YOU GO GIRL! YOU'RE FOR REAL!
Well Wednesday was my 'Friday" of the week. I was blessed with getting a 5 day weekend from work. Awesome! Unfortunately, it was to start with my second race of the year and it got rained out. Jane and I decided to hang, have dinner together and she gave me a tour of the Borg. Sweet! It was a lot of fun to see where her work digs were and just sit, relax, talk and have dinner together.
The rest of the weekend was busy, slow, relaxing, fun, up and down all the way around.
Thursday: Planning on being lazy and doing errands. Around 11 am a college friend of mine - Curtis - called saying "guess who I just saw?". I replied - ahhhh not sure I want to know - which ex? LOL! He said nope, one of your co-workers. OH COOL! So he needed a buddy to go to the Mariner's game at 1:35 with him and wanted to know if I wanted to go. So I decided to go. I quickly got dressed, did a few errands and met him at the entrance shortly after 1:35. He was later than me because he choose to catch the bus instead of walk and they started closing the streets for the Mexican President. Game was cool but lame. We lost. :( I was stressed about getting back in time for either a) track workout or b) riding with Jane if it rained. Well the game went so quick I was home by 5 and didn't have to worry about it. The track workout was rained out but Jane and I went for a (dry) ride around 6:30. It was a good ride - we had a lot of fun and we stayed dry! I don't know how we've been lucky out with dry rides lately - but the sun is with us - or at least no rain clouds are with us.
Friday: Lazy day, did some errands including grocery shopping. It was nice. :)
Saturday: Did the Larry Kemp Memorial Ride for my team. That was a bit eye opening and depressing. I got to speak with his mother who unfortunately lost her son 2 years prior. She was there supporting our team, supporting the ride that was commemorating her son and being with us for support of bicycling - and safety. Jane and I then did some sprint drills afterwards! WOW! Those were really tough but we tried our hardest!!!! Then we sat with some teammates at Starbucks and howled with laughter and fun. Felt good. Then I drove down to Tacoma to help a friend move her husband out of her place. That was interesting. Her sister didn't think I could make her (my friend) work - but I did. :) Haa haa Then we had a grilled dinner which was really nice.
I then went to an auction with my sister and her husband. I scored on some awesome stuff including a bed set that is SWEET! 2 shams, a comforter and 2 new pillows for $20. They are sweet! Same ones (slightly different design at the bottom but the same) were on sale at Fred Meyer for $160 for 10 pieces. HELLO!??! I also got essentially a brand new coleman lantern, a camp stove, a 5'5" tent - yes I got to sleep diagonal in it and can put my gear in the corners but if it is only me - hell it will work, a cooler and some 'water bottles' for $12.50!!!! A couple more deals and I called it a night. :) It was awesome.
Sunday: Hung out with my sister. We had fun. I baked some gluten free sweet bread and ooey gooey chocolatey chewy brownies. YUM! Put together my camp stuff - so sweet! I feel liberated. NO more depending on frickin' men for the rest of my camping gear! I am frickin' independent now! HELL YEAH! It feels awesome. Sat with my sister and my mom (after she got done with work) and talked, had dinner and relaxed.
Monday: I went for a bike ride around UPS - in my full team kit. It was a lot of fun just cruising different territory on my bike. I did a bunch of laps in a particular neighborhood that I found pleasant and quiet. I slowly worked my way in my 1 hour workout to have about the last 20 minutes that I thought I'd just go around this one block park area that is a 'circle' right next to my mom's house. It was too funny. No more than 30 seconds being there and some kids started to yell at me. YOU GO GIRL! YOU GO GIRLFRIEND! YOU'RE FOR REAL!! I was just dying trying not to laugh but I couldn't help it. It was toooooo funny and cute. So then they started to race me. They kept going in circles on the sidewalk. Of course, I was holding back not wanting to kick their butts but giving them a challenge.
One boy said - I give up - I admit defeat! I said hey now that's not fair! You can't give up that easily! it was very cute. Another did about 6 laps with me when I finally said - one lap is about .10 of a mile so 10 laps is one mile. He's yellign to his friends - 10 times around is 1 mile! I'm going to do 1 mile! He did by golly! He was sooooo excited.
Then I talked to them for about 5 mins regarding bikes, bicycling, answered their questions and so on then went home. They asked about my pedals, talked to me about the accidents they had and their scars, their broken pedals and so on. One boy said his dad used to ride the hills of San Diego and he's done work on bikes for the last three years at his church. This boy was the oldest being about 12 or 13 maybe. The youngest was 5.
