OK, so if you have read this blog at all, you know I am a triathlete. I am starting to train for the longest race of my career, a half iron distance (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). Well, I guess I am training with my friends who have long races earlier in the season (my race is at the end of October, so I will start focused training this summer.) I realized a few weeks ago that I don't really like bike riding. That could be a bit of a problem over a 56 mile course.
I am a decent swimmer and I can manage a half marathon. I just really don't like to bike. It hurts - plain and simple. It is just an uncomfortable thing for me. It hurts my shoulders, my lower back, my elbows, and my...lady parts. That darn saddle is not pleasant. I also find that I am just not good at biking. I will go riding with friends, and even when I think I am doing well, I fall far behind. It is just so disheartening.
I did my longest ride ever a few weekends ago. It was 50 miles over a fairly hilly course. I did it, but it just took everything out of me. My body was so achy, I told AC at one point that I would walk back to the start pushing my bike if I could. I can't really imagine running after it, but, then again, I will be so happy to be out of the saddle that running may be a breeze.
People keep telling me that I will love the course of my half iron distance because it is really flat (hubby and several friends did this race last year.) Still, I don't know that a flat course will help. I will still have to be on the darn bike for 56 miles.
One woman told me that I should do upper body work to help my biking. I am already doing CrossFit, and I will continue to CrossFit to build strength. Will it be enough? The same friend said to carry pain relievers with me during the race. That may be my best bet.
Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Bike Crawl #2
This past Saturday, our friend Jon organized our second bike tour/beer run. The weather did not hold out for us this time, but it didn't matter. I think I had as much, if not more, fun this time.
Our tour started at J&M's house. We had to delay our start by 30-45 minutes due to a downpour, but we were soon on our way. We rode our bike a few miles over to the NC Museum of Art which has a beautiful trail (though hilly!) that connects it to the Meredith College campus. We have been lucky to run there on several occasions. The trail has a variety of art works along it and leads to a pedestrian bridge that goes over a major highway. From there, we headed toward the NC State Campus and our first stop, East Village Grill & Bar.
East Village is a popular hangout for the NC State crowd. Their deck is usually packed on the evenings, but we had it to ourselves in the afternoon. It was a great place to relax for a few minutes with a beer before heading to the next stop. Unfortunately, it started to rain just a bit as we were sitting at East Village. We quickly rode over to our second stop, the Village Draft House, with a quick stop at The Raleigh Little Theater for coverage from the rain.
When we reached Village Draft House, the rain began again in earnest. Luckily, we were able to be seated in a covered area outside where we could sip a beer while watching the rain pour on our bicycles. We were determined (and hungry), so we powered on the the next stop, The Flying Saucer.
We had an easy ride downtown to our old friend, The Sauce. Once there, we ate big hot pretzels and enjoyed a beer on the covered deck. We were not done eating, though. Out next stop was Krispy Kreme.
We were a little giddy at this point, with beer in our tummies and rain on our backs. The donuts were fresh and sweet - a great stop on a Saturday afternoon. The sugar gave us the energy we needed to head to Big Boss Brewery.
Big Boss is my favorite of our local breweries. One of my personal favorite beers, Bad Penny, is brewed there. There brew pub is a neat little watering hole with tons of memorabilia and great people. We even met some new friends at the table next to us. The do not serve food, but they are just a few blocks away from our final stop, Carolina Ale House.
We were planning to be at Carolina Ale House around 3pm, but with the rain we were closer to 6pm. It worked out well as we had quite an appetite for dinner when we arrived. We had stashed two cars in the parking lot so we could load up and return to the beginning after dinner. It had been a long day, but one of the best days we had in a long time. Bike Crawl #3 has got its work cut out to beat this day!
Check out pictures from our adventure on Jon's photo site.
Our tour started at J&M's house. We had to delay our start by 30-45 minutes due to a downpour, but we were soon on our way. We rode our bike a few miles over to the NC Museum of Art which has a beautiful trail (though hilly!) that connects it to the Meredith College campus. We have been lucky to run there on several occasions. The trail has a variety of art works along it and leads to a pedestrian bridge that goes over a major highway. From there, we headed toward the NC State Campus and our first stop, East Village Grill & Bar.
