Yoo 509 - On The Bike Again

The weather was favorable Saturday evening and we finally went on our bike ride! We were really pathetic but it was so much fun. Stealthily changing from church clothes to padded spandex in the car, practicing with our clipless pedals in the parking lot to prevent a crash landing, and taking turns announcing how much we hurt every mile.

Ahhhh, on the road bike again.

We just rode along the greenway trail to avoid hills and so we'd be closer to our dinner after. Like I said, pathetic.

But it was beautiful. Golden hour and my favorite person leap-frogging on a bike with me.

We tried to make "fancy" New York-style pizza after. This required making the dough before and letting it sit over-night. Can you believe my resolve??

I still need some practice with the crust and we both agreed it needed a lot more cheese, but like most things after a bike ride, it was edible.

I'm toying with the idea of getting one of those Springer bike attachments so Roscoe can go along with us. But I have my doubts on how well-behaved our crazy puppy would be...and neither of us is volunteering to be on the bike to try it.

More stories from a canoe trip with dork dog later.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 506 - Raining On My Plans

I finally got a new phone this week...and it actually has the functionality to make phone calls and take pictures! Unlike the last one I'd been using for a year and a half.

Woohoo!

Hence all the lower-quality phone pictures included in this post.

So, story time from the weekend. It's been over a year since the Gregman and I have gone on a bike ride together. And we say all the time "We really need to go on a bike ride." Just like that, it's very exciting. Well Saturday morning, I decided it was time to get it done. I busted out the bikes, spent a couple hours getting them all tuned up (roscoe helped), and loaded them up in the car.

 ^^ proof this happened ^^

The plan was to go for a ride in the evening right after our temple shift.

Until, at the end of our shift, I felt the rumble and boom of thunder, followed closely by a torrential downpour on the roof.

Of course it rained and soaked the streets. You're welcome San Antonio! I promise you it wouldn't have rained if I hadn't been planning something outside. We weren't about to take our skinny tires on the wet roads so we settled for Taco Cabana and a trip to the dog park. At least Roscoe was muddy and happy.

Then earlier this afternoon, on a walk to see a friend in a nearby senior living center, it started pouring on us unexpectedly. It was nothing but blue skies when we left! Texas weather can be so bipolar.

(also, dad, you'll be equally offended by this. i was wearing a huskers shirt and one of the ladies at the senior living center pointed to my shirt and asked if it said "trash" with a sly smile!! she wouldn't even tell me where she was from so i could retort! greg got a kick out of that...)

Now a couple things from the furry (and shedding) section.

 

 ^^ another one bites the dust ^^

^^ if he wasn't 80 lbs i would pick him up and cuddle him forever ^^

^^ recovering from a run ^^

^^ roscoe wuz here ^^

Greg is currently making dinner and it smells amazing from my perch. Husbands are so attractive when they're making me food.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 359 - Weekly Mileage Report

Longest week so far. Saturday was a 7 hour training day by itself. Not including transitions. Four hours on the bike and 3 hours on the run. I was so naive when I registered for this thing! I knew it was going to be a lot of training but you don't really comprehend it until you get up before 5am on a Saturday and do nothing but bike and run until 12:30pm.

And then you think to yourself, "Wow, this is only half of what I need to build up to..."

Oy vey!

But I'm going to do it. I just keep envisioning what it will be like to cross that finish line. To have pushed and tested my limits beyond what I think is possible. There is something so raw and revealing about that kind of effort.

But only once.

After this Ironman I'm determined to go back to "normal" workouts that don't qualify as a part-time volunteer job.

A few things learned:

• Many have said it before and I will finally add my voice to the chorus: "Vaseline is your friend!"
• Having a bike computer has turned me into a cyclist. Throw numbers into the mix and suddenly it's fun!
• Runner's World has an article after my own heart: "How to Deal with Snakes". The article is one thing. What really got me was the comments!
• After long Saturday workouts, just take some Tylenol and nap. For as long as you need to. Do not try to function as a normal human being. Or plan a wedding. It is futile and potentially disastrous.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 346 - It Finally Happened

The thing I knew would happen at some point, from the very first day I installed "clipless" pedals on my bike.

