The Final Week Countdown

Today begins my final week of training leading up to my big bike ride in the Lance Armstrong Challenge (LAC). The LAC is the 90 mile ride I have been training for in Austin,, Texas happening this Saturday. All the money raised goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

My good friends and ride buddies keep telling me that you don't get in any better shape the final week before an event. You have to work with how far you've come, and that this week is for light training and almost more importantly REST!!!

So keeping all their sage advice in mind, I will only ride twice this week. Tuesday will be a short ride outdoors, trying to keep my distance down around 25 miles. On Thursday afternoon I'm hoping to get the bike out for one last 20 mile ride. And then Friday and Saturday will be off days, with the ride at 8am on this Sunday.

It's also an important week for eating for me. My diet will include plenty of protein and carbs, and water. I have to make sure I stay well hydrated because I will be going through plenty of liquids on Sunday. So, this week will be early to bed, eating right, and no alcohol.

All in all, a very lackluster week for me.

Good thing that we have the AT&T Champions Tour event going on in my backyard this week. At least, I can get outside and watch some great golf on the course at Oak Hills Country Club. This distraction will take my mind off the ride as I am starting to get a little anxious about the big event.

Memorial Ride

Last night, there was an 'Honor Guard Bicycle Ride' to honor and show support for a couple who were killed in an accident. Greg’s father, Gary Bruehler, had asked the cycling community to show their support in an email he sent to a friend. Myself, and about 300 hundred area cyclists showed up to ride.

Gregory Bruehler, 42, and his wife, Alexandra, 36, were riding tandem on Texas 16, about three miles north of Helotes at about 10:45 am, when a pickup that veered off the highway and plowed into them. The driver dragged the cyclists for about 200 feet before stopping. The accident killed Alexandria instantly and Greg died about an hour later after he was air lifted to an area hospital. The couple left behind a 7 year old daughter, Kylie.

The biggest insult to this story is that the driver was not charged, nor even received so much as a traffic ticket for his actions. This is truly tragic. These two seem to have so much to give and so much to live for.

Was he texting? Was he on the phone? What was the issue? Why was he distracted? Why did he go off the road? Driver inattention...is basically what it amounts to. I am outraged there's nothing we can do about drivers not paying attention here in Texas.

Last night I could not hold back my tears as I shook Gary’s hand. Greg’s father personally went down the line shaking everyone’s hand that showed up last night for the ride. It broke my heart to see little Kylie there in tears at the memorial service.

I did not personally know the couple, but wanted to show my support to the family. You can’t help but think that the next time this could be you. You can take all the precautions needed when out riding, but it will not matter if drivers do not keep their eyes on the road.

Putting in Saddle Time

What a difference cool weather makes when you are riding a bike. It makes the miles fly by as well as makes those big hills a lot easier t o climb. Yes, I am still bathing in the ether of my morning ride today…35 miles of 70 something weather...ah, what a great time of year to ride in the Texas hill country!

I don’t mind riding alone in weather like this. Even if I’m running late to a meeting and there is a ruthless headwind, I am happy. If I get soaked by a sneak rain shower attack, I swear, laugh and keep on pedaling. When I get to ride with a friend, it’s double the fun.

So, how’s my training going? Super! I am right on schedule for my upcoming Lance Armstrong Challenge this month in Austin, TX. It’s less than four weeks away now and I feel that I will be ready for the 90 mile test.

To date, I have put well over 2,000 miles on my bike since mid April. As with most sports, proficiency only comes when you have spent hours and hours “in the saddle.” The time I have put in has translated into muscle memory for future use and improved performance. Can you imagine the hours the tour riders spend in their saddles developing extreme fitness and mental concentration?

As I approach the end of my big mileage phase in preparation for the LAC, I can certainly feel how my relationship with my bike has evolved. I now feel totally “at one” with my bike. When I hop on my bike, I feel in sync, smooth and confident—I can grip a corner, hop a bump, climb a big hill, and power along the flats like never before.

Must be all those hours in the saddle!

Cycling-No Matter What

First of all, I apologize for the not blogging for a while. I have been getting in my rides. It’s just that my work has really kept me pretty busy these last couple of weeks.

Today I had to do the last 10 miles of my training ride in the rain. Quite frankly, I kind of liked it. There's an odd sense of quiet when I ride in the rain and my tires make a kind of hissing noise as they cut through the water that I kind of like. It’s a very peaceful calming feeling.

Of course, there are a few safety things that you should keep in mind when riding in the rain. One, you need to pump your breaks and allow yourself a longer amount of time to stop. Two, be aware of cars for the same reason – they can’t stop as easily either. Three, you are more susceptible to flats in the rain since rubber rolling over broken glass punctures more easily when it's wet than when dry.

Additionally, I like the fact that riding in the rain makes me feel serious. I know I am really committed to reaching my goal when I do it. I get home, dry off and feel exhilarated for having done something that most people regard as a horrible undertaking. So there's a bit of headstrong glee in it.

Let’s face it; we bicyclists are a strange lot. We are outdoorsy, healthy and hearty. At the same time we are intensely independent. Yes, we sometimes ride in packs; but we are still riding on our bike alone. It’s that feeling of “me against me” that we all enjoy.

This weekend I am going for 70 miles on the “Is this the Last Hill?” ride through the Texas hill country. God, I hope we get a little rain!

Another Freakin’ Bee Sting - OUCH!

Last Saturday, I got stung again on another ride! I can’t believe it. What are the odds? O.K., I guess that I should go out and by a lotto ticket now.

After my first sting about a month ago, I did a lot of research. Some websites suggested carrying Benadryl or Calamine Lotion in your saddle bag. Others cyclists I talked to suggested other insect sting topical ointments that you can find in your local drug stores. All of which, were said to help but not cure.

