T3 Group Ride

I got to go on my second T3 group ride today and it was great. My work schedule is changed around for these two weeks because of the head doctor going on vacation, and that is just fine with me! It gives me two Saturdays off in a row, which I plan on spending the morning at the group rides. So today’s ride was Kiker to Fitzhugh, which is the same ride as I did on the first group ride I went on back in February. We met at 7 am, and it was already hot and sticky, though overcast. I got my stuff together, chatted with some other T3ers- it was a sparse group because 60+ people are at IM CDA along with all the coaches. But it’s nice to have a smaller group to get to know, and it’s not as intimidating.

So at 7:30 we were off, and while I didn’t get dropped before leaving the parking lot, I only made it to the stoplight at Slaughter before losing all contact with the group. I was planning on 20, maybe 25 if I went to 71. I remembered the route, and toughed it up the hills on the way out, and was almost to the 20 mile route turnaround at Circle when the two new women I’d met passed me coming back and invited me to join them, so I did. And it was nice on the way back because I was able to hang with them. There were two pretty nasty hills coming back, but having other people around makes such a difference because you’re looking at them, watching their cadence, or talking, and it just passes the time and miles much faster.

And then we were back- about 1:50 total, and there were still a few cars out of the 30 and 50 milers. We chatted for a bit and then headed on. I would love to get a regular group ride with breakfast afterwards to make it even more social, but it didn’t happen today. I came home, showered, ate some breakfast tacos, and then on to the couch for a nice nap with golf in the background. I love Saturdays when I don’t have to work!

Three hours is not enough

So I researched what the Biggest Loser contestants to to work out, and it seems they average four hours a day, 75% of that being cardio, 25% weight training. They aim for working off 3500 calories or one lb a day, and they can judge that with the Bodybugg armbands (which cost $300!) And it's mainly by themselves. Working out with the Jillian and Bob is special, mainly for filming, because the trainers are doing multiple shows and other things and are not available for every workout. And they learn some good routines that they can take back home before the big finale, where it's a minimum of 4 hours a day.

So, just for kicks, I've been trying to do something similar on days that I'm not working, and to try 1-2 hours on days that I am working. And not only is it physically tough, mentally, it is hard to stay focused for that long, even if you do multiple different activities. Even with the charity bike ride, it was 4.5 one day and 2.5 the next, and that doesn't hit the 4 hour average and was all cardio, and I was toast! And yesterday I did 1 hour spin, 1 hour body pump, and 1 hour Hash run. And that still is an hour short! I've been tracking on sparkpeople, which a cool, free website.

The professional triathletes (and other professional athletes of any type I'm sure) do similar length workouts, where they swim 2 hours in the morning, eat, take a nap, and then run 2 hours in the evening, or whatever. That they break the day up into sessions, with lots of napping. I'm definitely down for the napping! And not having a real job helps with that too.

Anyway, it's been an interesting experiment, and an eye opener, to think that as much as I work out, it doesn't even touch what it takes to drop weight like the Biggest Loser people or to be as fast as the pros.

The last point of all of this, Longhorn official training doesn't start until 7/5, because they believe a 16 week training plan is all that is needed, and to concentrate longer than that leads to burnout. So in the four weeks until 7/5, coach told us to have fun, and play, before the real work starts. So that's why yesterday I did all the Gold's workouts and the Hash run. I want to keep up my base level of fitness, but experiment. Other things I want to do- Schlitterbahn, kayak (please rain!), beach, Body Jam, hike the greenbelt, go camping, and Schlitterbahn again. Good times!

Motivation

With every step I am moving closer to my goal.

360 ride

Loop 360 is a favorite bike ride for Austinites for the wide shoulders and big hills. I have done small portions of it, but the hills have been intimidating, as well as the ramps where the highway traffic enters and exits. But S was looking to ride on Sunday morning, and she was game for a ride on 360, having ridden it a couple of times.

So 8 am, we meet at Barton Square mall and head out northbound on 360. The hills are tough- even in my smallest gear, I'm struggling, going 7-8 mph uphill. But there are a couple of big downhills, which are scary, but a nice change from the pushing. We planned on going out for 45 minutes, and turning around, and since S climbs better, we developed a routine where she drops me on the climbs, but I catch up on the downhills, and we stay together on the flats. It seems to work pretty well. And on the first downhill I hit 42.6 mph!

We turn around about a mile from 183, feeling good, but a little concerned about how hard the hills will be on the way back. Immediately we notice there's a big wind- probably 20 mph, gusting to 25. I certainly didn't notice it northbound, but it feels strong now. And the hills are just brutal. I never had to walk, but there were some really bad points going 3 mph and hurting. And the flats all feel like false flats because of the wind, and the downhills don't feel as long. It's a long way back to the cars.

So it was tough, but I think it is a good marker- 22 miles in about 2 hours. I would like to come back, maybe once a month, to ride it and compare. I know climbing is a weakness, and this will definitely help me improve, or kill me. Either way I will change!

Excitement on my street

This morning when I went out to get my paper, I noticed my neighbor's car was parked at an odd angle in her driveway. This neighbor is the main caretaker of a man in a wheelchair, and there are usually 2-3 other helpers at the house at any one time. As I looked closer, I saw that the rear bumper was damaged, with debris spread over the yard. I walked over to investigate, and one of the helpers was coming out, and I asked him what happened. He looked groggy, and said he didn't know. And then he said "my truck's been stolen." Hmm.