That's right. I stopped without releasing my cleats and toppled over, still very much attached to the Kyoo bike.

I didn't lie there long enough for anyone take a picture, but it looked very much like this.

 via

Actually, the most embarrassing part was that I did release one foot from the pedals. But then all my weight was on the other side and I couldn't shift my body right to land on the side with the free foot. *CRASH* Right in front of a public restroom, no less.

"Disregard the amateur trying to use the bathroom over here...I got this!"

Luckily, I landed on the grass.

Unluckily, I'm sure at least a million people saw. But they all awkwardly pretended not to see, I'm sure laughing into their bike gloves as they looked away.

And then a small boy ran past and told me I had a nice bike.

It was going to happen sometime. Kind of glad it's over. That's the kind of thing you only have to experience once, right??

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 343 - Weekly Mileage Report

It doesn't look like much but this week was PROGRESS! I can say that because last week, my bike total just barely made it into the double digits...and I only ran a half-marathon. Remember, that is over the course of 7 days.

Plus, the fact that I even got a swim workout in? Major plus!

The motivation is slowly returning. Probably because I know I get to take a week off for vacation soon.

I spent my Friday night wrestling with my bike in preparation for my long Saturday ride. Did you know you can patch small tire holes with a dollar bill? True story. I'll just keep patching them and then one day, when the whole tire finally explodes...it'll go down in a momentous display of flying money.

Cool, right?

And, just to reiterate how expensive and high-maintenance road biking is, necessary bike purchases this week:  new bike seat, headlamp (i settled for just 300 lumens...the 750 lumen light cost $250...on sale!), tire tubes, new taillight.

Yeesh!

All worth it though. The seat made a world of difference on my long ride and, if I'm going to be riding in the dark, it's generally safer to see and be seen. Especially with all the darting bunnies around here...those will take you out!

I ditched meeting up with my biking group on Saturday to avoid starting my long run at noon. Something about running around in tortuously hot weather during prime weekend hours was more than I could bear. Instead I got up super early and finished most of my bike ride and run before my mind woke up and realized what I was doing.

My "day" started at 5am and by 9:30am I was half-way thru my run and having fantasies about jumping into the pool. That got me thru the last hour and oh was it sweet relief to finally jump in!

This Ironman training is no joke. I haven't even hit my long days yet...

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 342 - An Excuse

I woke up this morning with no motivation.

NONE.

I had more desire to go to work than I did to go on my planned 40-mile bike ride and 14-mile run. Even toyed with the idea for half an hour while I tried to focus on my scripture study.

Sometimes this happens before a long Saturday workout. But I pushed thru it like I always try to do, gathering up my gear and driving 30 minutes out to where my bike group was meeting.

And the whole way there I tried desperately to firmly set my mind on starting and finishing my workout, despite every fiber in my being not wanting to.

But then I discovered a gaping (gaping i tell you!) hole as I was putting my bike together. And came to a sudden, drastic conclusion.

Clearly the universe wants me to lay aside plans and go to the beach today.

TO THE BEACH!

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 331 - Thanger

Sometimes your day "ends" with a little cry tantrum in the car because you're stuck in construction trying to get to Costco before they close to get a piece of pizza.

You really want that piece of pizza.

In fact, you've been fixating on it for 24 hours. And you just finished a bike ride and decided your world cannot continue until you eat that for dinner.

*whiney voice* "I just want a piece of pizza!" *whimper* *rest head on steering wheel*

And then your day really ends when you kick yourself and say "Buck it up, soldier, if this is all you've got to cry about then you've got it pretty good."

But only after you've eaten that piece of pizza...

If you've never seen thanger before, that's it. Tired + Hungry resulting in Anger. Not the shiniest moments in my life.

Here's to hoping my Thursday will be better fed and rested! (and yours, too).