My mom said that was sweet and I should feel good about it as I probably encouraged them to exercise and who knows - maybe I touched their lives. You never know. It was very sweet though - very cute.... it was so hard not to chuckle but also wonder... where was I at that age? What would I have thought and/or wanted to do? I mean I grew up with Greg Lemond showing up in our area and bicycling up our bluffs. I was memorized but somehow it didn't sink in what an inspiration nor the deep desire I have now that I wish I had then to bicycle so much, so passionately, so hard and to love it so much! I wish I could turn back the clock!
Anyway... that's my story... you just never know who you may run into, what life you may affect and what your team kit will give you - a big smile and a great day of fun. :)
I then hung out with my mom for abit more and then headed up here to help with the track. It felt good to be out and laugh and have fun with friends. I needed that. I'm feeling a bit depressed. Yesterday I saw someone dinged my car door. I'm actually going to pay to get this one taken out. Owning a car for 1.5 months and making the first car payment and having a ding is making me QUITE sick to my stomach. I am NOT happy. :( I know it will happen... and won't pay to get the others out...but this one - on MY door... and so early.... it's sickening. :( Then, I was hit with the news this weekend that my mom is being forced to retire. It is a long story.... probably happen in January... but she'll be living a hard life now. It is hard... she sleeps all the time, she has a hard time getting around, doing things and doesn't want to work. They are forcing her to retire but she is really ready. She wants to be done and enjoy life more. She deserves it. I just wish I could give her more than I can. I just want her happy. I love her so much.
Overall, it was an inspiring weekend... a liberating weekend... a good weekend. I also kept in mind all those troops - including my grandpa - who have ever fought for our country.... *sigh* Memorial Day Weekend... filled with so many emotions.
First night of 2006 racing - TOTALLY ROCKS!!!
After having an AWESOME workout on Saturday with Jane and our coach I felt really good. I felt much more prepared and confident and worked up for our first race. As Wednesday rolled around and we got closer to race time I felt more and more anxious and nervous about how well I would do. It helped to talk to Jane, relax, spin a bit before actually warming up.
During the warm-up my heart rate was immediately in zone 4 and 5. I had a hard time calming down and getting a good workout.... performance anxiety? perhaps.... so we will see how next week goes now that the first race is behind us.
We got our bibs and those are the numbers for the rest of the year. Awesome! Jane and I have numbers next to each other. Two chickas ready to kick ass and everyone knows it! :)
Per my coach, tonight's plan (and race results) is:
Jane and Molly, you guys did great last night! And, I don't want you to blow up first week into racing. So, pat yourselves on your backs, go for a nice easy! mostly zone 1 45 min spin to help the legs recover - nothing more. I'll get you a plan for Sat am track workout.
We are not allowed, per the above, to do our regular Thursday night workout. We're going to stop by the track, to watch, after the workout. :)
Jane and I are very proud of how well we did this first race - way better than any race last year -by far!!! :) We felt good.. sure there were times we both felt 'weak' but we pulled it off and pulled ourselves, and each other, through. :) It was spectacular. First race I ended 4 out of 5 (8 lap scratch didn't matter); second race - we won't talk about.... lap behind by the 7th lap... my legs were toast! Gone! Dead! (8 lap snowball) I was hoping to get the first lap and let them go the other 7 but one of the women stole it from me coming out of turn 4!!! UGH! I was ready to call it a night but figured if nothing else the 4 x 4 would give me a good speed workout. My coach, the other women and my friend Kelly (he stopped to watch the races) all felt I should do the 3rd race regardless! They kept telling me but this is your race.... oy.... my legs felt like I had NO race to give! Boy was I surprised and excited to see the results of the 3rd race as shitty as my legs were feeling. They honestly were quite sore and took me about 5 minutes to calm them down. I honestly felt I had no OOOMPH in them any more. They felt totally depleted.