Somehow my “sting incident” came up in a conversation I was having with a friend of mine from Mexico the other day. Her suggestion was garlic. Yes, GARLIC. She said that when she got stung as a child that they put a smashed clove of garlic on the sting and that the garlic drew out the insect poison. My friend swore by this old remedy and so I thought it was worth a try.

Well, ever since that conversation I have been riding my bike with a couple of large cloves of garlic wrapped in cellophane in my saddle bag. You know…just in case.

This last Saturday about 30 miles into my 60 mile ride…ZAP, I got stung on my leg near my knee. I screamed…“CRAP, I got stung again!!!!” and then yelled to my cycling buddy that I was stopping to get out my garlic. “Garlic?” he said, “What’s with the garlic?” So, I told him the story about my friend as I was getting it unwrapped from the cellophane.

First, I pulled out the stinger since I could still see it. Then I smashed a clove with my shoe on the road and put the smashed innards on the sting and sting area (you gotta hold the garlic on the sting the entire time). At first, it just hurt like heck and then all of the sudden the pain started to subside. Within about two minutes, all you could see was the small point where the stinger was pulled out of my leg.

After this episode, I got comments like...“you have to ride in the back now, no one wants to ride down wind of the garlic.” Yes, my garlic cure was the material for a few more jokes along the ride that day. However, every time I showed someone the sting area they were amazed at the result.

When I got home I told my husband about the incident and showed him my leg. It was truly amazing! The last time I got stung the area had welted up to a 4 inch red swollen bump. Burning and itching for about a week.

All I can say is that garlic is just as important as an extra tube on my rides!

FY I- Next week, I am going for 65 miles!

From 6 Miles to 60 – My Journey on My Bike

Last February when I came out and told some friends at a dinner party that THIS was the year I was going to ride the Lance Armstrong Challenge, I only imagined what this would be like. I was not a cyclist. Matter of fact, I had not been on a bike in over 20 years!

During these past few weekends I reached another milestone – completion of my third 60 miler. This is officially the longest distance I have ever completed in a single training ride. What started out at 6 miles has now progressed into a 60 mile journey into a new education. What I mean is that you don’t get to 60 miles without learning a few more lessons in life.

I used to think that golf was the ultimate teacher. However, I have learned that being on a bike can teach you a few things too. Riding my bike has taught me to make peace with myself and to enjoy where I am at that moment in time. I have learned to make time for myself and to enjoy my own company. I have also learned to try harder, take chances, and yes, to make mistakes. All of which, make me feel very much appreciative of where I am today.

So, I guess you can say that my training is going pretty damn well. Just four months ago, 90 miles was almost unthinkable. And now, I am just 30 miles from reaching my training goal.

I want to say that really appreciate all of the encouragement from my friends and family, I can't begin to describe how your kind words have pushed me to my limit, when I thought I couldn't go any further. My fundraising efforts for the Lance Armstrong Foundation are doing well. So far, I have raised $2,926 and am in the process of receiving even more donations. By the time the event happens I hope to have reached a new goal of $5,000 for the cause.

Last year, I caught my first Marlin - something that has been on my bucket list for many years. For cycling, its “big fish” is the century ride and I fully intend on reeling this in one day too.

As I celebrated my 46^th birthday this year, I reflected on something Lance once said “Birthdays don't really matter much anymore ... for me, I sort of have a new birthday and that's October 2nd, the day I was diagnosed, ... the day we all sort of look to and mark these milestones by one year, two year, five year, 10 year. Hopefully, I have a 50 year.” Now, I feel 13 years young and just like a kid riding her bike…happy, healthy and STRONG!

Interval Training - My New Frontier

First of all, I want to let everyone know that YES, I HAVE BEEN RIDING despite my blog neglect. It’s just that life sometimes interferes with entries. Rest assured that no matter what, I am getting my rides done each week.

O.K….now for my entry….

When I reached 1,000 base miles I decided that I was ready for the next level in my cycling…Interval Training. So, what exactly is Interval Training? The basic concept of this type of training is to increase your overall amount of time spent training at a higher intensity, therefore increasing your endurance ability to ride fast longer. Science has proved that training at a high intensity leads to performance gains, particularly in professional athletes. The whole point of intervals is to allow you to increase the amount of time your body is able to train at a high intensity, therefore increasing your overall fitness level.

If it sounds pretty technical, it’s because it is and I use a heart rate monitor to help me with mine.

Right now, I am just starting this type of training. For me, I call it IT 101 or Interval Training for Dummies. This means my intervals are fewer (about 5 to 6 times) and for shorter periods of time (I judge this by heart rate).

First, I pick out a good long hill to climb (not too steep, but a good hard steady climb I can pedal on – nor one that’s too easy so that I will be spinning). I use a big gear. One that I can manage and then ride hard for a good distance to get my heart rate up to about 80-95%.

Although I was watching my heart rate monitor the first time I did these, my legs and lungs were already telling me that I was training in my threshold. I could feel my legs stinging after each one like they were asleep (I am told this is the lactate acid I am feeling in my muscles). Yes, these are particularly unpleasant to perform and…well, I just don’t like them very much!

No matter…if I want to get better, increase endurance, and insure that I finish 90 miles in a respectable amount of time then I will hammer these bad boys out when needed. From my research, I am told that as I progress I will be able to increase the numbers of repeats and as well as the lengths of my intervals. Additionally, I read where it is common for cyclists to do these intervals for up to 10 minutes (OMG-I can’t imagine going for this amount of time!). And another benefit? I will be able to increase my lactate tolerance!

All kidding aside…if this is what it takes, well then I am going to do it.