcLfHropPluAGNouC4MCtmT5COvVckKdm/s1600-h/downtown3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxKjLiU0VMHA2QDItVkDhTzZ3PPYJKvQdS7l-SeaVBymZHymtMVg5pM-wlCnCunJZr-EXq4J_n6lhyCua9g5Fx-cZ8f4n1XXL-P6tR6BCmv6LcLfHropPluAGNouC4MCtmT5COvVckKdm/s400/downtown3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193242666596447026" border="0" /></a>Weird new rock formations on Belle Isle:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_fIlXYcG7YoW5eY92KDpweinuNmqzMVO3JU_nzy8l0_vo8SHAfXgBn9KlGO6Dhp-0PrikRK16Eve2xT2Vl8aNDb5eLgpo2bcjudVRBiunmjKZP1m7iSLH3a6yOBIi4yJvFvbuhXq88jw/s1600-h/downtown4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_fIlXYcG7YoW5eY92KDpweinuNmqzMVO3JU_nzy8l0_vo8SHAfXgBn9KlGO6Dhp-0PrikRK16Eve2xT2Vl8aNDb5eLgpo2bcjudVRBiunmjKZP1m7iSLH3a6yOBIi4yJvFvbuhXq88jw/s400/downtown4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193242670891414338" border="0" /></a>Cool, huh? This used to be a rather sketchy downhill run, but they rerouted the trail and filled it in with all these big rocks. The best thing about this hill is that Kenny found a photo of what it used to look like from the top way back in the day (by day, I mean 1865):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wildwestweb.net/cwp/cwp34a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://www.wildwestweb.net/cwp/cwp34a.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Same hill! Belle Isle has been, among other things, an Indian fishing village, a Colonial-era race track, and a Civil War prison camp. It's a strange little place.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-7929858358590180672008-04-22T12:30:00.000-07:002008-04-22T12:44:57.690-07:00Sorry, kids.I'm here! Still alive! I just took a break and it ended up being a lot longer than I thought. I have been riding, but not a lot, as the weather has not been cooperating. God, could it rain more? No really, COULD IT?<br /><br />I did recently make the decision to not bother with racing until fall, if at all. I've just got too many other things pulling for my attention and I need biking to be a relaxing thing, not another source of stress. As for rides, its mostly been the usual local stuff and I've really enjoyed the last few rides I did. The weight lifting program I'm doing has helped a lot with general strength, though my endurance has suffered over the winter.<br /><br />I have photos in my camera from a group ride I did a few weeks ago but I've been so busy with craft show stuff that I haven't uploaded them yet. However, Travis was cool enough to take some pictures:<br /><br />Jay and Kenny both got flats right here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2434062549/" title="JRP april 1 by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2341/2434062549_349a1881fd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="JRP april 1" /></a><br /><br />Headed up the hill from Buttermilk North:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2434062757/" title="JRP april2 by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3037/2434062757_c2d5b7a59f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="JRP april2" /></a><br /><br />Me at the back trying to catch the pack:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2434062865/" title="JRP april 3 by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/2434062865_20ab6890be.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="JRP april 3" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-68093289130859350472008-02-08T07:15:00.000-08:002008-02-08T07:26:51.396-08:00Blah Blah BlahI just couldn't keep that embarrassing whine-fest as my top entry anymore. It's too pathetic. Wahhh, I had a bad ride! My toes were cold! Time to move on. I skipped last weekend because I had other projects going on but I felt a twinge of guilt about it because it was fairly warm-ish and sunny. Oh, well. Then, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the weather totally slapped me in the face with spring-like temperatures about which I could do nothing. Desk-job-blocked.<br /><br />This Sunday I think I might go out for a short ride, perhaps solo, just to get my mojo back. There's a group organizing to go back to the park where we rode two weeks ago but I'm not quite ready to have my spirit broken again, so I think I'll pass.<br /><br />In the meantime, I've decided to do something about the extra bits of pudge I've been carrying around and I went and bought myself this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OF5eDUW4L._SS500_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OF5eDUW4L._SS500_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's good stuff. I want to have muscle and this is the way to do it - lift heavy and stop dicking around with all those tiny muscle exercises, Barbie weights and endless cardio. I'm still doing cardio, just focusing more on intervals and less on reading the latest Britney Spears saga whilst dreamily ellipticalling my legs in a lazy fashion. I'm also jacking up my diet with more protein and fiber and less, you know, crap. Less crap is really key, apparently.<br /><br />So that's where I am now. Probably when the weather gets warmer and the days stay light longer I'll focus more on the cycling, but for now I'm working towards muscle and lots of it.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-10744484414157035502008-01-28T13:29:00.000-08:002008-01-28T13:30:54.330-08:00Not My Proudest Moment.I rode yesterday and I don't really feel like writing about it but I guess I will. I'll just start by saying it sucked. Or, rather, I sucked.<br /><br />It was a group ride out at a park where we don't get to go very often so I was actually looking forward to it. I haven't ridden my bike in a few weeks and thought it might be fun. So, see, my attitude started out okay, I swear.<br /><br />We arrived and it was much colder than it felt when we left. The sun was out but it was not warm. At all. I really don't do well in the cold which is why I avoid winter riding, but I really had missed being on my bike so I put on a bunch of layers and decided to go for it.<br /><br />I knew I was in trouble when we hit the first climb. I asked my legs to dig deep and got nothing back. Static. Crickets. Bad. The first loop we did was an easy one, just to warm up, and I was already floundering. I rallied a bit towards the end of the loop and started feeling a bit better, but my legs still felt pretty leaden.