My Trusty Steed Awaits...

Looking so forlorn, my bike awaits my return so we may head back into the asphalt jungle. Today is bike-to-work day and once again my morning ride was glorious. The afternoon is proving to be a bit of a scorcher but that's ok. I know the ride is not that long and I can take a shower once I arrive home.

Gradually, my cycling legs (and bum) return to form after a lengthy absence from the bike commuting. Living in Florida, I really have no excuse for not riding. Yes, it can get hot but only really hot when standing still, when moving it's not so bad. The trick is to keep moving, unfortunately, there are several traffic signals between work and home... sometimes I can time it and not have to come to a complete stop - other times I find myself with my feet on the asphalt feeling the waves of heat rising up. No matter, it is worth it every time I successfully complete the commute. Many people ride much further and I am grateful for the ability to keep moving forward.

Rolling, Rolling

Beautiful commute today... very little wind this morning. Very quiet - almost no traffic. Just getting my legs going took up the morning, the ride back was hot! Wearing my Garmin 305 I could really look at the ride and see how it went. My speed wasn't that great, but that's ok. Just really felt great to ride. As long as I kept the fluids going, the heat is doable. There are a couple intersections that are a bit nerve-racking but just staying focused and aware helps here.

bike to work week

This is Bike-to-Work week! My bike is ready to go... my pannier is almost loaded. I am so excited!

The last few months I have spent so much time devoted to my running training and my cycling has suffered. With the oil spill crisis, I am reminded how important it is to be less dependent on gas & oil. The distance from my home to my job is only 7 miles, there is no reason I can't commute by bike. My bike is well-suited for the commute... the only thing I want to do is change to stronger tires (like armadillos)to limit the number of flats. With this week, I am re-committed to commuting by bike as often as I possibly can. Cycling is how I got in shape originally after I quit smoking. There is such freedom with self-powered two-wheel transportation. I am not ready to go completely car-free but I can certainly make car trips rare occurrences.

LiveStrong

getting in the groove... and staying there

My cold last weekend threw a full monkey wrench into my training... coughing so much left me sore and shortness in my breath. Running is hard enough when I can breathe... actually, I think my breathing is one of the issues I have with my running. I am going to try focusing on my breathing more when I run and see if I can get a better rhythm going between my feet and my lungs. An entire week has gone by not running and I have a race in two weeks.

This weekend I got to see some of the athletes competing in the Gulf Coast Triathlon... now that is a race! 1.2 miles swim followed by 56 mile bike ride and then finished off with a 13.1 mile run. Looking at some of the competitors you could see a lot of time is spent training -- some of the racers just look like everyday Joes. One of my long-term goals is to complete a triathlon but not so lofty as the GCT. I am aiming for a sprint or possibly an Olympic distance.

Some days I feel as if I barely treading water, my training progress seems so minimal and this really frustrates me. I have finally managed one of my goals, the fitness run time. It took 2 years to achieve this goal, taking so long to get this far has been excruciating -- so many setbacks, little things like chest colds -- sprained ankles mixed with days "I don't wanna"... mornings I couldn't get my butt out of bed. I am aiming forward again, my next goal is to maintain 30 minutes at a steady run. I know I can run 30 minutes but not yet consistently. So now my plan is to strive for that magic 30 minutes. Once I can hold this time, I will start adding time to my daily runs. Eventually, I want to be manage an hour running. I believe then I can complete a 10k run.

My plan: a daily journal, alternate running with cycling, add resistance training and eat well! I have got to get a grip on my weakness for chocolate and sugary treats.

Happy Mother's Day... Live Strong.

Relay for Life...

Today is the start of the Relay for Life in Panama City. Our library has been an active participant of this event for many years now. A previous library director is a cancer survivor and there are several people on staff who are cancer survivors. The American Cancer Society promotes cancer research and awareness, the Relay is one of the fund-raising efforts used to support ACS. Practically everyone is affected by cancer today, if not directly certainly someone close is directly affected by some form of cancer. Early detection is key to the survival rates. Even if there is no family history of cancer, cancer is still a possibility for anyone. Treatment options have improved over the years, research continues to offer higher success rates. Support your local Relay for Life -- find a team and join or support a team. Each Relay is an 18 hour event beginning on Friday afternoon and ending Saturday morning. Team members take turns walking the track throught the event. Some teams walk the entire 18 hours! One year I remember someone running (yes, running) from beginning to end. Unbelievable! He took 15 minute breaks I think every couple hours. What an inspiration!