stress detox and Death Ride 2009
Jun. 17th, 2008 09:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threadwalkerThere is nothing quite like physical exhaustion to take the edge off of stress.
I got in from the gym at midnight feeling utterly drained and exhausted; 2 hours of running and super sets. I pre-packed my bags and laid out my bike gear and then crashed in bed. Sally and I did Wildcat Canyon this morning. Brrrrr! But we did it and I got to what I think of as "my rock" (the one I bled on last week when I fell) in 42 minutes. I am now at one with my universe and too drained to feel upset by too much.
Although Barry came into the office today to say, "Wow, you don't look like shit today. I gotta say, you looked terrible last week and you didn't laugh at anything. You look much better today."
yeah... hmm... thanks. So the yard stick is how not-shitty I look? Good thing I like Barry.
I had a near-brush with a car and came close to being run off Wildcat Canyon Rd and falling down a pretty steep decline into bushes, rocks, etc. I would have probably gone head first, too, since I was passing a portion of the road that had been eaten away. Definitely not fun. And getting my bike back up to the road would have been a TOTAL pain in the butt, assuming I wasn't too hurt to manage it. I'm very glad to miss the bragging rights of those particular scars. Besides, how embarrassing - I'd rather have scars from beating back ninjas, not being run off the road by a car.
On the other hand, this is good practice on downhill technique, too. I almost wiped out in the same 2 spots as last time... too fast, uneven road, sharp turns, back tire started to skid out from under me... the usual. I think the freak-out part is that my feet are connected to my pedals and falling becomes a totally different game when you are attached to a bike that's dragging you downhill at over 20 mph and you can't kick free. So of course I started to practice abrupt stops and skidding to see how fast I can get my feet out. Yeah... that's what I do, spit in the eyes of my fears.
Death Ride
No, I'm not even going to TRY to talk anyone else into actually doing this ride. I don't want to turn all my friends against me. Although I did note that the volunteers are called "Skeleton Crew". I almost fell out of my seat laughing - that's too cute. But if my plans work, I will be campaigning for a pit crew to feed me PB&J at pit stops and root me on. There will probably be bribes offered.
tri-training - bike and SHIRTS!!!
With Death Ride in mind, I think my current tri-training routine is going to be Wildcat Canyon (40 min of climbing; total ride 1 hr 20 min) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and then on Sunday 3 Bears (Everyone else calls it 3 Bears, I don't know why, but it's the same 2.5 hr ride of rolling hills from Orinda to Concord I did a few weeks ago). Any joiners welcome.
I got a link for making custom shirts and tank tops. I need to float this by Andrew and anyone he may have talked into joininig our Shark-athlon, "Forward Momentum" shirt would be cool with "Don't look back" on the back. And a "Roadie" version for our Loyal Support Network. Maybe we could do a space-pirate motif. Or dead man dancing thing. Or just a black dot with white skull and cross bones.
I broached the ride to F because something of this scope is probably going to take up at least half a dozen weekends of out-of-town training, which becomes a family affair.
F cringed and covered his eyes. He didn't have any idea of what it is, but suspects (correctly) that it's not easy and might be dangerous. He also wanted to know why I'd want to enter any race that has the word "death" in it and he worked on that theme for a while. Sometimes I forget how funny he is, but I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath. (too bad my ribs are still in pain from last weekend, because there was a little crying, too). All I can say is
1. Cuz the skull jersey is soooooo cool!!! Duh!!
2. I'm not sure I can do it and everyone else says it's super hard and nigh impossible. Of course I have to try.
The husband dubbed me crazy. And possibly suicidal. Maybe I am. Or maybe it's the next challenge. I did point out that there was a training camp I would try to get into and that this was probably a good milestone on my way to Ironman. Unfortunately, mentioning Ironman did not score me any sanity points. Oh, well. Maybe I am insane. But doesn't considering the possibility that I'm insane actually mean I'm not insane?
Yeah, the detox definitely worked if my brain can whirl away on all this other stuff. Hurrah for physical exhaustion.
I got in from the gym at midnight feeling utterly drained and exhausted; 2 hours of running and super sets. I pre-packed my bags and laid out my bike gear and then crashed in bed. Sally and I did Wildcat Canyon this morning. Brrrrr! But we did it and I got to what I think of as "my rock" (the one I bled on last week when I fell) in 42 minutes. I am now at one with my universe and too drained to feel upset by too much.
Although Barry came into the office today to say, "Wow, you don't look like shit today. I gotta say, you looked terrible last week and you didn't laugh at anything. You look much better today."
yeah... hmm... thanks. So the yard stick is how not-shitty I look? Good thing I like Barry.
I had a near-brush with a car and came close to being run off Wildcat Canyon Rd and falling down a pretty steep decline into bushes, rocks, etc. I would have probably gone head first, too, since I was passing a portion of the road that had been eaten away. Definitely not fun. And getting my bike back up to the road would have been a TOTAL pain in the butt, assuming I wasn't too hurt to manage it. I'm very glad to miss the bragging rights of those particular scars. Besides, how embarrassing - I'd rather have scars from beating back ninjas, not being run off the road by a car.
