Saturday: Another goal

Checked off the list for 2012.  I rode this bad boy to my sisters house!  It was one of my goals when we moved here.  To become proficient enough on my bike to ride to her house.  And I made it!  It was a couple of miles (almost 3) longer than I expected so I had NO problem with hitching a ride back.   It was close to 9 miles one way.

And another piece of good news is that there was NO knee or quad pain involved during or after.  So I hope that I will be back in my kicks and running the canal next week.

The rest of Saturday I spent volunteering at the basket pickup, which was fun. HOLY BANANAS.  No kidding.  Way too many bananas.  Then the bike ride and then nothing.  And I mean nothing. There was nothing to do and nothing on tv to watch (was Beth always so whiny in Cloverfield?).  Even my cupcakes came out like nothing. Which means I will have to make cookies instead.  You get the idea.

Nothing.

 

Thursday: Uninspired

I have been truly uninspired this week.  I did try to run on Thurs, on the treadmill, and made it about a mile.  The knee was still hurting so I called it quits and did some weights instead.  Then a really poor choice of shoes made it hurt for the rest of the day.  I absolutely believe that the knee issue is actually secondary to a quad issue. Remember all of those CrossFit squats and lunges?  I think that is where I started.  NO, I am not blaming CrossFit.  I have exceptionally bad form when it comes to squats and maybe it was just too much.  REST it is.

Run:  1 mile / 10:54

And if you are reading this, then we are all still here.  So there is that. Sorry to the Mayans for being wrong.

Thursday night we did go to see Lincoln and it was very, very good.  A political drama on how he got the 13th Amendment passed.  So please don’t go expecting a Civil War movie or you will come out disappointed.

Just one more work day until vacation!

OH, and don’t forget that this weekend is my big bike ride to my sister’s house.  My dearest, sweetest husband was laughing at me Thurs night at the idea that I might not just ride back.

Sloth Sunday: Amazing

We spent today doing some errands and then headed back out to witness something AMAZING.  Ironman Arizona.  It is a full Ironman that takes place in Tempe and Phoenix.  The swim is in Tempe Town Lake and the start/finish ffor the rest are in Tempe Beach Park.  2.4 mile swim.  112 miles bike.  26.2 miles run.  And it was WARM today.  Like people having trouble warm.

Pro’s went out at 7:00am and age groupers at 7:30.  You have 2.5 hours to complete the swim, then you have to be off the bike by 5:30pm and have until midnight to finish the marathon.

This first picture is T-2, Transition two.  Where riders come in on the bike and leave out on the marathon.  It is AMAZING to see these people and their determination.  Not to mention the millions of dollars in bikes just sitting there in Tempe Beach Park.

The course is looped for the bike and the run.  It was fun to be able to see runners and bikers at the same time, coming in to the lake and going around the lake.  We saw the first few men come by about a quarter mile from the finish.  Then we walked over to the finish line (second picture) and saw the women 3-10 or so come through.

There was incredible support all along the way for people and it just felt amazing to see all of these people complete such an amazing race.

As I am typing this, 13 + hours into the race, people are still coming through the finish line with HUGE smiles on their faces.  They just accomplished something that they spent months training for.

 

Thursday: Pedal Pedal

I did manage to get up with my alarm this morning.  But since I pushed my alarm back 30 minutes, it is a hollow victory.  But 30 minutes later on purpose is better than 60 minutes later by accident I guess.

Thursday was REALLY uneventful.  I worked.  I biked to Walmart.  I Skyped with my friend (can’t wait to see you!!!).  And I did manage to stay out of the kitchen and away from the snacks.

Bike: 6-ish miles.  HOLY HEADWIND on the way out.

Thursday Food:

Breakfast: Protein Bar and coffee

Snacks: peach, waffle with pb

Lunch: Leftover pizza

Dinner:  Chicken breast w/ranch for dipping, saffron rice and veggies

I had to hit up the Walmart once I realized I was going on two days without Allegra.  Anything more than two days and I am asking for a sinus infection.

Mark your calendars!  I said when we got to Arizona that I wanted to be able to ride my bike to my sisters house by the end of the year.  It is about 7 miles away with two rather daunting hills.  I am putting that on the calendar for right around Christmas.  If I am really ambitious, I will ride back as well.  Or I will have my BIL throw my bike in the back of his truck and drive me home.

Wednesday: Assaults and Well Wishes

My feet/toe were still screaming at me.  I don’t know what that toe did to its neighbors, but they jumped it and kicked its ass.  Wednesday included yet another bike ride.  This time, I decided to ride my bike into South Mountain Park and see if I could make it to San Juan Rd, which is closed to traffic.  I made it 3.75 (uphill) miles before turning around.  I think I was just one hill from the parking lot.  But I didn’t want to have to climb that particular back up so I turned around.  The uphill trip took me 25 minutes.  The way back, the downhill, took 15 minutes.  Toes crossed I get back to the running on Thursday.

Bike:  8 miles / 43:10

I once again found this in my coffee kcup basket.  Would she still want the basket if I cleared it out and gave it to her?  Of course not, she is a cat! She did come out of that basket smelling like gingerbread tea.

Wednesday Food:

Breakfast:  Coffee and cinnamon scone

Snack: Peach

Lunch:  Egg Beaters, turkey sausage and english muffin

Snack: Butternut squash, raspberries and carrots

Dinner: Pasta Bolognese

Snack:  Mint Choc Chip ice cream

Michael picked “spouse night” (new name, won’t stick) at Giuseppe’s on 28th.  We saw it on DDD the other night and had to try it out.  We both ordered the same thing that was made for Guy on the show.  It was ok.  I was actually expecting more flavor.  But I would definitely go back and maybe try something else.

This guy is sending all of his healing vibes and best wishes to his favorite aunt Jenny.  Get better soon.

Please excuse the multiple changes coming on the blog as I am playing around with the theme and format.