Chivalry still lives

I can't say it exists everywhere. I witness it on occasion, but not often.

Last night I went on the Wednesday night club ride. It is similar to the TNWs. I've clocked it at 27 miles. Now this ride hasn't moved it's start as early as many of the other evening rides, though it's longer. It's been listed as lights required. I got to the ride start, had my light and was ready. It was fairly cool, 59F and very breezy at the 6:00 start, but the sun was still shining and felt warm on your face.

I was the only female to show! No big deal. There were probably 25 or so that showed up. This ride is great fun and challenging for me. My biggest drawback for now is I need some warmer gear to wear. Booties or toe warmers are on top of the list. Next would be a few long-sleeved thin, wicking t-shirts to wear as a base layer, next a wind breaker that is rain resistent. From here I could go a little nuts with my wish list. :-)

We started out and I stayed with the lead group until that darned little inclined on Blankenbaker. I lost ground, but could see them ahead. I made up some ground on the downhill - was going about 31MPH which was great fun but felt like I was in a beer cooler with a fan on. Unfortunately, they caught the light at River Rd and I didn't. Murph reached me and we started out River Rd together. There were others behind, but I never saw them. As Murphy pulled, we chatted about the house he and his wife are trying to purchase. We ride down to the baseball stadium and start back down River Rd. As we turn onto Mockingbird I tell him that I'm going to bail at Brownsboro and head back. It's dusk and darkening quickly and the temps are dropping. When we get to the top he says that he's going back with me. I protest, because this will cut his ride short. He would have nothing to do but go with me. It was dark and he said he couldn't live with himself if something would happen. How would he feel if I had a flat an my spare tube wouldn't inflate? Let alone something worse. There wasn't anything I could do or say except, "thanks, Murph".

Once we got back to the start, he took off to see if he could find any of the others and get some more miles in. It was pitch dark. I really was glad that he rode back with me. But I am a grown up with a cell phone and can handle myself.

I had 18.5 miles in 1:16 minutes. Not exactly Speedy Gonzales, but my legs were happy.

Good to look back and reflect

I was looking at the club stat sheet last night. There are still rides happening through the end of the month and some have not been posted. I have 98 rides for 2500+ miles since April. I can't complain about that. I rode several on my own or with Dixie that aren't in that total.

Pretty cool for someone that quit smoking after 35 years. I was a cheerleader and ran track in high school. That has helped me come back as well as I have I think. I am so happy that I have been able to undo some of that damaging behavior.

Anyone can do anyting if they believe they can and work for it.

Training for next month

Yesterday was the first true recovery ride I've done. Met Dixie and the club guys at the church. Monday night recovery route was going to do 2 loops through the park, which meant Dog Hill and Hogan's Hill twice. Dixie said we need to skip the hills and just ride so that's what we did. We rode with the club until the first ascent and turned around. We rode 19 mile, which is 7 miles further than the club ride, but took it easy. Felt great after and through the night.

We met today at Thurman Hutchins park like last week. She put her aero bars on her bike and adjusted mine. We rode down River Road to Indian Hills. Turned onto Country Club road and went all the way to the top. I worried that someone was going to chase us off the property. They have signs posted everywhere, no trepassing, no joggers, cyclists, etc. The few we saw were cool and waved at us. :-) We rode back down and did Indian HIlls three times. Then we took Arrowhead to the right, next we took Arrowhead to the left - this had some grade. Finished with Indian hills one last time. I can feel that I'm getting stronger. It's still tough stuff.

Dixie was great. Telling me to relax, work on breathing easy, keep my heart from burning up too fast. She gave me several tips. Talked about the road race and things to expect. Practice starting from a slow pace, not too slow to have to unclip, Stand and get to a speed I'm ready to ride at and then sit. Make sure my gearing is right. So much more, but I can't give away everything. ;-)

I need to spin in the trainer tomorrow, even though I'm "off". I have to get used to the aero bars, find a comfort zone.

Thursday will be more hill repeats. Friday is off night. Saturday and Sunday will see 2 rides each days. Saturday will be hillly rides. All weekend rides will be 30 miles or less. I need to gauge being in the saddle, like I will be on race day, throughout the day. Need to make sure I understand what nutrition works as well as hydration. I'm wondering about down time and then warm up time. I'm sure it will all come together.

Full moon is approaching. Wonder what crazy things will happen?

Post script: I had an almost overwhelming urge to smoke a cigarette today. Took a walk around the builiding. It worked.

Just a little anxious

Tomorrow is my visit to the Pulmonary specialist. We'll have another breathing test and compare it to the first 3. One year ago was when I got to see the results of the first 3 tests. A life changing event. Thank goodness for that! Thank goodness for Chantix.

I am tobacco free, but I still have to make a daily decision to remain that way. It's scary how some events trigger emotions that automatically make me think about lighting up.