On the other hand, this is good practice on downhill technique, too. I almost wiped out in the same 2 spots as last time... too fast, uneven road, sharp turns, back tire started to skid out from under me... the usual. I think the freak-out part is that my feet are connected to my pedals and falling becomes a totally different game when you are attached to a bike that's dragging you downhill at over 20 mph and you can't kick free. So of course I started to practice abrupt stops and skidding to see how fast I can get my feet out. Yeah... that's what I do, spit in the eyes of my fears.
Death Ride
No, I'm not even going to TRY to talk anyone else into actually doing this ride. I don't want to turn all my friends against me. Although I did note that the volunteers are called "Skeleton Crew". I almost fell out of my seat laughing - that's too cute. But if my plans work, I will be campaigning for a pit crew to feed me PB&J at pit stops and root me on. There will probably be bribes offered.
tri-training - bike and SHIRTS!!!
With Death Ride in mind, I think my current tri-training routine is going to be Wildcat Canyon (40 min of climbing; total ride 1 hr 20 min) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and then on Sunday 3 Bears (Everyone else calls it 3 Bears, I don't know why, but it's the same 2.5 hr ride of rolling hills from Orinda to Concord I did a few weeks ago). Any joiners welcome.
I got a link for making custom shirts and tank tops. I need to float this by Andrew and anyone he may have talked into joininig our Shark-athlon, "Forward Momentum" shirt would be cool with "Don't look back" on the back. And a "Roadie" version for our Loyal Support Network. Maybe we could do a space-pirate motif. Or dead man dancing thing. Or just a black dot with white skull and cross bones.
I broached the ride to F because something of this scope is probably going to take up at least half a dozen weekends of out-of-town training, which becomes a family affair.
F cringed and covered his eyes. He didn't have any idea of what it is, but suspects (correctly) that it's not easy and might be dangerous. He also wanted to know why I'd want to enter any race that has the word "death" in it and he worked on that theme for a while. Sometimes I forget how funny he is, but I was laughing so hard I couldn't breath. (too bad my ribs are still in pain from last weekend, because there was a little crying, too). All I can say is
1. Cuz the skull jersey is soooooo cool!!! Duh!!
2. I'm not sure I can do it and everyone else says it's super hard and nigh impossible. Of course I have to try.
The husband dubbed me crazy. And possibly suicidal. Maybe I am. Or maybe it's the next challenge. I did point out that there was a training camp I would try to get into and that this was probably a good milestone on my way to Ironman. Unfortunately, mentioning Ironman did not score me any sanity points. Oh, well. Maybe I am insane. But doesn't considering the possibility that I'm insane actually mean I'm not insane?
Yeah, the detox definitely worked if my brain can whirl away on all this other stuff. Hurrah for physical exhaustion.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 05:19 pm (UTC)You may be crazy but not insane!
What kind of funeral do you want?
:^)
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 06:25 pm (UTC)Make sure you share some of my kitchen adventures. The number of times I've damaged the floor, counters and pots OR just totally misread the directions has become epic. And the time I sank Drew in pirates at the con with a little assist from you because he just didn't realize that I was bored and looking for an excuse to chase someone to the death. And the time I freaked and killed some MacTyr on the field because I forgot we were on the same side.
Yeah... If I can laugh at myself, then you better laugh at my funeral or I'll find ya and be the pixie in the works.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 08:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 08:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 08:20 pm (UTC)Come to the dark side....
Date: 2008-06-17 08:38 pm (UTC)There is also the "Near Death" thing, which is a training camp. If you do the training camp, you automatically get a reservation for the race. Since the training camp is a 3-day seminar on the actual course, I figured that would be the path of success.
Also, the family has a cabin up in Arnold, so I'm thinking 3-4 trips to train up Ebbetts pass or in the area would be good prep. (And great fun!)
I was glad to see you on Saturday. I know I probably looked distracted, but I've never "seen" you at an event. Being the lame-ass engineer that I am, if you take someone out of the environment I know them in (i.e. biking for you) I won't recognize them in the new one too easy. So I was mentally burning your image in my mind's eye.
Re: Come to the dark side....
Date: 2008-06-17 08:55 pm (UTC)I am not sure I am into the Death Ride. I am into the training rides with you part though. I was talking to my cyclist friend on the way to yoga today and she said that even her hard core friends are freaking out about it. I may not be that masochistic. A lot could change in a year though.
Did I tell you that I am moving to Sacramento in a month? I think that puts me slightly closer to you, so maybe more joint workouts can happen. I am doing the MS ride in September, and I need to start putting in the miles.
Re: Come to the dark side....
Date: 2008-06-17 09:06 pm (UTC)I didn't know you were moving. That might make you closer. In a few months I am going to invest in putting a hitch on my car so I can take my bike places more easily. I bet there are spots between Sac and Concord ripe for the riding. Fairfield/Vacaville have a ton of hills. I be we could find something out there. And, to add a benefit (I choose to think of this as a plus) training the the hellascious heat of the Sac area should really help us burn lots of calories!@#!!!
I'm totally up for joint workouts.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-17 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-18 04:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-18 04:57 am (UTC)Dang! but I feel loved!