Yesterday our group rode Emigration Canyon to East Canyon--3hours 22 minutes of climbing--4600 feet of climbing to be more exact. 40 mph on the descents--5mph the slowest on the ascents but I was able to keep moving and didn't have to stop. I even passed some guys on the way up and they never caught me. Doesn't mean a lot but it gives me a little mental boost. Not to say that I didn't get passed--I did but at least I mixed it up and did some passing too. When we reached East Canyon Resort we took a water/restroom break. Scott heard some guys talking about the two hot chicks in pink jerseys that passed them (Stacy and I were wearing pink jerseys). He got a big kick out it. (Ok I'll admit so did I although I was more excited about the "passed them" part) I either need therapy or need to repent of my vain foolish ways. I'm having way too much fun with this cycling thing. My mother is worried about me. Working so hard to exhaustion climbing mountains then flying down them is a drug---maybe there needs to be an intervention.
We came home via the Tour of Utah stage 4 route, stopped on Traverse Ridge, ran into Alison Hayes and her kids and watched the Tour of Utah cyclists come by including Dave Harward . Incredible day!! Got home around 3pm and crashed. Poor Cole and Jack--they have been abandoned for the bike. It's nice that Cole is home and willing to watch Jack for us as long as we don't take advantage of him too often.
Thursday morning stopped by Thanksgiving Point to watch the start of Tour of Utah stage 2. Saw Dave and his team. Pretty cool. I was trying to be low key so I wouldn't interrupt his focus but he stopped and chatted for a minute.
Friday Scott, Jack and I went to the Miller Sport Motorcross Park to see stage 3, the time trials and this was really cool--we got to sit down on the cement barricades next to the track and see the cyclists when they started and as they finished--so up close and personal. In fact we were sitting on the barricade and one of the cyclists on the Rock Racing team stopped right in front of us, picked up his bike and said take this please. Scott held his bike for him while he caught his breath and then he climbed over the barricade and rode off. Kind of silly to be excited about that and we don't even know his name other than his team, he's Spanish and was in the top 10. Just really cool to see professional cyclists up close. We were able to see Dave Zabrieske and Floyd Landis up close as they finished also. (Both Tour de France veterans--Floyd Landis won the Tour de France 2 or 3 years ago but he lost the title due to doping.)
Anyway--it was exciting to see this kind of event and the caliber of cyclists right here in own backyard.
3 more weeks til LOTOJA---I'm feeling pretty good about riding one of the mountain legs especially after our ride Saturday. I know I can finish a climb of 8% grade and I'll be able to do it in the time I need to.
Keep moving---Fall is almost here. Yeah!!! Colored leaves, jackets, crisp air, fresh peaches---what a beautiful time to be alive.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pictures
http://www.zazoosh.com/photos/225011368
I don't know if this link will work but Scott and I finally have a picture of us riding together. Zazoosh takes pictures of all types of events and Scott and I are never together completely--always a head or butt or arm of each of us.
Anyway try it. Looks like you just can't click on it you'll have to paste the link.
Here is the picture of me chasing the pack up the hill. I'm the one in the red at the tail of end of the pack. http://www.zazoosh.com/photos/225016004
I don't know if this link will work but Scott and I finally have a picture of us riding together. Zazoosh takes pictures of all types of events and Scott and I are never together completely--always a head or butt or arm of each of us.
Anyway try it. Looks like you just can't click on it you'll have to paste the link.
Here is the picture of me chasing the pack up the hill. I'm the one in the red at the tail of end of the pack. http://www.zazoosh.com/photos/225016004
Monday, August 10, 2009
ULCER
The ULCER is over--111 miles of fun??? I'm still trying to decide. I realized yet again that I am a slow starter. It takes some time for me to warm up, find my rhythm, adjust my shorts, breath, fix my hair, clear my mind, run through my gears and have a little chat with myself and who knows what else before I can focus and just ride. Usually this all takes the first 10 miles and by then I'm busting to catch up with everyone who started riding right off the start line. I need therapy. I need to relax and I enjoy the ride because of course this is not a race. Ya right!!! Then why are all those people passing me?
I did work hard on this ride---more so than any other century this year and even last year--and I felt it Saturday evening, and Sunday wanted to stay in bed all day. Saturday evening I had to lie down for an hour or so and I could still fill my muscles twitching. That was pretty awesome in a weird way. The wind kicked up the intensity big time and I worked hard to stay up with people that I usually can't hang with but this time I did!!!
We started with a group 20+ with 11 riding the full 111 miles. As I said before it always takes me some time to warm up and find my rhythm so the first 15 miles I'm just trying to hang on with the first group thinking to myself the whole time crap I thought I was getting better and why is this so hard and why can't I just be content to get old, gain weight and sit on the sidelines enjoying oreos. Well I'll tell you why because about mile 55 on one of the few inclines of the ride I HUNG WITH THE BOYS!!! It was awesome!! This incline was not steep or even very long but after 55 miles you're tired and it is up hill so you might have to shift and maybe slow down but I didn't. I was on the back end of a small group of guys and I stayed with them and felt great. It feels so incredible to work hard and make it to the top of a hill, not puke and then keep going.