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 322 - While Procrastinating My Taxes

Those aren't due till Tuesday, right?

Plenty of time.

So, while I wasn't calculating my break-even with the IRS...

Happens to the best of us, right?

Check out.

This tree.

It tied itself into a knot! Coolest find on my long run yesterday.

I made a cheesecake for one of my favoritest ladies at work. And not just any cheesecake. No. This cheesecake required the purchase and use of a spring form pan...and had to be baked. I even crushed the graham crackers and painstakingly lined the crust all along the sides! It was worth it though. Turned out amazing and was de. voured.

So the next time you're craving cheesecake, I'll hook you up.

I bought a bike.

These are the best shots the Gregographer got of it. In his defense, I'm really fast. Haha! Actually, I handed him the camera on the wrong setting. Also, he was frustrated that his new bike had yet another flat tire. (120 psi in that tube and i was the lucky person standing there when it exploded).

I spent over 3 hours at the bike store impatiently waiting for the salespeople to put pedals on every bike so I could test ride. And then I stood there, staring at 3 different bikes for an hour trying to make up my mind. It's a big decision! I finally went with the one I loved but now I'm not so sure I love the colors so it's up in the air whether I'll keep it or not.

And last but not least, my favorite animal photo bombs.

I know at least Morgan will laugh at these with me...

 via

And this one.

via

What was that? Get off pinterest and get my taxes done?

Ugh. Fine!

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 313 - 180 On A No Good Very Bad Day

(a bowl full of candy. this is what my day was NOT.)

I wish all days would flip a 180 like today did. It started out as a no good, very bad day.

I was soundly asleep at 2:30 this morning, like most of civilization around me, when the Katiefriend decided her packing and preparation for a trip could be procrastinated no longer. I was awoken by the rumbling of my bed as the washer in the next room hit its spin cycle.

It's a rather vicious spin cycle.

Couple that with the bright hallway light beams streaming in around the door, a running shower, and rustling about with doors opening and closing...try as I might there would be no further shut-eye.

While I was all ANGRY BEAR about it at the time and for most of the morning, I can be reasonable once given enough hours to calm down and return to rational thought.

And I'm pleased to report that I'm over it now. Sometimes the Kyoo does dumb things. Sometimes the Katiefriend does dumb things. We move on and laugh about it later.

And so move on I did. Right to work before 5am. (new record)

I figured I might as well be productive while I was wide awake.

Those early hours in the office were seething. Nothing was going right with my code and I wanted to be in bed.

I couldn't stay awake during my later morning meetings.

And everyone was nagging me for this and that.

Hello people! I'm in bitter Kyoo mode! Headphones are on and human contact is to be kept to a minimum! All non-emergency inquiries can be postponed until Monday!

No one got that memo.

But then, after a lengthy walk with the Alishafriend, I commanded ABOUT FACE! And do you know what? The day listened, of all things!

I popped a handful of cinnamon bears into my mouth and felt sunshine return to the void. Then I got to spend the afternoon just chilling with a couple of my favorite pups. And the evening bike shopping with my Gregcyclist. (he's now the proud owner of a shiny new road bike, for the record).

But. BUT! The bestest of the best was coming home to discover that I, really and truly, had won a giveaway. On Nat The Fat Rat's blog, no less. (scroll right on down there and you'll see my measly entry...how i actually won i will never know). Nat's blog is a random one I read often because it's funny, helpful, and, honest to goodness, I can even get thru the more lengthier of posts while still enjoying myself and thinking "she speaks the truth!". Which is saying a lot.

And this time it done won me a beso limited "shopping spree" of sorts. I think?

I felt pretty stupid throwing my "dream" collection of compression running shorts, drymax socks, and a penquin biking jersey into the mix of collections with trendy clothes and spring kitchen must-haves, but it happened.

And it was worth it! Which got me thinking...maybe I should have purchased a lottery ticket this week. What with it being at $650 million and all...

(kyoo mom i am just kidding!)

Really though, why can't all bad days end like that??