<br /><br />We headed for a more advance long loop of singletrack and I fell to the back of the pack because I was afraid of holding back the faster riders. I got dropped again and again and again. They'd wait up for me, I'd catch up, and then off they went and I was still struggling. I should really never get all the way in the back because without the push-pull of the pack I have no chance in hell of keeping up.<br /><br />About five miles in I got a second wind and rode with a couple of other people for a bit, but then it was back to Dropsville. I remember looking up and seeing the back of the rider ahead of me completely disappear from sight and got really depressed. So much of this is mental and riding alone for miles and miles when you are chasing a group is so draining. It's different from a solo ride where your time is your own. When you get dropped you never forget that the group is up there...somewhere, and the longer it takes you to catch up when they stop to rest, the shorter your rest time will be.<br /><br />So miles of slogging through winter-sad trails, with nose running, toes numb, legs cramping is not my idea of a good time. I was probably a pain in the ass but I was mostly frustrated with how quickly I've lost any cycling fitness and how hard I'm going to have to work this spring to get it back. Damn. Hell.<br /><br />I was dragging and exhausted for the last mile (I think we did fifteen miles?) and Kenny came to scoop me up and lead the way back to the car. I was too tired and frustrated to do anything but climb off and sit dejectedly in the car while Kenny put my bike on the rack. Sitting there completely rung out and embarrassed, I cried. I have very firm rules about there not being any crying in mountain biking, but yesterday was what it was. I guess you have to have a bad ride now and then so you appreciate the good ones? I'll try and remember that.<br /><br />PS. On the way home Kenny stopped and bought doughnuts and that helped A LOT towards improving my mood.Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-5688549097360308662008-01-09T12:58:00.000-08:002008-01-09T20:17:19.013-08:00OKAY, FINE.HI. WHAT IS HAPPENING. I know, I am slack, but sometimes a girl needs a break from the old blog ball-and-chain. I have been riding but not very much. I was hoping for a great deal of riding over the Christmas break but that didn't happen because it literally rained every other day and around here you get a stick in your spokes for riding wet trails. Besides, who wants to clean a muddy bike? Not me (or my husband.)<br /><br />So, yeah, there have been a few rides, but nothing to brag about. I went out by myself on Thanksgiving day and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">endo'ed</span> over a log, <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">this</span> log:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1018/1398181215_780355494b.jpg" /><br /><br /><br />like, ten minutes after I got there. I landed with the palm of my hand firmly on a very knotty root which hurt A LOT. I contemplated calling for a ride home because gripping the handlebar wasn't really a fabulous option, but instead I stood in the woods and swore a lot until it stopped throbbing so much. I had a really Technicolor bruise to show for it. It hurt for weeks afterwards. Nice.<br /><br />So, there have been a few other rides since then, but today I'll just tell you about the one we did last weekend. A friend of a friend of a friend has some land out in the country and he did what any crazy person would do - he built a six-mile loop of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">single track</span>. NICE. A bunch of us were invited to help break it in last Sunday, so off we went. The weather was unseasonably warm which was a nice plus.<br /><br />The trails were of the "rolling" variety and you know what that means - OW. It means it never ever lets up. That six mile loop was hard work, all of it. There was one great section of big dirt lumps (I think it was originally used for dirt bikes) but other than that, I worked and worked and worked some more. There was no coasting, no rest, just legs and gears. The ground was spongy and power-sucking, which made it all the harder. I hadn't a chance in hell of keeping up with the fast group but really, who cares about speed in January? Not me. Which is good because I'm fresh out, kids.<br /><br />I had a great time, though. We did two laps and I rode with some nice women and men and it was so much fun to ride somewhere unfamiliar and new. And by new, I mean the trails were NEW. There were no defined lines so you really had to negotiate every inch of it on your own and hope for the best.<br /><br />My friend Billy was kind enough to take some pictures for me since I forgot my camera (thanks!)<br /><br />Group shot:<br /><br /><a title="group shot by Adrienha, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2175344371/"><img height="426" alt="group shot" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/2175344371_873b7159cc_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />I look thrilled about this action shot:<br /><br /><a title="on the move by Adrienha, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2176136806/"><img height="333" alt="on the move" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2035/2176136806_0b6158e78b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /><br />This was the BEST. This sign was at the bottom of a hill right where the trail took a hard left:<br /><br /><a title="That way by Adrienha, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2175344739/"><img height="426" alt="That way" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2133/2175344739_04a7b03d9e_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />And the thrill of finishing a good ride:<br /><br /><a title="rest break by Adrienha, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2175344649/"><img height="640" alt="rest break" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2159/2175344649_b085cd0055_o.jpg" width="426" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-50727452439315984482007-11-26T07:01:00.000-08:002007-11-26T07:20:53.719-08:00Neglected.It's been a month since I updated but it's hard to update a bike blog when you haven't been riding your bike. The past month has been a flurry of craft shows and stomach virus fun, so there has been no riding unless spinning class counts and I don't think it does.