Happy Halloween!

On a scale from one to ten...

my leg soreness is almost a 13. For the record, today, I pretty much couldn't walk, bend, walk down stairs, or even get close to any sort of squating position before I launched backwards in sheer pain.

Guess I overdid it a little.

Oh, and if you see a somewhat, dressed up girl with a slight limp in the Detroit airport tomorrow, it might be me. Taking the silver bird again for work.

Half Marathon - Half Crazy?

Last weekend, I faced 100 degree temps, 30 mph winds and over a 100 mile road ride through the desert. This weekend, I faced 35 degree temps and a 13.1 mile run. And then a mountain bike clinic to follow.

...Pretty much polar opposites but if I'm still awake and functioning enough to blog about it then, it must of not been too bad. But it sure makes me think about the days that I'm too lazy or too busy to get in that training ride or any other lame excuse to accomplish something. But I'm not saying it was easy...

Here's how the run went -

Mile 0 - Late to the start (darn, my cellphone alarm thought it was daylight savings already) - try to find my running mates but they are no where to be seen and not at the planned meeting spot. T-1 (Dang, guess I'll be on my own) GUN! Filter through the start. Settle into a sub-9 pace - a little faster off the start than planned but I'll stick it out.

Mile 2 - Run makes a turn off Wealthy through the path in the field. (Why am I not warming up? - my heart rate is not leveling out.)


Mile 4 - Notice everyone's breath is visible in the cold air. Silently mock the people with frost on their hats and then notice my shirt is covered by it. (I haven't trained at all for this in sub-40 degree weather.)

Mile 6 - Intestinal upset through Millennium Park - eye the bathrooms but decide to keep going. (stop = bad finish time) Hear guys behind me talk about diarrhea down the leg and hope it doesn't happen to me.

Mile 9 - (Thank God), The Full Marathoners (start their race) turn for their remaining 17, and we have only 4.1 left. (Why am I not feeling better or settling in?) I hope that I won't explode and accept my high heartrate.

Mile 10 - (Will this trail by the river ever end? Where's my mountain bike?)

Mile 11 - (Push Push Push) Pray that I can't finish this thing without shuffling in.

Mile 12 - (Will it ever end?)

Mile 13 - Thank goodness for the crowd.

Finish - Happy to be done! Really happy to beat the 2 hour mark but discouraged by my high heart rate and slower pace. I'm glad I was able to use my friend's entry and get a decent time in her name (now, she'll have to beat 'her' time next year :)

After a shower and a hot coffee - it was off to Cannonsburg Ski Hill for a Pre-Iceman Bike Clinic complete with cones, and bunny hop skill apparatus and Scott's amazing vegetarian chili. Jeff from Velo City Cycles did an awesome job of organizing the ride as we had well over 20 people show up to practice all sorts of bike maneuvering skills and listen to Danielle and I give a few coaching points on the trail ie. 'pedal, pedal'...'head down, butt back'...

I think everyone had a good time and this event sparked some ideas for future Sunday clinics/rides in the area including a women's only skills ride.

Pretty sure I'll be taking a complete rest day tomorrow as I'm not sure I'll be able to walk around quite yet.

Now back to icing my hip flexor...

Death Valley - The Real Deal

I can't believe how fast this past weekend flew by - especially after all the fundraising, training, planning and preparing for almost a year. Thursday was spent traveling out to Las Vegas for the 2 hour shuttle ride into Death Valley National Park. After meeting a few more members of the team on the plane, we were in full party mode on the bus - stopping at one of the last stores outside of the Valley to buy libations, snacks and down a lot of H2O. The scenery out to the Furnace Creek ranch oasis was pretty amazing and I was regretting not sneaking the mountain bike onto the Gainey truck a week earlier. The rest of Thursday was spent exploring the ranch.

I made a pact with the mule that if my bike broke, he'd come and rescue me.



Sophie and I had a monkey bar competition - she beat me.

Being goofy in the General Store

Friday, we prepped our bikes for the warm up ride up to Zabriskie Point. The scenery was amazing. It was basically a 5 mile hill climb and a quick race downhill so Danielle and I decided to extend our ride past the ranch.

Making my way to the top...