This week was great as far as cycling goes. I rode my first 30 miles in a single ride. The weather turned cold and rainy for the weekend. I resorted to the trainer. But upon reviewing my log, I rode 8 hours and 45 minutes this week. The most I've logged in a single week. Yesterday saw 1:45 minutes and I rode for 2 hours today.

Tomorrow is the Skirt ride. I plan on taking my bike with me to work, but logistics will be interesting with my appt. at the end of the day, this test takes additional time. I'm waiting to see what the plan is for the ride. They are all starting at 6:00. I don't want to miss, because I missed last week.

I've been trying to take time to thank some people that have inspired me. I found a blog titled Maggie's Mind that has continued to be supportive and helpful (though I think I gain 5 pounds when I read her recipes). My BFF, because if it wasn't for her deciding to quit I may still be puffing away. A friend and colleague that is a triathlete, and is more ambitious and gung-ho about fitness and training than anyone I've met. Another friend and colleague that joined me on my first group ride. My sister, my husband and my girls for saying the right things at the right times.

I also have noticed that I've hardly taken an aspirin, Tylenol, or Aleve in the last 6 months. All this movement, healthier diet, weight loss and who knows what else has made my joints stop hurting and swelling.

I have lots of goals I've been able to add to my list now that I can breath. I'm sure I'll be writing about those in the near future.

What to say, no complaints here!

We've been so fortunate! Warm day, overcast and threatened rain, never did. Winds were gusting at least 25 mph. Since I didn't have my bike with me at work I couldn't ride in town.

I've decided that I need to find a little used route around my hours for weekend evenings. Can't do Routte Rd or Kingschurch. People are tired and not as alert. If you happend to have the sun low in the sky, that can be even worse.
So I wussed and took the trainer out to the patio and rode a fairly easy 60 minute spin. Found some tightness behind my knees as well an this right hip-flexor. I should've worked it harder, but guess we'll get to do a workout on the trainer tomorrow. What a way to spend Friday night!

It's getting colder and thunderstorms starting tomorrow. It's a shame since it's Thunder weekend.

Skirts did hill repeats last night. Oli said til they almost threw up. Sounds like fun! :-) I'm gonna try and be there next week.

Had a nice chat with my oldest daughter on the way home tonight. We talked about politics, hunger, culture, some deep stuff. I'm not sure we have ever had such a stimulating conversation. Another evolution in this adventure.

Skirt Ride #2

I'm not sure it if qualifies as a Skirt ride, technically. You tell me:

Life is an adventure, you just never know what's gonna happen, what might be right around the corner, etc. I took a vacation day on Monday. I really needed a mental health day. Hadn't had one in months. Mostly I vegged and looked forward to my Skirt ride with the ladies. I had a 20+mile drive to the ride. Planned on leaving an hour ahead of start time, but got out of the house about 10 minutes behind schedule. I'm driving down Interstate-64 and there's a wreck around Cannon's Lane. Traffic was slow, but moving so I got off at Cannon's. Mistake, this was bumper to bumper for at least a mile. I started worrying about getting to the ride start on time. I called my Bro who knows how to get most anywhere in the city and took some pointers from him.

Whew, I get to the ride start about 10 minutes til 6. Get my bike and gear in order and meet the ladies. We had a nice turn out. I didn't do an official count (should have), but think there were at least a dozen to fifteen. There were supposed to be 3 groups. One would stay in Seneca/Cherokee and do the loops there. The other two were going to Iroquois with the faster doing the hill and the slower group wouldn't.

It was beautiful weather. Seventy degrees at 6 pm ride start with a few clouds in the sky overhead, but the sunshine was everywhere. We leave Cycler's and head to Seneca Park. The first group stays behind and we proceed to Eastern Parkway. We are in one big group, not two. Never really split off or discussed who would be in which one, at least not that I was aware. All is going well and we get to the intersection of Bardstown Rd. This is where I need work. I'm getting to the traffic signal and the rest of the group makes the light. I didn't make the light. So I'm at this fairly busy intersection watching the rest of the group get further and further away. The light changed, I clipped in and pedalled as hard as I could. I could see the group at the next intersection. This happened for three different intersections with traffic lights. After the third, I never saw them again. Period.

At some point I realise that I don't have my fast acting inhaler with me. I start thinking about that and realise I have at least 7 miles to go to get to Iroquois and then at least 10 to get back. I've lost my group. Hmm. The weather was good. My lungs felt clear. I had taken my Advair before leaving home along with a couple of puffs on the inhaler. (I always do that prior to real exertion). I had done my homework, studied the ride route on Google Maps, know my way around Jefferson County fairly well and decided to continue on. Why spend all that gas money to what, go home? I think not!

It was so good to spend time outside in warm temps and sunshine. So many people were out and about, pushing strollers, playing catch with the kids, running, jogging, cycling, washing cars. The route followed Eastern Parkway to Third Street which turns into Southern Parkway. Louisville has a beautiful park system. The parkways are 4 lane roads separated by a median with mature trees. At Southern Parkway, on either side of the road are smaller access roads that have (for the most part) been barriers in place preventing vehicle traffic, but allowing pedestrian and bicycle traffic. All along the way people smiled and acknowledged each other.

