Last week the battery in my car died, talk about poetic justice in a large way.
I was not going to walk because I had way to much on my plate. Of course the day after this terrible thought my car would not start and a neighbor had to give me a jump. One week and more exercise than I expected (riding my bike)has lead to an amazing discovery about myself.
I'm stronger mentally than I believed myself to be thanks to logging over 100 miles on my bike. I could have stayed home and run the treadmill but I needed to get out and take care of things so off I went. My walking schedule decreased but my fitness level increased and that's exactly what I needed. I learned a lesson about wishing something on myself too. Never let negative thoughts ruin your path to a better road. I decided I didn't want to put in the work and the lord showed me a better way despite my own sabotage.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Twenty Mile Club
I did it ! Yesterday I pounded out twenty miles on my bike and ran/walked for one mile. I felt good the whole time and to be honest I almost killed myself because of it.
I had not planned to test my ability to finish a biathlon Thursday. It happened because the map I was reading neglected to include some important details.
I picked up a riders trail map from the local bike shop while having my racing seat replaced for a more comfortable WIDE butt model. Oh happy day, these new gel versions are sent from heaven I can not sing my new seats comfort enough. Although the shop owner told me the new heavier seat would slow me down I went for cushion power.
Anyway the map lacked some big details,the major one being designated bike lanes. The route to a local park was marked as having a bike lane but that wasn't true. I spent the whole trip riding in the street with bad drivers. For a short distance I tried the sidewalk but never in my life have I been on sidewalks literally coated with broken glass. As my rider continued I missed a short cut in thanks to no notation on the map. There actually was a hidden entrance to the park off road marked only by two foot yellow poles in the woods. Since I missed it I ended up pushing five extra miles to the parks main gateway. Only after talking to a recreation worker did I discover the bike trail ran through the woods. I thought about taking some of the trails but I have to be honest. I noticed an archery club and saw several white men walking around with bow and arrows through the woods. I said to myself heck no your not riding on these trails and end finding stray arrows.
My fun trip to the park to exercise turned into a twenty mile haul sprinkled with a one mile walk.I road the loop a few times and then the idea to use the day as a test for the bike portion of a race hit me. I made my way back using a different route which was up hill for eight miles and then level the rest of the way. I start running out of fuel but instead of listening to my body I insisted to myself it was a mental block. It wasn't, I had not eaten properly and because I was putting a tremendous amount of strain on my vital organs mainly the heart it revolted. Fifteen miles in a chest pain that was more of a slight tightening so I stopped and walked one mile. I then began riding a slow easy pace back home.
I always make sure I have plenty of fluids but neglected the fuel a mistake that won't happen again as I'm not into suffering. I usually leave home with at least something to eat in the form of fruit or trail mix but since it was to be a short trip I never bothered.Hence bad planning will send you down a dead end road.I have now crossed the mental block of wanting to compete but not mentally feeling I can. I took the hills,the streets, curves and the heat with no problem.I did it all on a heavy older model mountain bike and no a road bike which I have not owned in years. My excuse was I did not want to spent money on a bike I may not use much. A heavy bike has no place in a road race it just to slow and tiring.I 'm now ready to make the investment. I love off road cycling but I see myself doing more time on the black top for now.I relearned the importance of diet even when I have no desire to eat and most importantly I discover nothing is impossible it you keep working at it.
I had not planned to test my ability to finish a biathlon Thursday. It happened because the map I was reading neglected to include some important details.
I picked up a riders trail map from the local bike shop while having my racing seat replaced for a more comfortable WIDE butt model. Oh happy day, these new gel versions are sent from heaven I can not sing my new seats comfort enough. Although the shop owner told me the new heavier seat would slow me down I went for cushion power.
Anyway the map lacked some big details,the major one being designated bike lanes. The route to a local park was marked as having a bike lane but that wasn't true. I spent the whole trip riding in the street with bad drivers. For a short distance I tried the sidewalk but never in my life have I been on sidewalks literally coated with broken glass. As my rider continued I missed a short cut in thanks to no notation on the map. There actually was a hidden entrance to the park off road marked only by two foot yellow poles in the woods. Since I missed it I ended up pushing five extra miles to the parks main gateway. Only after talking to a recreation worker did I discover the bike trail ran through the woods. I thought about taking some of the trails but I have to be honest. I noticed an archery club and saw several white men walking around with bow and arrows through the woods. I said to myself heck no your not riding on these trails and end finding stray arrows.
My fun trip to the park to exercise turned into a twenty mile haul sprinkled with a one mile walk.I road the loop a few times and then the idea to use the day as a test for the bike portion of a race hit me. I made my way back using a different route which was up hill for eight miles and then level the rest of the way. I start running out of fuel but instead of listening to my body I insisted to myself it was a mental block. It wasn't, I had not eaten properly and because I was putting a tremendous amount of strain on my vital organs mainly the heart it revolted. Fifteen miles in a chest pain that was more of a slight tightening so I stopped and walked one mile. I then began riding a slow easy pace back home.
I always make sure I have plenty of fluids but neglected the fuel a mistake that won't happen again as I'm not into suffering. I usually leave home with at least something to eat in the form of fruit or trail mix but since it was to be a short trip I never bothered.Hence bad planning will send you down a dead end road.I have now crossed the mental block of wanting to compete but not mentally feeling I can. I took the hills,the streets, curves and the heat with no problem.I did it all on a heavy older model mountain bike and no a road bike which I have not owned in years. My excuse was I did not want to spent money on a bike I may not use much. A heavy bike has no place in a road race it just to slow and tiring.I 'm now ready to make the investment. I love off road cycling but I see myself doing more time on the black top for now.I relearned the importance of diet even when I have no desire to eat and most importantly I discover nothing is impossible it you keep working at it.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
In Motion
I'm still walking but it's getting harder as the days become hotter.
Hopefully my schedule will be able to accommodate early morning walks but if not the treadmill can be dusted off and put to use. As summer rolls in I'm looking forward to five mile walks and a ten mile bikes each day. I'm working on the swimming but everything in time. I will be using triathlon season this year as a major motivation. Next on the to do list is renewing my state park pass the joy of training off road always appeals to me.
Hopefully my schedule will be able to accommodate early morning walks but if not the treadmill can be dusted off and put to use. As summer rolls in I'm looking forward to five mile walks and a ten mile bikes each day. I'm working on the swimming but everything in time. I will be using triathlon season this year as a major motivation. Next on the to do list is renewing my state park pass the joy of training off road always appeals to me.
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