Our rest stop before heading north and the final 45 miles was a mental ok time to get her done and you can do this moment. We were heading into a headwind and a slight incline and the west side of utah lake just goes on and on and on. We caught a break and rode with a large group 30+ of other cyclists---a bona fide real peleton!!!! It was incredible. The first 5 cyclists do all the hard work fighting the wind and everyone else just hangs on for the ride. We cruised between 18-22mph and just had fun. Someone up front decided to kick up the speed after a bit and we got dropped. Not good. Back to5 of us fighting the wind by ourselves. This is when I started to get really loopy because I am tired and everything is funny but it's not and I dream of throwing my bike in the bushes and kicking it---but I didn't--instead I started to look at the top of every little rolling hill and focus on my muscles pulling and pushing my way to the top. This is when I use other people to push me too. I force myself to pass other people and keep going and not let them catch up.
On every century that I've done I reach the 100 miles and I think I'm done, I rode a century so where is the finish line but for some unknown reason to me a century ride is never 100 miles. 103, 106, 111. It is a sick sense of humor that someone has that they gleefully plan these rides and they surely know that the last 3 to 10 miles are just killing the riders. It's all mental because apparently my legs know when they have reached the 100 mile marker and they just want to stop moving.
Although there is pain it is good pain--pain that makes you fully aware of your body and the miraculous creation that it is. I feel so blessed and and thankful that I have good health that I can ride and push myself. When I'm riding I almost always have a moment where I think I am so lucky to be able physically to do this when I know that so many people struggle with their health. I love to feel my body working hard and feel it getting stronger.
I might be tired but I'll get over it and be stronger for it. Can't wait for my next ride.
Stats: 6 hours 27 minutes of ride time 111 miles 17mph avg speed 32.4 max speed
8 hours 4 minutes of total time (rest stops and lunch---we chat way too much but lots of fun)
4500 Calories burned (my heart monitor) I wonder how accurate it is??? Funny that it was exactly 4500 calories this time.
Keep moving everyone and be safe.
I did work hard on this ride---more so than any other century this year and even last year--and I felt it Saturday evening, and Sunday wanted to stay in bed all day. Saturday evening I had to lie down for an hour or so and I could still fill my muscles twitching. That was pretty awesome in a weird way. The wind kicked up the intensity big time and I worked hard to stay up with people that I usually can't hang with but this time I did!!!
We started with a group 20+ with 11 riding the full 111 miles. As I said before it always takes me some time to warm up and find my rhythm so the first 15 miles I'm just trying to hang on with the first group thinking to myself the whole time crap I thought I was getting better and why is this so hard and why can't I just be content to get old, gain weight and sit on the sidelines enjoying oreos. Well I'll tell you why because about mile 55 on one of the few inclines of the ride I HUNG WITH THE BOYS!!! It was awesome!! This incline was not steep or even very long but after 55 miles you're tired and it is up hill so you might have to shift and maybe slow down but I didn't. I was on the back end of a small group of guys and I stayed with them and felt great. It feels so incredible to work hard and make it to the top of a hill, not puke and then keep going.
Our rest stop before heading north and the final 45 miles was a mental ok time to get her done and you can do this moment. We were heading into a headwind and a slight incline and the west side of utah lake just goes on and on and on. We caught a break and rode with a large group 30+ of other cyclists---a bona fide real peleton!!!! It was incredible. The first 5 cyclists do all the hard work fighting the wind and everyone else just hangs on for the ride. We cruised between 18-22mph and just had fun. Someone up front decided to kick up the speed after a bit and we got dropped. Not good. Back to5 of us fighting the wind by ourselves. This is when I started to get really loopy because I am tired and everything is funny but it's not and I dream of throwing my bike in the bushes and kicking it---but I didn't--instead I started to look at the top of every little rolling hill and focus on my muscles pulling and pushing my way to the top. This is when I use other people to push me too. I force myself to pass other people and keep going and not let them catch up.
On every century that I've done I reach the 100 miles and I think I'm done, I rode a century so where is the finish line but for some unknown reason to me a century ride is never 100 miles. 103, 106, 111. It is a sick sense of humor that someone has that they gleefully plan these rides and they surely know that the last 3 to 10 miles are just killing the riders. It's all mental because apparently my legs know when they have reached the 100 mile marker and they just want to stop moving.
Although there is pain it is good pain--pain that makes you fully aware of your body and the miraculous creation that it is. I feel so blessed and and thankful that I have good health that I can ride and push myself. When I'm riding I almost always have a moment where I think I am so lucky to be able physically to do this when I know that so many people struggle with their health. I love to feel my body working hard and feel it getting stronger.
I might be tired but I'll get over it and be stronger for it. Can't wait for my next ride.
Stats: 6 hours 27 minutes of ride time 111 miles 17mph avg speed 32.4 max speed
8 hours 4 minutes of total time (rest stops and lunch---we chat way too much but lots of fun)
4500 Calories burned (my heart monitor) I wonder how accurate it is??? Funny that it was exactly 4500 calories this time.
Keep moving everyone and be safe.
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