(i must confess, the day did end with a little of that ^ too. but then, isn't that typical for a no good, very bad day?)

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 310 - Race Recap: Lyndon B. Johnson 100

It's fast Sunday and since I'm fantasizing about food and blogging in an attempt to keep myself out of the kitchen until church begins (i have mixed feelings about afternoon church...), let's review. On Saturday morning I ate:

• 3 1/4 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• 2 packages of GU chomps
• 7 orange quarters (you do the math)
• 1 banana
• 1 Stinger honey waffle (sooo good those are)
• 6 vanilla creme sandwich cookies
• a raisin

 In between that gorge fest I also biked 85 miles.

And worked on my tan lines. They're progressing quite nicely. Neapolitan legs? Back in style here.

When I signed up for this bike tour, I really had no intention of biking the 85-mile route. There were 10-mile and 20-mile and 30-mile and 42-mile and 62-mile options, as well.

I've never biked more than 30 miles in one day so 42 seemed like a manageable stretch goal.

SALAD.

But it was perfect biking weather and there's this little voice always screaming in my head that I'm convinced hates me. Yesterday it was all nagging like "Why can't you go 85-miles? Where else do you have to be? That lady's biking the 85-mile route and she's at least 40 years older than you. It'll be like you're cheating yourself if you don't at least try...". 

It's really the most ridiculous, irrational of voices. Yet it won again.

You know what else is ridiculous? The fact that I bought cycling gloves specifically for this bike tour, the night before, and then forgot them yesterday.

These were beautiful, gel padding in the palms, and everything else that is goodly and lovely about cycling gloves, gloves.

My hands were so tired. My whole body was so tired of being on that bike. But especially my hands. Oh how I wanted those gloves!

HILLS.

Was the narcissistic Kyoo in love with the fact that they printed her name on the bib??

YES.

That one's going in the keepsake folder.

Sometimes I wish I could turn that voice off. And sit on the couch on Saturdays watching Netflix.

But then I'd miss out on fields of bluebonnets and port-a-potties and the camaraderie of 1500 bike nerds.

And driving on RESTRICTED tarmac on Lyndon B. Johnson's presidential ranch (now a National Park).

Next time you're looking for a fun, well-supported bike tour in the Hill Country: LBJ 100.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 291 - I Am Not A Cyclist

I met up with a few guys from work for a group bicycle ride today.

It was everything I expected it to be.

They looked like this:

I did not. I was wearing my one and only generic yellow bicycle jersey, (same one i got in canada years ago at mec...elizabeth!), massively diapered bike shorts, a mismatched helmet, and no gloves.

Oh, and I broke my sport sunglasses on the way there so I had to resort to my bright green aviators, too.

(one and the same)

Also, and maybe this is just me, I feel like a dork wearing a yellow bicycle jersey. Like everyone is judging me. "Who does she think she is, Lance Armstrong?".  Like it's just reserved for The Tour, or something. Never again will I buy a yellow bicycle jersey.

But back to the point.

They were riding these:

I felt like I was riding this:

(they advised me to cut the streamers off before the ride...something about aerodynamics? i think it helped...)

(and just for the kyoodad...i'm kidding...you're old road bike is performing like a champ!)

I'm sure they, with their massively muscled bike legs, viewed the route like so:

While I, with my massive but not muscled legs, viewed it more like so:

(except stack that picture on top of itself 5 times and then repeat 50 times)

For some reason I looked at their list of scheduled rides and thought the one marked "Very Difficult" and nicknamed the "Hills of Terror" by seasoned riders was a good first ride to join them for.

Go Kyoo!

The whole 90 minutes was terribly exhausting and terribly exhilarating at the same time. I loved being on the bike and conquering hill after hill but I couldn't stop thinking "112 miles of this...and then a marathon...112 miles of this...and then a marathon?!"

It hit me a lot little more tonight.

But they're a great group of riders and pushed me waaaaaay more than I would have pushed myself. So it was good. And the hill country sunset was amazing! As we regrouped back at our vehicles they told me I was quite the trooper. I'm new to this but I'm guessing that's bike speak for "nice try". I thanked them for waiting for me.