East Village is a popular hangout for the NC State crowd. Their deck is usually packed on the evenings, but we had it to ourselves in the afternoon. It was a great place to relax for a few minutes with a beer before heading to the next stop. Unfortunately, it started to rain just a bit as we were sitting at East Village. We quickly rode over to our second stop, the Village Draft House, with a quick stop at The Raleigh Little Theater for coverage from the rain.
When we reached Village Draft House, the rain began again in earnest. Luckily, we were able to be seated in a covered area outside where we could sip a beer while watching the rain pour on our bicycles. We were determined (and hungry), so we powered on the the next stop, The Flying Saucer.
We had an easy ride downtown to our old friend, The Sauce. Once there, we ate big hot pretzels and enjoyed a beer on the covered deck. We were not done eating, though. Out next stop was Krispy Kreme.
We were a little giddy at this point, with beer in our tummies and rain on our backs. The donuts were fresh and sweet - a great stop on a Saturday afternoon. The sugar gave us the energy we needed to head to Big Boss Brewery.
Big Boss is my favorite of our local breweries. One of my personal favorite beers, Bad Penny, is brewed there. There brew pub is a neat little watering hole with tons of memorabilia and great people. We even met some new friends at the table next to us. The do not serve food, but they are just a few blocks away from our final stop, Carolina Ale House.
We were planning to be at Carolina Ale House around 3pm, but with the rain we were closer to 6pm. It worked out well as we had quite an appetite for dinner when we arrived. We had stashed two cars in the parking lot so we could load up and return to the beginning after dinner. It had been a long day, but one of the best days we had in a long time. Bike Crawl #3 has got its work cut out to beat this day!
Check out pictures from our adventure on Jon's photo site.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
My achin' back!
My back has been sore for three days now. It is my lower back, and I am not completely sure what is causing it.
Hubby and I went for a bike ride on Sunday. It was a hot day, but I really wanted to try out my new bike. I was nervous about working with the clipless pedals (shoes that clip right in to the bike pedals), but I soon got the hang of it. I actually have a bigger problem getting my feet in the pedals than out. I am pleased to report that never fell over on my bike (at least not yet). I rode around the parking lot for a bit, then we headed out to the road for a short ride. Soon, we were back at the car, and it just didn't seem like we had gone far enough. So, out we went again.
We rode along the American Tobacco Trail until it ended. We ran into fellow biker who told us he had been harassed by two teens further down the trail. He said that they had tried to knock him off his bike. We rode with him for a while until he got a call from the police stating that the perps had been found and returned home (one boy was receiving a beating from his mama in the front yard). I was starting the get very tired at this point, and it was well after lunch. My back was aching and my hands hurt from holding the handles. I was afraid I would not be able to make it back to the truck.
Luckily, we ran into friends on the trail, and I perked up a bit. We did make it back to the truck after about an hour and a half of riding (courtesy of my new bike computer that track time actually moving on the bike).
I know one needs good core strength for bike riding (which I don't have). I also know that the position of the bike is different than what I am used to being in, but should my back still hurt because of the ride?
Hubby and I went for a bike ride on Sunday. It was a hot day, but I really wanted to try out my new bike. I was nervous about working with the clipless pedals (shoes that clip right in to the bike pedals), but I soon got the hang of it. I actually have a bigger problem getting my feet in the pedals than out. I am pleased to report that never fell over on my bike (at least not yet). I rode around the parking lot for a bit, then we headed out to the road for a short ride. Soon, we were back at the car, and it just didn't seem like we had gone far enough. So, out we went again.
We rode along the American Tobacco Trail until it ended. We ran into fellow biker who told us he had been harassed by two teens further down the trail. He said that they had tried to knock him off his bike. We rode with him for a while until he got a call from the police stating that the perps had been found and returned home (one boy was receiving a beating from his mama in the front yard). I was starting the get very tired at this point, and it was well after lunch. My back was aching and my hands hurt from holding the handles. I was afraid I would not be able to make it back to the truck.
