"That's a lot of bike"

one could say no its not really -pick it up. But I knew what they meant, second rider approaches, "that's a lot a bike" out of ear shot to AV, "Is that a lot of bike?" "No, perfect. Never too much bike. A lot of bike is a great thing." affirmation covered in all directions.

So I met AV, Mike and Martin for a ride. I was straight forward with my no road biking skills, except for my test run after purchase, they were well prepared (except for my a lot of bike I brought).

I still questioned riding my mt.bike for the tri since I honestly didn't have the gears down. Martin was awesome and saved me a hill that I could easily take on my mt. bike, so my little rings (right hand gears...done and learned). Then one other hill he is like you have two big rings. Wow. Shift. um... ok, there I felt a lot of bike a lot of nada in my skills set with shifting, but I was honest coming out of the gate. I also didn't know their stroll in the park was starting at Seward, coming up around through to I -90, mercer loop and then back over I 90. Lots of hills up and down. BUT by the end, it was the best gear changing and the major support system one could dream of. I had a remarkable time. ALSO, I know they could have even looped me more, but I got out of saddle for hills, rode hard and I didn't whine. Not even a wimper. In fact I had a great time. I was singing "cool wind in my hair." crossing back over I -90. Splendid I tell you.

The very end was a little scary. AV said, "ok lets just granny granny and spin. Zero lactic acid in those legs JP." So as I am doing this, he request a practice of gear changing. When I felt I was complete and exhausted from our drills he reached over and grabbed my gear. I swear, had I not walked the tight rope and have all that balance - I would have bit it (ok, maybe I haven't walked a tight rope, but a plank for sure requires balance). However, I was like "why are you trying to kill me?" which would mean STOP. Then it seemed that it was his mission to get me to gear change by reaching over and grabbing my gears. He says my only near falling was pulling away. We needed a jury. Chan was too nice to make a judgement call we when reported our story and he said, "I can see both sides."

Then I wore AV's outfit to dinner - he threw bread at people and the night ended. Then -maybe two hours later I had a dicks burger, fries, and sundae while watching King of Queens. It was fun. Brilliant night.

GREAT RIDERS. GREAT FOOD. GREAT TRAINING.. SHIFTY GEAR TRAINING.

I liked riding with those guys a lot. When Martin, Chan and AV were going fast around the corners they looked professional. It was awesome.

OH and another swim lesson today. I love her. She is amazing swimming coach. However, I kind of liked going in blind to the last race.

All this was in the mid to late evening to see the sun out, set and the GORGEOUS moon. TODAY rocked.

GORGEOUS. SLICK.

I got the most beautiful ROAD bike Saturday. I just want to stare at it. I will post a picture and all it stats in a bit if any one wants to just stare at it too.

Right after we got it on Saturday we rode for 16 miles and it was in fact faster then me riding my mountain bike on the streets. Those thin thin tires make me feel like a baby rock could throw me to my death. The first five minutes I was a little nervous, I just like my big fat tires and my mountain bike, but after how fast I could go on the straight a ways, I FELL IN LOVE. I have been pedaling like mad for this tri on my mountain bike, so this will be a great test to see how much of a time difference.

Sunday I ran the trail for the tri Issaquah - first time ever doing that. Could this be training? I know it’s the week of, but I ran the trail. My running time is slower since I have been running longer distances lately. I felt like my pace was turned way down. I hope when I am in the tri I go back up to what my normal speed is for shorter distances.

Monday SLUG.

Tuesday (Today) I just got back from my swim lesson. I have three, right before the tri. She is the swim coach for the masters team for Seattle and the WAC. I signed up for "survival lessons" since the race is only five days away. :) We made awesome progress. She is so likeable and a great swimmer/teacher.

My tri race to beat all my times is Escape from the Rock –which is the first and only tri, so I am way ahead of schedule. It would have been nice to train for this one, but I am out biking and running a lot. I hope to do decent, come September - I am going to rock that race.

Training

Yesterday ROCKED! Road my bike and went kayaking.

Today does not! Zero workout. Low attitude (some could say grumpy). I am too nice for grumpy more like blah. No. I’m too cute for blah. Kidding! I am a SLUG. Honestly!

Yesterday, Hart and I rode from 10am to about 11:30, we stopped for coffee (shot of espresso for me) then I hopped back on my bike and road until about 1pm. Hart and I worked on technique training (watching one hit a big log and endo over and over again can wear a person down - not to mention me as the rider.) So giving him all my scenarios, we worked on techniques and strengthening skill sets. Lots of drills. It was GORGEOUS out and time flew by.

Next week we will go to tapeworm (I hope.) I am excited since I have made so much progress since Matt and I last went trail riding together and all weekend I am implementing some new things I learned. So the combo will be fun. AND that one root at tapeworm that always throws me off my bike – it’s still my nemesis. Not anymore –until death do us part.