Iroquois has a lower road that loops the entire park, a 1.5 mile road that leads to the upper loop on Iroquois Hill. And the the upper loop road. By the time I got to the park I had already decided that if I was to do the hill, 1 - I wasn't going to see the others and 2 - I might run out of daylight before getting back as clouds were starting to float in from the west/northwest. I decide to ride around the lower loop and did about 1/3 of it before turning around and heading back.

The ride back seemed easier. At least the Southern Parkway to Eastern Parkway portion. Guess my legs had really warmed up. I was in my big ring most of the time and had a nice cadence of 95 RPM or more. I get to Eastern Parkway and I was going way too fast for the turn at the viaduct. Went a little wide, but all turned out okay. I'm working my way down Eastern Parkway, feeling really good. I've finally gotten a rhythm at the traffic signals. I'm unclipping my left foot and leaving my right one clipped. Still not terribly graceful getting the left clipped back in, but it was getting more and more smooth. I get to the Medical Arts Building intersection and hit a red light. This really hurt. I had to start climbing that hill from a dead stop. I made it, though slow. One of those moments I am so happy to have a "granny" ring. As I enter Cherokee Park I notice most cars have their headlights on and I start to get a little concerned, but I am closing in on Cycler's Cafe. Hoagland Hill was a little tough, but Dog Hill wasn't bad at all. Making my way down Cannon's Lane and then Lexington Road all I could do was think pedal faster. All cars had their headlights on now. The sky was almost full of clouds which were blocking what little daylight was left.

I pull in right about 7:50. There were 3 cyclists chatting from the ride. That was an interesting conversation. But I told the ride captain not to worry. I had been prepared. But next time we probably need to have a better system in place in case we have some inexperienced people that aren't quite so well prepared with knowing the route, etc.

I learned a few things. I need more work on my stop and starts, clipping in and out. I need to get some more miles behind me along with more hill work. I need to stay with the group and in the group, not at the back. Sometimes I just have to learn the hard way. Those seem to be the best lessons learned. I completed 25 miles so my ODO said, it took me close over and hour an da half to do it, probably closer to 1:45. That's okay. I spent plenty of time at red lights. One, I sat through 3 before getting a green.

Last week was 8 months tobacco free. I was riding about 10 minutes at a time on the stationary bike in June of 2007. I have come a very, very long way. But I'm not satisfied. I want to get stronger, faster, and keep building lung capacity.
The Skirts are talking about entering a race before the month is over. I'd love to do that! I guess I could let it intimidate me and not do it. Nah, somebody has to come in last. I have no problem if it's me, the first few times anyway. Because I know at some point, I won't be last anymore.

Girls ride

A friend sent me an email late Sunday evening from a yahoogroup. Ok, first I thought it was odd because he sent this from PurpleRides, group about women cycling. I'm still not sure why he joined this group, but I have to say that I'm glad he did and that he shared the information with me.

A younger cyclist has put together a ride for Monday evenings for women. She's planning to group people based on ability and interest/goals. About a dozen women showed for the "Meet and greet". Not everyone brought their bikes with them and so we only had about 8 that rode. We did a couple of small loops around the soccer fields and tennis courts, then rode 2 loops around Seneca and Cherokee parks. It was a lot of fun getting to know some new women that enjoy riding. I need to learn to ride with groups. Having spent most of my riding by myself it is nice to have someone to talk and ride with. Niki complimented me on not being too shy to get close to other cyclists. She said that we should be comfortable enough to place our hand on another's shoulder, arms stretched. Yeah, I like my hands on the bars still, but have no problem nudging in behind or riding in two's.

I think the most difficult part for me was riding the hills while starting behind others. Maybe I've developed bad habits, or just have a different way and need to learn a new method. I prefer to get a nice cadence going in a good gear before hitting the hill. It's easier for me to maintain a good cadence in this way. If I start out slow, I just go that much slower the further up the hill I go, making it more and more difficult to get to the crest. A lot of this is stamina and maybe I need to do some weight training for my legs.

We finished the first lap around both parks and decided to continue on and do a second. The temps were in the low 40s and I started out worrying about the cool weather. But standing outside waiting for everyone meet and then chatting for a short while, I think this helped my lungs acclimate to the cooler temps. My lungs had no wheezing issues during the ride. This is not to say that I didn't have times where I was breathing fairly heavily. I was! especially on those hills. I pulled another DUH Sherri. We were coming up to a stop sign and I only unclipped one shoe. Lost my balance and went Kerplunk on my left side. Buggered my knee up very nicely. :-) Oh well, I'm sure this will be very small compared to other injuries I manage to have in the future.

Next week plans are to ride to Iroquois from Cycler's Cafe. Should be about 2 hours worth of riding, What better way to spend a Monday evening?