Christmas Week riding... and letting the Tri go.

Getting the new Kahuna just days before Christmas was not ideal -- (I really needed the bike six weeks ago) -- but I did manage to squeeze in a few rides before the crush of the holidays. The 29er wheels, disc brakes, different shifting, flat pedals, and the overall handling of the bike is taking me some time to get used to, but it's a fun bike. Really fun.

I have a follow-up post of JRA Cycles to write shortly... kind of a post-script to my bike purchasing saga... but that can wait until later in the week. For now, I'm riding when I can, interspersed with holiday celebrations and family events.

My Tri Inside the Y is a DNF. I blew away the cycling commitment, but I still have 9 miles of running and 18,500 meters of rowing left, and only a week to go. OMG. The rowing kills me. I'm letting it go.

24 Hours in the Old Pueblo is less than 7 weeks away, and wow, I have a lot of work to do on that, too. I'm not freaking out... yet...

And happy news arrived Christmas Eve -- I made the cut once again for the Vanderkitten VIP Elite squad for another year. I think I made it more for my cheerleading skills than my cycling achievements this year, but I have some big goals set for 2016 with the VK team, and I'm excited to be a part of our tribe of kittens for a third year. I'm grateful to Vanderkitten founder Dave Verrechia for still believing in me. (Thanks, Dave.)

2016 is going to be an awesome year.

Tri Inside the Y Update

It's been a busy week with little time to update the blog, so here's a quick rundown on where I stand with the Tri Inside the Y.

Bike: We've had amazing weather for riding -- both on the mountain bike and road bike -- so getting my miles done on the bike has been easy. On Saturday, I took advantage of the 60 degree temps (in December!) to join the Cyclopaths for breakfast at Brother's Taverna in Salem. (Of course I was the only Cyclopath who arrived by bike... but it was good to see everyone.) I'm averaging 45-50 miles a week and projected to finish next Wednesday.

Run: I'm averaging 4.5 miles a week in running, and need to step it up the last two weeks if I'm going to finish on time. Nikki is ahead of me on the run, but we're nearly tied on both the bike and swim/row.

Row: I met Nikki and our mutual friend, Judy Jackson, at the Y last Thursday and finally got started on my rowing! I'm able to knock out 7,000 meters with 45 minutes of rowing... so it's taking me a while to get this done. I haven't had any shoulder issues following the row, so that's been a nice surprise. I have 21,500 meters to go.

Getting it done.

Tri Inside the Y, Week One

Running... well, it's still not my favorite thing to do but I'm doing it. 4.5 miles done this week, (Thursday and Saturday) but I'm going to need to pick up an extra day of running if I'm going to complete this tri.

And OMG, I haven't even started rowing yet. That's going to be tough.

Week 2 will be better.

(Cycling, of course, is no problem.)

Tri Inside the Y, Let's Do it Again

Oh my... it's that time of year again -- The North Shore YMCA's Tri inside the Y. I was hesitant about jumping in this year -- as it seems like every year that I've participated, I've pushed those final miles and meters up to the last day! -- but today during our P2 workout, (AKA homework), new pal Nikki mentioned the challenge to me and we decided to take it on together! Hahaha!!! OMG, I'm in it again.

This year is going to be tough with the rowing, because believe it or not, I'm still dealing with shoulder issues -- lingering tendonitis that flares up during the day, depending on what I've been doing. So crazy painful. But I've got the icepacks ready to go and I'm hoping it doesn't become an issue. Maybe the rowing will help strengthen those muscles. We'll see. It doesn't hurt to try. (Or maybe it will.)

I signed up at the Y after P2, and already logged in the 19.5 miles I completed on the bike today at P2. Super kudos to Nikki for partnering up with me.

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(Hahaha... looking back through my past Tri efforts, this brought a chuckle. I don't think I run any faster today than I did a few years ago. Happy Holiday Week, December 23, 2012.)

"Have either of you seen my Walkman?"