Luckily, we ran into friends on the trail, and I perked up a bit. We did make it back to the truck after about an hour and a half of riding (courtesy of my new bike computer that track time actually moving on the bike).
I know one needs good core strength for bike riding (which I don't have). I also know that the position of the bike is different than what I am used to being in, but should my back still hurt because of the ride?
Friday, June 05, 2009
A Great Ride
Last Saturday, hubby and I joined our good friends J & M for a bike ride. We had been planning to do a ride together for a long time, and last Saturday was finally the day. This was not just a meandering ride, though. J planned a great adventure for all of us.We started out a J & M's house. From there, we headed downtown by taking advantage of the wonderful Greenway system around town. We were just on a main road for a little bit of time, then we were in neighborhoods and trails. It was a gorgeous day for a ride. The boys lead the way, with us girls following behind. It probably worked well as we could each have our little conversations as we rode. We saw gorgeous homes along the way to the downtown area. We rode about 11 miles before reaching our first destination, MoJoe's. We stopped for a quick beer (see picture) before heading on.
J designed a route with many possible stops. He took us past local landmarks (such as the home that was featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition) as well as historic sites (the Historic Oakwood neighborhood, the Jewish cemetery, the Confederate cemetery, Governor's mansion, etc.) We made another beer stop at 101 Lounge downtown before grabbing a quick snack at The Roast Grill. The Roast Grill was recently featured on the Travel Channel's Man vs. Food show. Host Adam Richman at 17 hot dogs to create a new record, but it was quickly broken by a local man who currently holds the record. We each ate 1 hot dog and moved on to the next stop.
We rode over to Boylan Bridge Brew Pub for a beautiful view of the downtown landscape. We enjoyed a locally brewed beer there, then moved on to the final section of the ride. From there, we headed over to Cameron Village. We ended our journey there with a proper lunch at Piccola Italian Restaurant. When it was all said and done, we rode 19+ miles and had a great afternoon.
Check out J's blog for more pictures and his take on the afternoon. It was a fantastic time and I hope we do it again soon
Sunday, April 19, 2009
A Busy Spring Weekend
This weekend is the first of two packed weekends.
Yesterday was so lovely, we just had to be outside. So, we decided to go for a bike ride to go get some lunch. It was a short ride, but so nice to be outside. I wished we had more time to ride, but I needed to get home to go to yoga workshop.
I participated in a 2 hour yoga workshop specifically geared for runners. It was a great time - much more informal than an actual class. We learned 5 different routines, and were able to practice as well as get any help we needed. It was a great add on to my normal weekly classes.
Last night, we went to a performance of modern dance pieces. A friend of ours choreographed a piece with dance and a photo presentation that she and her husband did. I don't know much about modern dance, but I did like her piece. I will admit that I did not get or like the first piece of the show, but luckily the remainder of the 4 total dances were good.
Today, I am at home with the pups. Hubby went to Virginia International Raceway for races with a friend, and I am home for most of the day. I will be attending the Carolina Hurricanes playoff game tonight with my friend who scored us some tickets. I am hopeful that the Canes will do well tonight after their great victory in New Jersey Friday night. There is nothing like playoff hockey, so it should be a fun night. GO CANES!!
It will be a busy week leading to another busy weekend, but I shall leave that for my next post.
Yesterday was so lovely, we just had to be outside. So, we decided to go for a bike ride to go get some lunch. It was a short ride, but so nice to be outside. I wished we had more time to ride, but I needed to get home to go to yoga workshop.
I participated in a 2 hour yoga workshop specifically geared for runners. It was a great time - much more informal than an actual class. We learned 5 different routines, and were able to practice as well as get any help we needed. It was a great add on to my normal weekly classes.
Last night, we went to a performance of modern dance pieces. A friend of ours choreographed a piece with dance and a photo presentation that she and her husband did. I don't know much about modern dance, but I did like her piece. I will admit that I did not get or like the first piece of the show, but luckily the remainder of the 4 total dances were good.