And as always Matt is a good mental coach. He gets you excited about racing, goals, etc. I told him my eating habits. He said that makes me want to gag just hearing that. (That was the only thing negative thing he had to say - but eating McDonalds once or twice a day wasn't a coach’s dream for a client). Anyway, he gets you all fired up. I like it! I love it actually.

I can’t decide about the road bike yet. BUT, ruled the ageless spa idea. I have a tri coming up June 2nd and just like using my mountaint bike for a training esp. having to pedal twice as hard. However, born competitive, the last of the pack thing is for the birds (in these triathlons). My run is good, bike decent to low and swimming, still no training. I want and need to beat my last race time. Then I need to start training even harder for races.

Then I met Mel and called Valpey for kayaking. My energy was so high from riding I wanted to throw in some kayaking. Valpey always insists on his own kayak, leaving Mel and I to a two person kayak. I think I was edgy because even when I was in the back before or in single kayak I didn’t have the rudder in. I felt like I couldn’t even focus on paddling, I was a mess with the pedals. It was so choppy and windy and I swear on a GPS we would look like a zigzag, or worse, when I was aiming for a straight line. I then asked Valpey what he was doing for a training tip because he seemed pretty steady and moving fast he said, “nothing I am just coasting beside you, you are all over the place” needless to say, I shot him my death look and said, “oh if you were paddling what would you be doing or what should I be doing?”
I realize it was me, not him. He looks smooth in the water. He also doesn't enjoy the lake as much as the river but after today I think I haven't even come close to joining any river kayaking.

It was gorgeous on the water. I got a lot of sun but didn’t have the exercising high until near the end when I finally got the groove of steering so that I could go back to focusing on my paddling.

Tomorrow, well actually today, I am lifting, riding, running and looking at that bike. I perform tonight too so I am trying to take it easy. So I should go to sleep, just never tired at night.

Road bike, no rode bike, road bike, no road bike...

They, Annoymous

"what do you want for your birthday"
"Ageless spa gift certificate, I'm so old"
"so a road bike then?"
"Do I have red lines on my face?"
"so a red bike"
"Maybe laser eye surgery for wrinkles"
"So a red bike with flames?"
"Something for puffy lips. No I would look silly with puffy lips, or would I?"
"Road bikes have skinny tires."
"Maybe an eye lift?
"If you would just pedal faster all those g -forces will take care of all your wishes about your face. I’m kidding. I'm mean on the face, not about pedaling faster"

I feel like this week has been fun.
Highlights –Adventure Race
Running Greenlake with friends and then dinner
Kayaking with Mike C for 3.5 hours – he claims we went like 4 or 5 miles. I said 11. We went from NWOC to the end of the Bellevue side 520, back to south side of lake union then back to NWOC. I googled it. I think I am dead on. I will wear GPS –topo next time.
Movies and chocolate Pate.
Purple with Joanna and Mel.
Eating dinner with Dawn and seeing all her hair back, and all cancer gone. And she says she has no more aches and pain. Just feels great.
My parents taking me out tonight.
Having a midnight drink on Saturday night. That was FUN!

Do you notice ratio to eating to exercising? This week I have been LAME. I need be out there every day. I do have a spa appointment tomorrow, does that count? I mean it involves muscles?

I do have set training with Hart with Mt Biking Thursday. I can’t get enough of Mt. Biking.

P.S. That guy that was missing came home (thank goodness he was alive). I need to follow the story more but - he came home yesterday said he was passed out since Friday, went from Cougar to Tiger - then fell down a ravine, woke up, filled his water bottle and walked home. I must have my facts wrong. I just want to interview him. Is that possible? Anyone know him? Again, thank god for his family, that he is alive, but there is something more I need to know.

odd feeling

i literally just left purple and the last conversation I had was with Joanna speaking about the 13 mile run we did at Cougar in August or September. She was my friend that got lost out there. We brought it up because I wanted to run the cougar five mile series race this year instead of starting at 13 miles. Start at the five. Oddly my mom asked me to rest a day since I haven't shaken this cold. First request -even as a kid, and I obliged. I had ZERO idea (actually Joanna also had no idea) that a runner went missing on Cougar Friday when Joanna was talking about how lost she was. They were even going to call search and rescue for Joanna when I was asking about who are the sweepers etc. It's on my blog - a bit back. HOWEVER -watching the news tonight I discovered the runner didn't tell his wife that he wasn't going running at 7am. Is that common? He wasn't reported missing until 11pm. I can't google him for any race - which means he could just be a recreational runner - they had a 180 searchers looking for him. Two heli's with infered light. Is he there and they missed him? Does any one ever feel the need to go join the search? - they just called it off and I am thinking professionals couldn't find him, why would I be able to, but what if he is hurt? they even searched in the mines...sad. I hope and pray he is alive, but he is not at Cougar.