Of course they always know I mean my iPod, (and Chip will usually tease, "Maybe it walked away... man.") Hahaha.

Today I got in an hour on the spin bike at the Y with another rider. We didn't have music, so he hooked up my iPod to the sound system and chose a playlist labeled 1hr Mix. Nice to have company today -- it turned my quick ride, (while Will was in the pool), into an hour-plus.

The Friday Playlist

• Red Eyes (The War on Drugs)
• Think of You (Ms Mr)
• Shake it (Metro Station)
• Unconditional (The Bravery)
• Giants (Bear Hands)
• Land (Milwalkie)
• Substitution (Silversun Pickups)
• 1901 (Phoenix)
• Gold Gun Girls (Metric)
• Supernatural Supergirl (Josh Kramon)
• Fader (The Temper Trap)
• Miracle Mile (Cold War Kids)
• On Our Way (The Royal Concept)
• Watch Out for This (Major Lazer)
• Love is All I Got (Feed Me & Crystal Fighters)
• Riptide (Vance Joy)

Done aaaandd.... DONE!

It came down to the wire... but I finished the Tri inside the Y today at 1:30 p.m. -- starting with a short run in the morning and a final blast of rowing this afternoon. (Finishing 90 minutes before the Y closed at 3:00 p.m. -- I cut it close!) The Y closed early today for New Year's Eve celebrations.

I don't know why this year's Tri dragged out so long -- the running held me back again -- but I'm done. Yaay! (And I've earned my new shirt!)

Farewell 2013... the new year begins.

The Finish Line to 2013

Another year draws to a close, and I'm reflecting on 2013 while looking ahead to the new year. This was an inspiring year in so many ways, with sad undercurrents mixed in. The bombing at the Boston Marathon, and the tragedy of the Seacoast Century, took the breath out of me. Sometimes it's hard to keep the momentum going, and I'm grateful to the many people who helped me move forward and reach my goals this year.

My health has improved, and although there are some days I'm dragging, it's not even close to how I felt a few years ago. My red cell count is still stupidly low, but I've been able to push through the fatigue without resorting to EPO. (Ha ha... I wouldn't want to be banned from cycling, i.e. Lance Armstrong.)  I credit my increase in energy to the changes I made in my diet this year -- sticking to whole, unprocessed foods and adhering to a Paleo lifestyle. I know there are skeptics to Paleo, but it's working for me. You should always find what works best for you.

This year I took on five different charity rides, including rides for the Vermont Food Bank, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and the EOD Warrior Foundation -- and raised nearly $10,000 along the way. It wouldn't have been possible without the amazing support I get from all of you. Thank you for that.

Many of you know, after my crash in 2012, I was challenged to ride and raise money for the Wounded EOD Warrior Foundation. I didn't know what EOD was at the time, and I didn't know the ride was on the other side of the country, but I agreed to look into it. When I talked to Mike about the ride in January, he supported my endeavor 100 percent. (More like a thousand percent, but he's a math geek and 1,000 percent wouldn't work for him.) Mike's support set everything else in motion in 2013... the training, the rides, the coaching... all of it. (Thanks, honey!)

The Undefeated EOD Ride wasn't the longest ride I've ever done, but it was the most inspiring -- and a remarkable challenge. I've said it many times, but it bears repeating that I'm grateful to the many people who made it work -- Especially my family and friends; my coach Shayne Gaffney; all of my riding partners; and of course my many sponsors.

I'm also indebted to the amazing warriors and friends I met on the ride; Tim, Jim, Schreck and Julia, Christine and Matt, Jimmy, Brad, Morgan, Shane, Jason and Chelsea, Kathy, Kevin... it's a long list. Thank you.

I don't know what adventures lie ahead, but I'm excited for the New Year! I'm inspired by my fellow Vanderkitten athletes and can't wait to join in on some of the fun. Since my cycling days are somewhat in limbo, (due to snow), I'll have to get my VK action on the slopes. I'm hoping Joe, my favorite snowboard instructor, is back at Nashoba Valley this winter. (I'm determined to graduate from the Nashoba Slope, Joe! Get ready!)