Today, I am at home with the pups. Hubby went to Virginia International Raceway for races with a friend, and I am home for most of the day. I will be attending the Carolina Hurricanes playoff game tonight with my friend who scored us some tickets. I am hopeful that the Canes will do well tonight after their great victory in New Jersey Friday night. There is nothing like playoff hockey, so it should be a fun night. GO CANES!!
It will be a busy week leading to another busy weekend, but I shall leave that for my next post.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Tri and Suceed!
Today, my friend Heather and I did something new. We became triathletes. We participated in the Ramblin' Rose Women's Triathlon.Our morning started very early. We were at the race site by 7am. It was dark and it was cold. We were bundled up in coats, gloves, and hats. We had no choice, though, as the transition area closed at 7:45. We picked up our chips, got body marked, and set up our transitions. Then, we waited. My swim time was 9:25; Heather's swim time was 10:00. We tried to find spots of sunlight and cheer on our fellow competitors. Soon it was time.
I stripped down and headed into the pool area. Thank goodness that it was an indoor pool. It was awfully cold when I took off my warm-ups and stood barefoot in my swim outfit. I met all the ladies who were swimming around me, and we talked about our tri experience. I was glad to know that I was not the only newbie to the sport. Then, I was in the pool. I loved the pool. The 250 yard swim went quickly. I soon passed 2 competitors, then I was soon passed by 2 more. I really liked the swim - I felt good and strong. I was out of the pool and on my way to transition. Yep, barefoot and wet into the transition area in the cold. No wonder after a 7:15 swim, it took me 3 minutes and 35 seconds to get ready for the bike.
I was off on my bike when I felt the chain slip. I thought I had a big problem, but luckily, I was able to down shift, then shift back up to get my bike going again. I was quickly passed on the first long hill, but I soon found my rhythm. I made my way through the gorgeous homes around the venue. I spent the time checking out the Obama vs. McCain signs in the yards (3 McCain signs and about 25 Obama signs). The wind was blowing and I was cold, despite my jacket, earmuffs, and gloves. I was still pretty wet after all. But, the nine miles passed quickly in 46 minutes and 47 seconds. I was back in transition.
Transition was much faster this time - 2 minutes and 1 second, but my legs were shot. I was very wobbly as I moved to the run. I was glad to see that about 80% of the women were walking at some point in the 2 mile run. I was one of them. I made it to the 1 mile turn around, and headed back. I think I got my legs back as I neared the finish. I was able to run strong toward the finish line. It was a great feeling to finish my first tri. 
Bill was right there to take pictures. I finished the run in 27:07.
Bill was right there to take pictures. I finished the run in 27:07.We cheered on Heather as she finished. I was so surprised how much fun I had and how good I felt at the finish. It was a truly fun event. I will definitely train for my next tri (no more procrastination!) and I know I will beat my 1:26:44 time. After all, tri a
nd tri again!!
nd tri again!!Thursday, July 17, 2008
Reason #128 Why I love my Husband
This past Sunday, Bill participated in the Triangle Triathlon. It was his second tri event, but this one was different from the first. Instead of a pool swim, this swim took place in an open lake. With all the the problems we have been having lately, Bill wasn't really able to train for the race. Sure, he had been biking and running, but he was only able to go to the pool once.
Bill headed into the lake with his group with a big smile on his face. When I saw him get out of the lake, I was nervous. I had never seen him look so tired or defeated. The swim took more out of him than he imagined. I was afraid he would not be able to finish the race.
By the time I moved to the transition area, Bill was already heading out on the bike. I watched him come in, and saw him leave for the run. My guy finished the race in under 2 hours (did I mention that he ran 12 miles the day before the race) and he had a huge smile on his face.
Bill finished what he set out to do. He never gave up, he never gave in. When he finished, he was smiling because he achieved his goal. It is perseverance and strength of character. I was and am very proud of him. And that is reason #128.
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