First sprint - not bad.... think I was 4th or 5th (based on points it must have been 5th).....During that race I hit 29.6 mph which is a new all time high speed for me. YES! Awesome!!! Second sprint - 4th.... 3rd sprint I think 4th. Man it was all a blur... Then between the 2nd and 3rd I was able to pull Jane for awhile trying to buy her time to get energy to sprint for the 3rd one.... I was asking to make sure she was on me after we stayed low on the black line and everyone else was up on the embankment. At some point coming out of turn 3 with one more lap to go I was about to communicate to her when she felt rested and ready to sprint her ass off. However, out of the corner of my eye I saw everyone else pacing behind her. So I kept quiet... coming out of turn 2 I pulled off and we all scattered. But for that sprint.... it worked she came in 1st and I was 3rd. Then before the final sprint I was following one of the women for quite sometime. I mean REALLY following her by reading her body language. I was inches from her wheel and moved instantly when she did. It felt really good...I felt like I was one with her. I felt like a snake's body that just moved when the head moved. Kelly even (later) asked me if I touched her wheel in turn 4. I said no but I was DAMN close! It was amazing how trusting I was, how much I rode her wheel, how well I could read her body. After a couple of laps, coming into turn 1 then I had decisions to make. This woman and I were high and I was deciding if I wanted to go ahead of her and jump out of turn 2 and have her on me and/or jump immediately. All of a sudden I saw two were attacking at the bottom. When I saw them jump - I jumped on them but couldn't keep on their wheel .Regardless... I came in 3rd on that one.
Overall it was a good night. I have that issue where by the 3rd race I'm kicking ass or helping kick ass. Wish it could be all night long. :) I got 5 points -way better than any races last year so that is improvement right there. Woody, Dave and Martin all gave us tips. They told me due to my racing 'routine' of the 3rd race being my race I need a harder warm-up. Interesting. :)Anyway... lots of details....but it was good. Wasn't that bad. Turn out was a bit disappointing. SaturdayJane and I will be out on the track from 8 am untilthe class at 10.... It will be a good workout and should get us prepped like this week.
Also, after the ride someone very 'important' at the track walked up to us and talked to us. It was symbolically very important to Jane and I what this all meant. It was very warm, sincere and eye opening. To be acknowledged, to be appreciated, to be respected and to be accepted as one of ours.... and open to helping and supporting. We were thanked for all our hard work we do with the track - the classes, our enthusiasm and so forth. It felt REALLY good!!!! I was soooooo wired.... I could not sleep until like 12 am. It felt sooooooo good to be out there last night and to have so many highs from so many accomplishments! Hopefully this will continue through the year..... we did better than any other race last year - we know it - and it feels good. There's a lot of room for growth, speed, strength and so on....but it will be fun! :)
Yes... it's true... I AM a DORK! :(
This is what I sent to my coach about my workout this weekend which was very tiring. I am actually surprised I did so well as I was feeling under the weather - still am - with either allergies or a cold. :(
I am quite tired and legs a bit sorefrom my workout this weekend which I think was very good. Ahhh but I'm a real DORK! a major DORK! a major doofus of a muck nut DORK! You ready for this?
Ahhhh... so I forgot the workout plan at home and couldn't remember all of it for "Sunday" but I was on the track on Saturday - teaching the class. I kept thinking my "SUNDAY" workout was for the track so I figured since rain was expected for Sunday I would do the track while I was there. So I helped with the class and then I did some efforts. This is essentiallywhat I did:
3 efforts at 23 mph for 1 min each (which ended up tobe 25/26 mph on the 2nd turn to 4th turn until I hit NASTY headwinds that slowed it to 23 mph between turn 4 and 2). I did a few laps between each effort to get me into zone 1.
2 efforts at 23/24 mph (trying 25 but my energy was decreasing and I think winds getting worse) whereas the headwinds made me drop to about 20 or slightly above and I could only hold them for 1.5 minutes. That was with a lot of grunting and groaning and really pushing myself through my 'quit zone' at the time. I gave it another 1/2 lap or so past where I wanted to quit on the 2nd time. It was VERY tiring especiallythrough the headwinds. :( I mean they were stronger than any I remember while being on that track. :( I rested about 5 or 10 minutes.
So then I did - I think 3 jumps (maybe 2 but I reallythink 3). I actually felt really good... really strong, really good form, followed my line to the corner really well, didn't feel I hit the saddle hard(plopping) but rather gently sitting. I pushed andpushed so I jumped out of 2 and would go to the finish line... then once was turn 4 and then ended in mid-turn 1 and 2 like we practiced. Definitely felt a bit out of energy on that last one....but overall felt like I really pushed myself in a good way. :) I did notice my heart rate was able to quickly recover on the efforts but the jumps seemed to take just a tiny bit longer but not too much longer. I think the 'top' heart-rate seemed to be about the same after every effort and jump. It seemed to stay around 179 and 176.