Last climb to the top...

West Michigan at the top

Friday night was the pre-ride program under the palm trees. Trying not to get sappy - the sun was setting on a completely blue ski and the stars started to come out. It was really magical and as the JDRF National Director began his talk to the 275 riders, a coyote walked about 20 feet away from our group. The program set the mood for the night and the excitement for the next day.

That night, I was getting a little nervous as Danielle and Dave were talking about their strategy for the next day. Even though it is not a race, they couldn't help but talk about last year - the 30 mph winds and Dave finishing as the first diabetic and Danielle, the first women. We kept checking the weather the day before, and all was well, temps in the 80s and minimal wind. Not so much...

Saturday morning - we chowed down @ 5am to be ready for the 6:45am start.

I was definitely nervous at the start due to Danielle and Dave's plan to stay with the front pack. The first mile, was a climb up to 'Hotel California' (another Hotel oasis) and then a right turn towards Badwater. The first 12 miles are basically rolling downhill. I was able to hold the front group with Danielle up until about 10 miles when I realized that I was pretty maxed out and the lactate was building in my legs. I started dropping off the back as others flew by me unable to grab a wheel. I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty mad at that point that they had dropped me since it wasn't a race. Now they were going to leave me for the vultures in the desert.

I rode by myself for another 2 miles until I was able to join up with a group setting a decent but enjoyable pace. We passed through Badwater (the lowest point at -281 ft. below sea level) without stopping. Soon after, we came across Danielle and Dave getting Danielle's blown tire fixed. I kept with my group and soon enough, Danielle and Dave went hammering by in pursuit of the front group. I even spied them again at Mormon Point (the next check point), but they were leaving as I was pulling in. The first 50 flew by and soon enough I was at the top of Jubilee Pass.

The amazing volunteers at every checkpoint kept the pb&j sandwiches and snacks coming...

I felt good up until about the 75 mile mark and then I started to tire. We definitely had a head wind on the way back which got really bad when we were weaving out on the road into the middle of the desert. After Badwater (the temp. there was 104 degrees), our riding group started to fall apart. Andy's shorts were turning white and he was becoming dehydrated. After the last small checkpoint, he was cramping and walking his bike. We left him for the SAG wagon and struggled the last 10 miles through the wind. At about 7 miles, you could see the 'Hotel California' but the distance was deceiving. Dave, Danielle, and Sophie came back in Dave's car to check on me. Danielle ended up riding the last 5 miles in with me. I was also glad to ride with the group vs. solo on the return as we were sharing the pulling and fighting the wind.

I was able to get in before 2pm before the mess began. As we were celebrating at the pool, the winds started to pick up around 3pm. This wasn't a stiff breeze either...it was a full blown wind storm. After the pool got really wavy and any light personal belonging were blown across the pool area, we decided to check out the rider situation. There were still more than half the riders still out at this time struggling to finish. As the evening approached, the sky got darker to the west where the wind was kicking up the desert sand into the sky. Dusk began and more and more riders slowly rolled in, covered in sand and sweat, but happy to be out of the worst riding conditions experienced in JDRF ride history.

The evening program was cancelled due to the sand storm but everyone was celebrating in there own way. We hung outside for a while talking with our teammates and then finished our celebration in our hallway dorm-style.

We woke up Sunday still thinking about the day before and not wanting to leave the blue skies left behind by the storm. We made our way to Las Vegas for a day of soaking in some sun and night of celebrating.

I definitely felt like a part of a new family this past weekend - the West Michigan JDRF family. We were more than a team - and everyone conquered the ride. Our drive and ambition got us through climbs, wind, sun, blowing sand, and even the sad moments when all of us realized how much this ride meant. I don't think I realized the passion behind the ride until our first program Friday night under the palms - I am pretty proud to be able to raise the money for diabetes and be included in this ride. A few people from our team mentioned the ride being a metaphor for a life with diabetes. I think it's true. It's a way for people to experience something enduring, unrelenting, and difficult. It's an epic ride and doesn't compare to any other race/ride that I have done.

Thanks so much to everyone that has donated money to the JDRF ride in Death Valley. It was interesting to hear from the JDRF directors how the money is being used and how they are one of only a few disease research foundations that operates on virtually no money with I believe 87% going directly to research. I am continuing to raise money through November to meet my $4000 donation min.