Momar = #VALUE!

I think on the list of Adventure race how you would want to be ranked would be as follows
1.Finsih Full course 1st Place
2. Finish Full course
3.Short Course
4. DNF
5. #VALUE! (what the hek?)

First I have to say I wouldn't even change a thing about the race itself or about our performance -even if it meant one tweak or change would have put us at first. I had so much fun. I wouldn't change ONE moment. It was amazing from start to finish.
The course design A+
AR community A+
The location A+
Race Director (personality and presentation) A+
Medals A+
Volunteers A+

When we got our passports and found out we were on foot first - we ran to the furthest checkpoint and came backwards 6 through 1, and then 7. You could go in any order. We spent forever and day looking for check point 6. TOO much time. And the fact that each team kept hitting our same road, then giving up left us with maybe we are on the right track. The other teams gave up after moments - time restrictions - and the ones we didn't see on the road were at the right check point.
That was our only BIG mistake. After that hitting check points 5-1, 7. Nailed like dead on. Check point 4 to 3 D said, "Do you trust me?" I was completely thrown off by the question but of course, "yes" Then I realized he was making a navigational decision that he would be putting 10 tree's lives in jeopardy. Actually these trees were already dead for any green peace readers, they just were standing up - lets just says I moved them from purgatory to laying down dead.

He points out the map and says "this hill down (cliff) or couple miles running up and then a switchback" I am like, "I trust you"

So we both on our own on little paths down, he is leaping like a deer, and I am feeling like I'm scaling from a cliff so I am cautiously taking my first steps,
Then I see my only hope for me not to fully roll down this cliff is to use branches and trees - the first branch I grab - it came fully off. I fall forward to another tree - and had that branch not been dead too - it would have pierced my chest! Instead when I fall forward to the what i think is a dagger to my death, the branch nearly diminishes like ashes. Then I decide -no branches - I will use only tree's to put any weight (if I have too). My first slipping foot I lean on a tree - circumference is about the size of grape fruit, not largely tall and i seriously push it down (There was a moment I felt like say "fee fi fo fum" and continue marching, but even these shattered trees, I didn't want to hurt.) SO then I decided a low crouching walk - and I start going under fallen trees, trying to use ground if I need to stop from falling and then I poked my head up and I was in the middle of ten fallen trees - small -not large - double my length - and I feel like I just entered a game of pixy sticks, like one move and I am causing this forest to fall all at once - so I crawl underneath and finally make it to the bottom at the road- D says "The next checkpoint should be three hundreds meters on the right of the road, down in the trees" and boom there it was! Then we ran a beautiful run around the lake for check point, 2 and 1 and the had to locate 7 (a girl) on the beach because she thought there was nobody else out there.

On to bikes - It felt so GREAT - The view already from the trekking had blown me away, but my energy level just started to rise, and we were on a major time crunch from our checkpoint six snafu (I blame myself). However I was reminded "next race, speed, this race, navigation and mostly here for FUN" - I wanted to chase ahead to make the cut off time, and then my bag was being inspected by D and he was throwing away my Arby's sandwhich (where is the fun in that?) He was like “that meat will make you so sick after this heat, eating Arby's off their shelf is questionable."

On bike route - To date I can claim - my best riding yet. I was standing up on the uphill(s) and I was going faster than I ever have. I wasn't even begging for tow or wishing death upon me or even thinking, "When will this end?" Just LOVING it. There was the section, "Hike a bike" where I did dream of RVG popping the woods and saying hey JP let me carry that up for you. That hike a bike could be a race in it's own. And I am not counting it against my riding and I made it.

Then we got to the pink flags bike design - you just go through and then at the end you loop back for your check point. FUN. Gorgeous. Stayed on my bike the whole time except one backwards wheelie. Even after I fell I had to bring my hand through by bike to undo my shoe - at my angle I couldn't twist one shoe out. That ride was FUN.

This is where -
LOGISTICS grade D-
of the race - so we weren't speedy enough to make up for our lost time - although we did go fast but we had such a tiny window – so they say you are supposed to be short coursed, you know when people say “who is the they?” there was really no they. No one was there to say, “here is your new course” or go on to check point _____.

So then it was the executive decision to ride the course, since we were loving it this far, and we ended up getting check point 13, 14, then we knew we would miss another time cutoff - so we rode the course, since this seemed to be the best part of the whole race - the views, the rides, WAS gorgeous- but we wanted (or thought somebody must be worried) so we decided to go to check point 17 - passing 15 and 16 - because that is where you check in again and repel.

They didn't notice us missing and we checked in then jumped back on to course -finished 17- 21. I heard a team didn’t even get to ride out some of the flagged designed course because they didn’t realize a team was out there and picked up the flags. So I am grateful we were able to ride that.

