68 miles and counting!

Wow... 68 miles! Yes, that's my mileage from yesterday. Needless to say my Saturday's are doing nothing but riding. I've been getting home around 3 - 3:30, taking a shower and a nap. But I'm meeting some great people and really starting to enjoy the sport! I'm thinking of becoming a mentor for next season...

Anyway, the fundraising is getting there. I still need a little more to meet my minimum and think I should reach it by the end of this month. If you haven't donated yet, please feel free to visit my site www.active.com/donate/tntsdh/LisaWhitman.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Write more later - Lisa

The miles are slowly increasing

Yesterday we rode 47 miles and the week before that we rode 43. Last week's ride was really tough for a number of reasons...

1. If you live here you know how windy it was last weekend. Unfortunately, it was a cross wind, so we fought the wind the entire ride. There was a point when I realized I was riding tilted into the wind.

2. I jumped groups from the A group to the B1 group, meaning my mileage went up 13 miles and we rode a little faster than I was used to.

3. We rode Torrey Pines for the first time. For those not here, it's a mile and a half long hill with a pretty decent inclide.

4. During the Torrey Pines hill, both my calves cramped and I was not allowed to get off my bike because I wouldn't be able to regain my momentum. p.s. I was going 5 mph up that hill!

Ok, so that was last week. I was pooped and slept the rest of the day, my legs were having a tough time straightening out Sunday and Monday, but I got through it.

Cut to this week... We rode from Mission Bay to Carlsbad and back. Torrey Pines was a part of the ride and I aced it with flying colors! No cramps, slow and steady and soon, I was done! Where we ride there are a lot of other cycling groups that pass us or we pass. It really helped, when halfway up Torrey, an older gentleman fell in with me and we chatted the rest of the way up. It really helped to take my mind off the hill and going slow.

So, anyway, things are going well. There are bad days and good days, but for the most part I'm REALLY enjoying cycling. I'm also really excited that daylight savings started early this year because it means I can ride on the rode after work and stop going to the gym (spin class was getting really old).

Toodles!

Falling hurts

Uhm, yes. In case you were wondering, falling on your bike hurts.

So, when I first started this adventure, someone mentioned, "Clipless pedals..." (side note - why are they "clipless" when in reality you actual CLIP into the pedal with a cleat on your shoe??) "...yeah, the first time I used them I fell on my bike." Not sure why, but the thought of falling on my bike had not entered my head up to that point. So, needless to say I was TERRIFIED to use clipless pedals. I tried them out at the gym a few times during spin class. Not so bad, but those bikes were not moving and do not have real wheels that I can fall off of...

So, the day came when I had to ride....in the group.....with my clipless pedals. Wouldn't you know it...? Within the first 2 minutes I was on the ground. Grrrr.... :) Well, at least I got it out of the way. They are actually amazing little things those clipless pedals. I can ride much faster and longer with them. The key is unclipping if there is even the inkling that you're stopping.

I would recommend them....with training.

Last ride was 30 miles! If I did that ride 3.5 times I'd be done with the century! I'll try to post pictures when I get some.

Oh! The fundraising site is up! Save your change...I've got a BIG goal this year. $4,000! Yeesh!

www.active.com/donate/tntsdh/LisaWhitman

Talk at you later!

Ooops, I did it again.

Yes, I signed up for another Team In Training event. This time it's a century bike ride called America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride. A century bike ride is 100 miles, but really, when I looked at the training schedule, our ride is 109 miles. Ok, ok...9 miles really doesn't seem like a whole lot, unless there are 100 more in front of them! Yeesh!

So this event has a more intense training schedule (all day every Saturday) and various days throughout the week with 1 rest day each week. Yeah... I know. Just a warning to those involved in my social life, as of today, I don't have one.

Today was our "Bike Expo" where we learn all about bikes. How to change a flat (not looking forward to using that knowledge), what type of clothes to wear (need those padded shorts!), nutrition, all the extra tools I need, etc. My biggest fear (that was non-existent until I heard about it) is falling from using the clip pedals. Those are the pedals that clip to the bottom of your shoe to maximize your energy. Problem is, newbies (like me) tend to get stuck in them the first few times because they're not used to them. Great...

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the adventure (and the rockin' body at the end of this - hello 10 yr reunion!) and all it entails. I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Until next time...

Rock 'n' Roll

So.... The marathon was today. I'm sore and tired and elated that it's over. I feel like an 80-year old woman because I can't walk and my hips hurt like they've been beaten with a baseball bat. I finished about an hour over the time I wanted (7:01 vs 6:00) but who cares, I JUST COMPLETED A MARATHON! I would say "ran a marathon" but technically I only ran the first 7 - 10 miles, (mile 7-10 were a combination run/walk). After that my legs were ready to pop off so I walked the rest of the way. Who knew I could walk 4 miles an hour? Thankfully, I took tomorrow off from work. I don't think I could have walked up the stairs and might have been calling everyone to come bring me stuff. Or maybe I could have, somehow, gotten ahold of a wheelchair and got special elevator access to the second floor (the elevator is reserved for executives only, you get special access under special conditions). My massage at 2 tomorrow will feel lovely and I can't wait. The pain was worth it, but this is my first and last marathon.

I think I'm going to do a triathalon next...

p.s. Congrats to Team In Training for raising over $12 million for this event ($97.1 million since the inception of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon). GO TEAM!

Vegas amnesia

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas... Unless you're going there for a tradeshow, then no one cares. At least this time we're staying overnight. The whole fly-there-walk-a-tradeshow-all-day-then-fly-back thing wasn't working for me last year. Although, maybe this year my legs will feel better. I was really hoping I could hit the gym for at least a 1/2 hour on Monday night, but looking online, it doesn't look like the Rio has any type of workout facility. While public gyms aren't the best place to workout, at least it's a workout. I don't want to get out of my routine too much because it makes it that much harder to start again. I know, it's only two days, but still. Plus, we will be eating lots of food (all vendor supplied of course) so I'll be fighting that as well. Ah, the struggles of........well, me.

Anyway, still trying to ward off the IT Band demons and working every day on keeping it stretched and limber. I got some new running shoes this week, hopefully that will help. 9 miles on Saturday in 2 hours, almost to the second. I figure, if I can do 9 miles in 2 hours, then I can do 27 miles in 6 hours which is more than the marathon! Oh, I am so in this! :)

Until later.


p.s. Shout out to JZ. Yes, I just did a shout out...

Is this what being an adult is like?

Yikes! It's been awhile... Training for a marathon, working full time and going to the gym 3 days a week (at least) takes it out of you! And it doesn't leave much time for socializing. I'm so amazed at what people have donated to my fundraising account. I'm well on my way, but definitely not there yet. I've still got a ways to go. What's crazy is that people I don't expect to donate, donate more than anyone! I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed up to this point. And an even bigger THANK YOU to those who haven't had a chance yet but plan on donating. Anyway, as it's 9 pm on Sunday, it's my bedtime (what an old lady!). Off to start another fulfilling week of being a grown up! :)

Until next time.