Ok.... so if that wasn't bad enough.... on Sunday I went for a 2 hour ride of 30.68 miles. I started at Marymoor (with some nasty sidewinds but wasn't too much of a headwind at all which was good). I tried to stay in zone 2 as much as possible. I rode up toWaynita Drive Hill again and did that 3 times. The first time I was able to ride in my outer front cog again...farther than before. Where I was able to 'sprint' a bit previously, with a dip before a short climb to the rest of the top, I actually treated it like a jump and stood up out of my saddle and tried to sprint up as far as I could. It felt really good. I actually was recovered within like a minute of where I turned around and drank water before descending. Descended, drank water, relaxed a couple minutes -started again. Stayed in outer cog again (back gear was as low as the 2nd to biggest so almost - grannygear with back cassette). This time I stood up a couple times in an area where my legs were starting to feel a little 'weak' and didn't feel I had oomph. I was able to stay in this gear until almost to the very top of the whole hill. Was able to recover in the same manner. Did a 'short sprint' but this time definitely a bit more tired but still felt strong. I descended and rested less at the bottom. Went back up to the top. This time stood up in one short area where I did before - less time. Kept going and going... mostly stayed above 10-12 mph but one shortarea dropped to 9. In the "Sprinter" area I stood up just barely but didn't feel it was right so I sat backdown. Kept in the same gear - larger outer ring and back cassette almost in granny. This was ALL the way to the top of the hill - 1 mile although I had to stand up for the last little bit to get oomph up and over it. Recovered again within like a minute... felt tired but good. Legs definitely felt 'done' but not 'fried' on the descent... on the way back I felt pretty good...as I cruised about 17 mph or so. At some point I dropped just a bit for a mile or two to like 14/15 but overall felt good. Just tired. :) My stats for that was 2:14 with 139 ahr, 1:33 in my zone (my heart rate monitor's 'zone' is 123-161), 1077 calories. Bike computer showed 2:06 time with 30.68 miles with 14.6 average with 28.8 max. Saturday - with the class - was 2:15 time, 137 ahr, 1:06 zone and 991 calories with computer showing 29.16miles, 1:54.02 with a 15.6 average with 27.8 max.
Anyway.... I screwed up.... I'll try not to screw up this week as now coming home tonight I realized - OHDUH! We talked about doing these efforts on my road bike. So this Saturday I'll do the efforts on my road bike. The Wednesday hill repeat should be good for me. We will see how I do on Thursday after that. :) So just wanted to let you know... seems I am getting stronger and I am doing really well but I don't understand why I don't feel that way on the track orwhy I don't have that energy if I am doing so much better on that hill and such. My knees feel ok too...I can feel the workout on my legs but not like so sore it hurts just - wow... that was a good challenging workout. :)
So here's what my coach said:
M...,
That sounds AWESOME! You did great! As for doing the efforts on road bike versus track bike - it's ok to do them with the track bike. I was giving you an alternative with the road bike. But, if you can get on the track...go for it. Did you do the track workout on Thursday? How'd that feel?
As for the headwinds, they are a bear aren't they. They'll kick your ass more than anything. Let's hope they calm down right quick. I'm glad you quit when you did - it's important to listen to your body, when you're done, you're done and then you've got something to strive toward - getting that 3rd effort in...glad to hear that you're recovering nicely! Excellent, that's right where you want to be. And, glad to hear that you pushed yourself! You definitely pooped yourself with the hill climb stuff. Soooo, make sure that tomorrow when you get on the bike - make it slooooooowwwwwww and very easy. Almost like you're not doing much - active recovery. If you're on the trainer - go for 45 mins, if you're out on the trail, make it FLAAATTTTT, SLLLOOOOOOWWWWW and very EEEAASSYYYYYY!
You're rockin' on!
Cheers,
I...
Oops got more emails now:
M...,
One last thing...I want to tweak your Wednesday workout just a little this week - it's going to be a nice evening. Instead of doing hill repeats, I want you to go for a 1.5 to 2 hour ride and every 10 mins I want you to do a 15 second "burst" - or high effort - otherwise stay in zone 2. That will get the body ready for riding with strength on Thursday as opposed to working too hard on the hills on Wednesday and then not having enough in the legs for Thursday. So, avoid the hills and do this instead. I think you'll feel good on Thursday. Let me know!
Cheers again,
I...
My bad, I totally had my days mixed up - I thought it was Sunday night - good job on the recovery. Do the spin ups tomorrow and then the workout I just emailed you. I think you'll feel good on Thursday and I'll be there barking at ya:)
It was freaky windy this weekend. Let's hope it's all blown over now!