We also decided once we were not going to make it to 15 in time and we were ready to take major bombing hill all the way down because we rode up hill FOREVER and earned it! But at such speed and so much fun -the one left we were going to take we zipped by it, and ended up on HWY99. Our navigator looked at that map, knew which residential streets to take to get us up to checkpoint 17, and there we were again. Only one beginning error and it cost us so much time -crazy. Again, I would not change a moment because that could mean one change could take away how much fun we had. How hard we rode and we didn’t get hurt. D did have one moment where his legs cramped – we were NUUN-less (yeah all that bragging about sharing my NUUN left us with NONE) So a girl gave him salt and he instantly was back in the game. I watched her do that, I licked my arm cuz I was really sweaty and salty and thought it might work. I never cramped so my test is currently just a theory.

BUT - had things not happened how they had we would not have had some of the fun, the great riding, the people we met and these two guys for the city run. HILARIOUS. They actually hit all check points so they were "qualified" dead last.

When watching the slides show - Alex -one of the guys we met, was slouched, in pain, drinking and watching the slide show. As they would show people on the podium he jump and say stuff like, "my grandpa beat me?" FUNNY.

By the time we did come in the clock was on the ground.
In the slide show we found it fell down. Rinn was there as witness to the fall and to witness people putting it back up.

I had a marvelous time all the way up until I read results
I wouldn't mind dead last, but to read NO VALUE or at least #value! esp since we had check points in those sections.

Looking back I am glad we continued to follow that map. That course was AMAZING!!!

Food - good - but the Beast post race -immediate tailgate provided by Bruce has forever ruined me.

The dinner and party was fun.

I did have to go eat BigMAc an hour later.

Only posting two pictures today. Tomorrow no words, just a few more pictures. I have some cool ones of Dart Sport too. AR is an extremely nice and a fun person. A+



Picture 1) A Commandough going back to find the guy that typed #VALUE! by our names. Kidding!




Picture 2 New Team Outfit

Vancouver Half Marathon

I got a call late to mid Saturday evening from Mel "You are the only person from our Paris team not here in Canada to support or watch the Vancouver Team" - my response -"I seriously would go up if I had signed up for the half or something - I get racers envy and I don't want to just go and party - feel depressed today - I need to run"

Phone rings two minutes later, "I just signed you up for the half marathon so come up" "what time is the race?" "7am" (which meant I couldn't get up and drive in the morning - if anyone knows me - that is close to a near impossibility - "I will be right there, where do we meet?"

One minute later - Mel rings "Dude - I can't believe I want to run, I don't want to have runners envy either. I signed up. Can you go to my house and get my clothes. Shoes. Etc." funny, I thought they would be nicely stacked - it was a scavenger hunt -with more clothes than I on the bottom of her closet.

It was fun. I am glad I ran but - I really loved running through Paris better.
Exibit A below

Vancouver Vs. Paris view
And
Vancover Rain Tarps Vs Paris Rain Tarps.

done speaking of PARIS - on to MOMAR

FAI

I feel like a I was a working out machine this last week and half, getting up going swimming, weight lifting at the WAC, road riding, mt. bike riding.. Thurday I felt ill. It was when we were lifting weights that I felt like lactic acid like immediately go into my system. I can't tell if it was the weights - or was sickness coming on. I even had a light 4 mile run at alki this last week to keep every thing from being sore. Just feeling good, then BOOM - out of ORDER... But Friday night I put my rally cap on and watched my sister and her husband start the NW FAI chapter with a committee and the Benefit was on this Last Friday. While Robert kennedy Jr. spoke and gave awards, Wally Walker gave Elise and Mark an award. I cried the whole time. Their video they made called SOMEDAY - was the day a cure comes for life threatening allergies. They didn't do those videos where they pull you apart and you leave yourself to cry and feel sick inside. It was happy kids, even those the kids that spoke its so serious 1/2000 of cross contamination can kill them -with their food allergy. To see clint talk and say what he was allergic to, I lost it. But then they all said what they wanted. One girl was a teenager and she said, "All I like want is like to eat a Dick's cheeseburg." It was so funny and cute.

of course included, self photo, Robert Kenedy Jr and I. I brought him a day pass to the WAC :) and took a photo with him at party. He was very well spoken. Looks like a Kennedy. Picture of my sister Elise with Joyce Taylor - and one of Elise and her husband. I can't believe how remarkable they are!

Oh and thank you to Lisa and Norm - they are so generous and my seat was in the smack dab middle of them - I hope it wasn't date night -I might have put a monkey in that wrench... wrench in that monkey? A wrench at the monkey? something..but I was delighted to be at the fun table - there were so many friends of our family's there. It sold out. They reached their goal - the love in the room was amazing!!