Turns out, at 3 am, a car was speeding down my street and my house is at the inward point of a shallow curve. He jumped my curb, drove across my driveway, missing my car by about 3 feet. He missed the large 12 passenger van in front of her house before crashing in to her little car and the helper's truck, and missed running over a fire hydrant too. The driver left his car, ran down the street to his own house a block away, followed by an across the street neighbor who was awake. The driver was taking his clothes off as he ran, apparently so no one could see him. The across the street neighbor called the police to the driver's house, and they took him to jail for DUI and marijuana possession.

The police tried to wake up the neighbor, but with the ventilator running in the house, they couldn't hear. So the police hauled away the driver's car, the helper's totaled truck, leaving the little car, and a fourth vehicle, the handicapped van, with front end damage. And I slept through it all. I slept poorly last night, got up around 3 to go to the bathroom, and I can sort of remember a dream of some noise of a loud car, but it's hard to tell if that is real or I am inventing it after the fact.

So one drunk and/or high 25 year old guy caused a lot of damage. Luckily, no one was injured- he had some minor scrapes. He could have hit and killed someone. He could have crashed into my house, or my neighbor's house. So far he's being held for two misdemeanor charges- DUI and reckless driving- only $7000 bail. He has no insurance, and could be cited for that, plus leaving the scene of a crime, and marijuana possession. And how bizarre. My poor neighbors- sleeping in their own home, and this guy just wrecks three of their vehicles. Hopefully their insurance will cover it, or sue the guy for damages. Of course, he's probably unemployed and has no money. What a mess.

But again, he could have killed someone, or wrecked into a house. So I am grateful he did not. Small blessings.

Tour de Cure

This past weekend I rode in the Tour de Cure. This is a two day charity bike ride that starts in San Antonio, overnights in San Marcos, and ends in Austin. I had signed up at the Blanco ride, mainly because the Tour de Cure people were manning a rest stop and gave me a ride after I broke a spoke, so I hated to say no. Turns out, I love charity rides! They are the right speed for me- slow! Or really, go at your own speed and catch up at rest stops, or meet up at the end. And they are raising money for a good cause. And they have pretty nice people overall.

So this started Saturday morning at 3 am, when I got up to head to Akins for a bus to San Antonio. I had plenty of time because even though they said absolutely leaving at 4:45 am, we didn't leave until after 5 am. A long bus ride, mainly because the English couple behind me talking the entire ride. Do they not talk at home? Why do they have to do it when everyone is trying to sleep?

In San Antonio, put my bag on the luggage truck, aired up my tires, and waited for the ride to start at 8 am. There were three options: 15, 53, or 80, and I chose the 53. And it was great. There were rest stops about every 10 miles, so it was ride 45 minutes, take a 15 minute break. And it really wasn't that hilly, so that was good, plus it was cloudy, so a little cooler. And I met up with some Austin friends at the rest stops, so that was fun. Talking to people on the ride and at rest stops- 99% of the people were super nice and friendly. The only assholes- the guy on the bus that wouldn't let me sit next to him, and the Draft team that cut in line at the bike pump. In San Marcos, at the end were the worst two hills of the day, and then I was done.

The only problems were the bug bites/ boils/ blisters I had all over my hands and feet from the ranch last week. Those were really uncomfortable. And then with the weird getting up, bus, waiting around, etc, I didn't drink enough water early on, and by the end, I had gotten really dehydrated. And off the bike, my feet were killing me, plus the sun came out and it got up to about 90. So I hobbled around, getting my dorm room, arranging my stuff, a short massage on the legs, and then thankfully, a cool shower and a nap. The dorm was a suite, and the other girl was from San Antonio with a group of other cyclists who were all drinking beer in the hall, like college students. So I hung out with them and that was fun. We all went to dinner together- they had BBQ, a comedian, music, and awards. And then back to the hall for the rest of the beer and in bed by 9.

The next day, I was feeling rough. My feet hurt the worst, but generally just tired. I had the option of 25, 58, and 80, and I had wanted to the 58. But the way I was feeling, plus having to drive to Dallas directly afterwards, steered me towards the 25. And the first 10 miles were slow and stiff- a little more hilly on Sunday. And then I warmed up and was feeling great, and really kicking myself that I didn't do the 58. Bummer.

At the end, Freebirds burritos and Bluebell, another short massage, and then packed up and headed home for another cool, wonderful shower. So overall, no butt soreness, and no sunburn, which I had worried about more. And to learn for next time to expect to feel crappy early on the second day, but that goes away. And I am ready to do another one. MS 150 is not until April, though there is a San Antonio MS 150 in October, plus Hotter than Hell in August. I just don't want to compromise Longhorn training. But long rides are needed for training, and charity rides have nice, supported rides, plus not riding by myself is a big plus. I'll have to do a little more research on that.

And on to Dallas for a nice visit with my sister for her birthday.

Creedmore Cruise

Nice bike ride this morning, though to get to the pretty and mostly empty country roads, I have to go down some busy ones. 1327 has nice wide shoulders, but it leads to the county dump facility, so tons of garbage trucks go by, kicking up a lot of dirt. And Slaughter Lane is always a little nerve wracking, even though it has a bike lane. But cool weather, birds singing, and a mild breeze made for a pleasant morning.

Though I had a close call on S 1st when a truck behind me didn't give me the right of way turning left, and instead decided to try to pass me from behind in the intersection because he wanted to go straight. He forced me off my bike and came within an arm's length of me. That was scary, and it makes me angry that these oblivious drivers in metal boxes think they own the road. I don't agree with the aggressive downtown bikers that run red lights and pass in between cars either- I think they're wrong too. But perhaps a little courtesy and following the law by both drivers and cyclists would be a good thing. And when you're behind the wheel of a potential deadly weapon, then you need to pay attention and yield the right of way to the vehicle in front so you don't kill someone!