Check out more pics @ http://www.adventurecorps.com/jdrf/2007dv/index.html

stay tuned til tomorrow... for now some ZZZZzzzzz

http://www.adventurecorps.com/jdrf/2007dv/2007show1/pages/DSC04281.html

Countdown to Death....Valley

So only about 24 hours til I board the plan for Las Vegas and our drive to Cali with the JDRF crew. Not sure I'm ready at all but I'm hoping my age and my high pain tolerance will get me through it (what can I say). Plus, my goal today is to drink 3 Nalgene's of water to help me become a well acclimated cactus. Who knows how long I'll enjoy the 90 degree heat. I'll try to take as many pics as possible but my camera is a hog for the bike so I'm leaning on Danielle for action photography.

Weekend update:
I road my Ripper from my house up into Grand Rapids on Saturday for an endurance ride. Plan was to end up near Egypt Valley and then meet a friend for an easy spin on the White Pine. I even found some dirt riding on part of an undeveloped rail trail as I snaked my way up. By the time I got to East Grand Rapids where my husband was helping his friend tear out a retaining wall, I was pretty tired and opted to accompany them on their lunch break to Yesterdog. My husband's friend just kept saying, 'I can't believe you're eating that Ultra dog and then going to ride home'. His comment, my shivering, and sheer laziness got the best of me so there went my bike in his pick up for a ride home. I think I managed a little over 2.5 hours.

Sunday, I forced myself out of bed in time to make a group run before the rain began. Managed 10 miles successfully with a few aches at the end but it felt really good to get in the mileage. Spent the rest of the day making a huge pot of soup and watching my husband spread topsoil in the downpour.

The rest of today is a busy one...look for an update possibly Monday.

Ride your bike!

Slightly Off-Peak

- Not only my training but also the New England fall colors - But by the end of my mostly relaxing trip, despite a couple last minute work projects, the colors were beginning to change and so was the temperature.

Despite the balmy July-feeling temps, the weather was perfect for some good rides and a couple good runs near Narragansett Bay. And the East Bay bike path puts a new spin on intervals, literally sprinting between stop signs. I always seem to forget how busy the east coast is until I try to figure out a bike route. You honestly endanger your life in a car, never-mind a bike in Rhode Island. So the bike path was really my only option unless I wanted to meander up and down bay side neighborhoods for several hours. Luckily my Dad brought his road bike and was able to join me for a couple rides to alleviate some of the monotony.

Check these out - I've officially entered the world of aero bars. Me gusta!

I'm actually borrowing the bars to get me through Death Valley...and the possibility of W word. You know, it blustery, it's annoying...(ok, I didn't want to say it).

To be 6 feet tall....

Darn the curse of genetics! Why are all cyclocross frames on EBay a Large? Ok, don't answer that - but seriously, (26) Large frames and (3) yes, 3 Small frames. I know, there's more male cyclists, yada yada... But truly, this forces me to buy new. All of a sudden, I have to be tall, rich and a male.

Nah - I'll just wait for Ebay.

Blogtrivia - Does anyone remember the movie Flight of the Navigator? And the year?

Thumbs up to http://www.tv-links.co.uk/

on the road again...

When it's for personal travel, I just can't pass up a good trip. I'm going coast-to-coast in two weeks. This time to New England to visit my Grandparents. When I told my Grandparents early this year about the potential of the World Cup Cyclocross race being held within minutes of their home, they were all excited about the possibility of our visit - since I see them annually at best. But, when the Cross race fell through, the trip still held.

Nothing like a road-trip with your parents though. With my road bike in tow, we'll see if I can get in some serious road biking in between working and visiting. I need some serious preparation for Death Valley. By the way, if anyone is holding out on a possible donation to JDRF for me, NOW is the time!

Although it's not a race, I'm getting worried I can even finish with the lack of any biking lately. I'm hoping all my running helps. I've been focusing my training on running the Grand Rapids Half-Marathon the week after Death Valley.

One random pic - who doesn't want a real grass sofa?

oh and - Happy Birthday Dad!!!