<br /><br />HOWEVER, this past week featured a couple of unseasonably ridiculously gorgeous short-sleeve weather days, so I did a couple of solo rides. On Wednesday I took myself out to ride most of the big loop (skipping a section I don't feel comfortable riding alone) and, because I knew it was going to be a casual slow ride, I also took my camera. This is less exciting than it seems because I couldn't take any action shots, just pictures of the trail and whatnot. I rode for a couple of hours at a steady pace, just having fun and not pushing myself too hard. Sadly, my photo skills are not good enough to really capture how ridiculously balmy and beautiful it was that day, but hopefully you'll get an idea from my little travelogue below:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066138930/" title="trail2 by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/2066138930_ab274013f6.jpg" alt="trail2" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066138486/" title="leaves by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/2066138486_07e414368f.jpg" alt="leaves" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2065336529/" title="forest hill trail by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2349/2065336529_f42b0e14e3.jpg" alt="forest hill trail" height="500" width="323" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2065336223/" title="forest hill park by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2411/2065336223_ad60bc49c2.jpg" alt="forest hill park" height="476" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2065336329/" title="forest hill park2 by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/2065336329_59b406085f.jpg" alt="forest hill park2" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066135776/" title="forest hill bridge by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2153/2066135776_7cd395361e.jpg" alt="forest hill bridge" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2065335855/" title="buttermilk trail by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2387/2065335855_9544f32940.jpg" alt="buttermilk trail" height="500" width="413" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066135634/" title="buttermilk west bridge by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2265/2066135634_5e779ded51.jpg" alt="buttermilk west bridge" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066138644/" title="sunset by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/2066138644_17181f83ae.jpg" alt="sunset" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066135254/" title="bridge view by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2234/2066135254_97d77e76f3.jpg" alt="bridge view" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066138288/" title="gigantor spider by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2265/2066138288_291b12e7b2.jpg" width="477" height="500" alt="gigantor spider" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adrienha/2066138390/" title="homeward bound by Adrienha, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/2066138390_1beea2304b.jpg" alt="homeward bound" height="375" width="500" /></a>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4001767226980060593.post-32307162521015075512007-10-25T12:57:00.000-07:002007-10-25T13:01:46.848-07:00Where It's At.Hi, I know. It's gonna be a bit slower around her for a while because my riding schedule has narrowed to one ride a week, if I'm lucky. Sadly, with an 8:30-5pm work schedule I don't have enough daylight coming or going to ride during the week, and night riding does not appeal. Don't even try to convince me because I don't care. The woods at night is no place for me.<br /><br />That leaves Sunday and the occasional Saturday to ride, which is okay. I'm ready to slow down on the outdoor cycling and focus on other things, like weight lifting and spinning. Assuming I don't have conflicts, here's my current schedule:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday:</span> yoga class w/ super-excellent and hilarious instructor. (I think I have a girl crush on her.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span> 20 minute cardio warm-up, 1 hour of free weights<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday: </span>spinning class<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday: </span>20 minute cardio warm-up, 1 hour of free weights<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span> off<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span> spinning class and weight lifting class (or mountain bike ride)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday: </span>mountain bike ride (weather permitting)<br /><br />I don't always achieve all of it and Saturdays are hard because of craft shows and whatnot, but on the whole it's been working so far. My gym is great for the classes but the weight rooms sucks ass. Sure, it's big, but it's also dark and poorly laid out. I also hate the staring eyes of the weight room guys who seem to think I'm either an interloper or their own personal entertainment. Gross.<br /><br />To remedy this I've started going to the very swanky (and free) gym on campus. For some reason college guys don't intimidate me at all. I consider them beneath notice and just march in and do my thing. It helps, too, that the weights room is big and light and well-designed. I went on Tuesday night and while I was lifting there was a cardio dance class going on in the glassed-in studio. It was all hip rolling and jazz hands and I could barely drag my eyes away from the horror of it. Dance classes are my hell and I'm impressed by anyone who willingly submits to such outlandish torture.<br /><br />ANYWAY, i did ride last Sunday, all by myself. Everyone else was busy or feeling under the weather but it was a GORGEOUS day so I took myself over to Powhite and rode for an hour, mostly through some stunningly gross spiderwebs. It was fun though - I don't get to ride alone very often and I like that I can ride whatever pace i feel like and stop whenever I want. I am perfectly happy in my own company that way.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=" com="" photos="" adrienha="" 1399068642="" title="Photo Sharing"><img style="width: 379px; height: 502px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1385/1399068642_b586f5db92.jpg" alt="IMG_0067" /></a></div>Amblushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11765599544176134468noreply@blogger.com6