Like last year at this time, I'm hanging on for winter frostbite rides, but the weather hasn't cooperated. I am also working to complete the Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge... with a lot of rowing and running to do. (OMG. I can't believe how much running I still have to do...)

But, I can see the finish line to 2013 -- I intend to finish strong.

Messy Weekend Weather, Another Frostbite Ride Cancelled

Snow and ice cancelled Saturday's Frostbite Ride, which, heading into the weekend, only consisted of me and Ethan. I got a call from E on Friday night asking, "Do you know the temps aren't supposed to break 20? Don't cancel your spin reservation, just in case." Sure enough, at 8 a.m Saturday morning, it was a whopping 10 degrees with a storm approaching... and our frostbite ride was cancelled. (Again.) I headed to the gym and ticked off a little more of my Tri Inside the Y commitment, and by the time I left, it was snowing. At home, I settled in and watched the Army-Navy game, (Go Navy!), while the snow fell outside -- content not to ride and happy to be warm.

On Sunday, with the weather system still parked over us, (now falling as freezing rain), I was grateful for a 4-wheel drive as I headed back to the gym for another workout. It looks like we won't have clear roads for a while... and I'll need a mountain bike to get through the frozen mess.

Falling Behind on my Tri Challenge

So Not Pro

Shayne was absent for today's P2 workout, so coach Brandi Dion stepped in as our sub. It was actually a really tough workout, but a lot of fun too, and I gave it my full effort. (It helped that I ate breakfast beforehand.)

I've been watching the numbers creep upwards on the scale since I stopped actively training in mid October, so I've been trying to cut back on calories, (I'm just not burning through them like I used to) -- but I've also learned my lesson on what happens when I don't fuel my workouts -- it's just a waste of time. Today I grabbed a banana and an apricot energy bar before heading out the door. It definitely helped.

I've had an active week so far with muscle conditioning and getting some running done towards my tri. I'll probably finish my bike portion of the challenge by the end of the day Friday, three weeks early... but the running is killing me... and I still have a ton of rowing to do. It's not looking good!

Closing out the Week

Paleo Prep Day

Today I ticked off a little more distance on all three legs of the Tri Inside The Y, beginning my day with 20 miles on the bike in Nancy's spin class. (I headed in 15 minutes early to squeeze in extra miles.) I followed up with 2,500 meters of rowing, and finally got on the treadmill for 2.5 miles. I'm way behind on my running, and will try to squeeze in extra miles this week.

It was a cold day, and I listened to the Patriots game while prepping breakfasts and lunches for the week ahead. Mike was away in Atlanta all last week, so I needed to do a full-on paleo prep day to set us up for the week. Salads, grilled chicken, cut veggies and pre-prepped chicken for stir fry, hard boiled eggs, paleo mayo, caulifower rice, sweet potato spirals, two versions of apricot energy bars (one chocolate chip and the other cranberry almond), carrot gingerbread muffins, and homemade cinnamon applesauce. Done.

Slow Start on the Tri

I kicked off my second go-around with the Tri inside the Y Ironman Challenge on Monday, which last year at this time kept me at the gym though December, burning off the gingerbread cookies. I forgot how difficult the rowing can be. My arms are a bit heavy today!

The tri runs for 4 weeks and includes 112 miles of biking, (which I knocked off pretty quickly last year); 26.2 miles of running (not my strength); and either 50,000 meters of rowing or 2.4 miles of swimming. I again chose rowing over swimming, as it's easier to get into a routine and wrap it up -- either bike/row or run/row -- in 90 minutes. If I tried to add pool time to my workout, I'd never get it done.

Today I hit the bike for 20 miles and added another 3,000 meters of rowing... but I have yet to start running. I have a feeling the running is going to haunt me this year! I'll get on it tomorrow.