It was kind of a slice of humble pie and when I saw the Gregbeau later I let out a "What was I thinking??" exclamation to which he echoed with a "What were you thinking??" exclamation and that was about the end of that sob fest.

Mostly because my phone started playing Ace of Base and that got us sidetracked on the most random of musical journeys with friends like Avril Lavigne and Boston and Veggie Tales and even a tiny bit of Backstreet Boys in there.

Hardly worth mentioning on the blog but I just did.

(also hardly worth mentioning but happening anyways...) I had Costco frozen yogurt for dinner. (you're loving this play by play, i'm sure of it). And I was resorting to counting out pennies to pay for it except I ended two short. And I almost panicked but the Costco dude was nice and still went thru with the sale...though I suspect he didn't fill the cup as full...

It was hardly the dinner of champions. I need to work on that.

And did I mention I'm not a cyclist? I really need to work on that, too.

Have a great day :-)

Yoo 273 - Clipless bike pedals

I began the bike portion of my Ironman training today. Probably long overdue. I'm fairly confident with the swim and the run...but that bike. Just thinking about it makes me ache.

The Katiefriend overheard me mulling about biking at one point and offered to kick me in the crotch every morning as preparation for sitting on a bike seat all day. She thinks it would substitute for hours of training. I had to decline. {Im}Politely. Though I'll admit it's hard to be skeptical about the effectiveness of that approach...


Instead I ventured into the REI last Saturday, bought the clipless pedals I've been eying for a while, and set to fixing up my dad's old road bike.

Today's goal was to install the pedals on my bike, add the cleats to my bike shoes (that I've owned for over 2 years now and still haven't put to use...), and wear my padded bike shorts for over an hour. Kind of like diaper training?

Baby steps.

I mean, just getting the bike out of my kitchen and on the road was a big (baby) step! It's been the eyesore of my house since Christmas. Well, that and the dead plant. I walk into my house every day, see that plant, think "I should replace that plant", and then get over it and move on with my evening.

It's so much of a ritual now, I think the plant will have to stay. I mean, I might miss it more than I would enjoy the looks of a live plant.  The dead one's just a part of the family now. And I kind of have this thing for dead plants. In college I bought a miniature rose bush, only to have it die a few weeks later during finals week. (neglect...it was a necessary sacrifice). But I felt bad about it and kept the potted plant skeleton as decor for the next few semesters. I just couldn't part with the thing. (his name was jake).

But back to the bike.

Installing the cleats and pedals took all of 15 minutes. I was kind of disappointed because I was expecting it to be an ordeal and give me a good blog story but no such luck. A couple rice crispies and a screwdriver and the job was done.

(if you read between the lines, the instructions did suggest eating 2 rice crispies for dinner, while installing, for best results. i wanted best results.)

Seeing as how I had planned on playing bike shop for a significant portion of the evening, I took this freed up time to do some actual riding. I figured that might be slightly more effective than walking around in bike shorts all evening.

It took me a few standing practice tries to get used to the "clipping-in" of the "clipless" pedals (don't get me started on that...if something makes a distinctive "click" sound, there is clipping involved! but maybe that's just me...). But, after 5 minutes, I was ready to hit the trail.

Have I ever mentioned that sometimes I go a little overboard? Maybe once or twice? Yeah, well, tonight was no exception. I got on that bike and it was such a great feeling. The pedals are crazy good! Being able to "pull up" on the pedal makes tackling hills seem almost effortless...and kind of fun...and I can keep a good speed. It's like I was one with the bike....meditative hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm...and it made for a really good ride. Until I realized how far I'd gone...oops!

So, over two hours later, I finally made it back. I think for a first training ride, it was pretty successful. I haven't put more than 2 miles at a time on my bike since September though so we'll see how I feel in the morning!

Now excuse me while I go nurse feeling back into my lower extremities.

Have a great day :-)