Cold Gray Days

It's been a full week since I learned I was chosen as a Vanderkitten VIP in 2014. It's been an exciting week getting to know some of the other girls, where they are from, and what athletic disciplines they're involved in, etc. Very inspiring. There are many racers, mountain bikers, triathletes and ultra-endurance athletes among us -- from across the country and around the globe. While I've been stuck indoors, I've been reading reports of rides from the girls in Australia, Arizona and California... lucky kittens! They all make me want to get out and ride!

I've managed to get in my workouts on a trainer and on the spin bikes at the Y this past week. The winter weather has definitely settled in. On Sunday, I squeaked off the waitlist for Nancy's spin class, and then completed my P2 homework afterwards. It wasn't much, but it was something... and it beat riding in the cold drizzle. (Plus, I earned some bacon, which made my workout seem better!) The Tri Inside the Y kicks off today! I plan to start with some rowing tomorrow. Yay.

Feeling Better and Jumping Back In

I had a bit of a meltdown the last few weeks... having lost my momentum after the EOD Ride... but I'm getting over it.

Friends old and new have challenged me this week as I've tried to slide back into a fitness routine. I haven't been able to put forth my best effort at each workout this week, (I'm so tired!), but it's been great to get back at it. At spin classes, a few familiar faces have tapped me on the shoulder, welcoming me back "from the road", and that's been so nice. It's also been great to get back to my conditioning workouts with Keli and Christine a few nights a week -- something I took a break from in July when I started riding more. April pushed me through every circuit on Tuesday, (with back up from Dawn and Emily), while Christine refused to let me slide with a lighter weight. Some things never change! 

Tonight I have a conditioning workout with Keli, and Friday I'll be back in action at Nancy's spin class, (my favorite). It's been hard jumping back in, but it's been good to get back into a routine. The friends who are always with me make it easier.

And OMG, I'm doing two 30 day challenges on Facebook with a few friends. Thirty Burpees/30 days is killing me, but for some reason I also thought it would be fun to do a 30 Day Plank Challenge with the girls from the EOD ride. (Hahaha...) The planks are going o.k. so far, but the burpees are hell, (even without the added push-up.)

Update: The Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge kicks off again December 2nd. This year, I'm not going to let those 50,000 meters of rowing slide to the last 2 weeks! Learned my lesson on that one!

Another Wet Day

My cycling shoes are really starting to stink from all of the wet weather we've been having. Fortunately, they didn't stink enough to force Keli to kick me out of spin class this morning, (where I ended up after waking to another morning of clouds and showers. We're stuck in a wet weather pattern, here.) Thanks, Kel, for the great workout! I'm hoping to get out on the road later today for a quick ride, but with the gray skies and a busy afternoon schedule, it's not looking promising.

Brrrrrr... It's Cold!

Typical New England weather. Last week's glorious tease of Spring made this week of dark clouds, fog, drizzle, hail and cold rain seem endless. Doesn't it feel like winter is hanging on? Not only are the Bruins still playing, (yaaay!)... I'm tempted to put the heat back on, (boooo!).

Despite my training plan for the week, the wet weather forced me to take a few of my workouts indoors. Today, with our Cyclopath ride cancelled, I took a chance at getting into a spin class during the boys' swim team practice at the Y. (There is typically a lengthy waitlist for weekend spinning, so my odds at getting a bike were slim.) After I mentioned to the instructor that I was on the waitlist, fellow rider, Jack, offered me his bike if I didn't get into the class! (It was such a sweet gesture -- Thanks, Jack!) Fortunately, I did squeak off the waitlist -- so he and I both had a good workout. It wasn't what my coach had in mind for this week, but I did the best I could. I think the sun returns on Monday.

Update 5/26: Ellen and Cape Cod Mike (CCM) received snow last night in Laconia! Crazy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Our "Annual" St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Ride turned into a breakfast rather than a ride on Saturday. On Friday night, I received a bunch of messages from folks telling me it was too cold to ride. Even Ethan sent me an email to say it was too early and too cold.*

I didn't really want to ride alone. Ed and I exchanged emails and agreed to touch base in the morning -- but at 7 am when I spoke to him, I learned he's been fighting an ear infection. Knowing the (27 degree) cold would probably make it worse, we decided to drive to the airport to meet the rest of the 'paths for breakfast. It was nice to see folks and catch up on the latest news. Bruce even made it to breakfast and we talked about bikes for a while. Who happened to show up on his bike? Ethan. Of course. *Damn, him! 

My rides were mostly indoors this week with some weight training and core work thrown in. I had a quick 20 mile loop through Marblehead and Salem on Wednesday that ended with a flat in my own neighborhood. (Thanks, Salem Cycle, for the quick fix.) This weekend has been a little lazy... though Nancy's spin class at the Y was rockin' the Irish music this morning. Fun! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Bingo! I've got Bingo!

With rain/snow/cold expected to cancel our St. Patrick's Day Ride on Saturday, I decided to try and reserve a spin bike at the Y as a back-up plan. Just as I did last week at 7:15 a.m., I stationed myself at the keyboard and logged into the spin class reservation system. By total chance, I actually landed one of the coveted spots in Sarah's spin class at the Y... seconds later, the class was full. 40 reservations for 21 spots. Crazy.

Ebay and the Spin Class Res System

Trying to grab one of the 21 spin bikes at the Y on the weekends is like making a last-minute winning bid on Ebay. The 8:15 Saturday class opened for reservations at 7:15 this morning, Thursday. (They use an online reservation system.) I sat down at my computer and logged in at 7:12... waited until the clocked ticked to 7:15, and punched the "enter button" to create my reservation.

I'm number 10 on the WAIT LIST. Apparently, 30 other people were hovering over their keyboards and pressed "Enter" before me. Argh.

Snow is falling again and will continue through Friday. An outdoor Frostbite Ride ride is iffy for Saturday -- hence my back-up plan to hit the Y. (Didn't Mike promise a 50 degree day on Saturday? Ha ha ha... ten day forecast.)

Weekend Spin -- No Outdoor Ride Today

Today I had a small blast from the past when former Fusion Fitness owner, Annalisa diPalma, substituted for Keli's spin class. Annalisa was the first spin instructor I ever had, back in 2006. (Spinning, April 1st Training Ride, April 2006.) The Marblehead Y didn't offer spin classes back then, and the Sterling Y was a hike. (Though at the time, I made weekly trips to Sterling for Chip's swim lessons. He was convinced there was a shark living in the deep end of the Marblehead pool.) I went to Fusion Fitness for a little while but never got into a routine. It was fun to see Annalisa today, teaching our class at the Y. How quickly time flies!

Another storm is brewing -- More snow/rain tomorrow.

Blizzaster* Approaching

We're stuck indoors this weekend as winter gives us a good dumping of snow. We've had big storms before, and this one will be no different, but I'm already feeling some anxiety. The ski bus to Ragged Mountain was cancelled tomorrow, so the boys will be home all weekend. (They've hunkered down with recharged iPods, laptops and a stack of PlayStation games. Heaven forbid they read a book.) So why my anxiety? Well, I'm on Day 18 of a Whole30 (Paleo) Challenge, (a nutritional "reset", if you will) and girl scout cookies arrived on Monday. I've been really good about staying committed to the Whole30 -- no grains, dairy, processed food, etc. -- but I'm nervous about being stuck in the house all weekend with boys and cookies. It's going to be a tough one. And no riding on Saturday on top of it all. Arrghhh.....

So I went to the Y this morning to clear my head -- a 55 minute spin class, followed by 5,000 meters of rowing. (I hadn't done any rowing since the Tri.) I ran into my friend Ana, who'd noticed I'd been at the gym for a while. She asked, "Are you afraid to go home?!" I looked around and saw three other moms on the fitness floor and replied, "Aren't we all?!" (Just waiting for the snow...)

*Blizzaster coined for the impending storm by the talented William Noble.