66 miles and counting

I cannot believe I can bike that far. I cannot believe that after all those miles in pretty nasty winds I was not exhausted and felt like I could actually bike more. I have to give credit where credit is due. I don't think I would be able to do all these miles on my own. Somehow biking is different for me than running. I can spend hours running all by myself with my thoughts or my music, but when it comes to biking I feel I do much better in a group. 66miles with the ladies passed much faster than my 26 solo miles a couple of days before. Or is it 'pace lining' that makes riding quite a bit easier since it cuts on wind resistance? I found this exercise fun but I have to admit, I am not comfortable riding close behind someone. I worry that if they stopped rapidly... actually it did happen to me the weekend before. That was not fun! So for now, I would rather be in the front battling winds. 

Next weekend, I am told, we are going to do some pretty nasty climbs over passes where the winds get pretty furious.

This training takes a big chunk of my weekend but I still managed to spend quite few quality hours with my teen who strangely enough still likes me. I thought teens were supposed to detest their parents. 

Running is not that eventful. I wish I had more time to run on trails. Orange poppies are blooming very early this year, hills are finally getting greener, spring is in the air, and running exclusively on pavement is not that great for my legs and with a half marathon coming up in April I don't want to risk injuries. Yes, I miss my trails.

I have not been doing that well on strength training. I had only one session last week and one the week before. That is not good. I wish I had some good excuses here but I don't. Saying I was busy just won't cut it since I have free weights at home. 

I shamelessly stole this picture
from eBay

This week I will be starting my training for John Muir Trail. Have I mentioned that I got my permit? Yes! This year, it seems, it took a lot longer to get it than a year ago. I guess there is more demand since there is a lot less snow in the Sierras and those who got discouraged by conditions last year are trying to make up for it this summer.
So with my permit in hand, I will be loading up my ugly backpack with weights, and just like I did last year, and putting on training miles.
A word about the pack. Last year I carried an external frame Kelty, which performed very well. Since my teen needed a good pack and liked my Kelty on his backpacking trips, I just gave it to him. So it happens, a friend of mine kept bragging about military surplus pack he got. The pack is heavy, ugly and very, very cheap. He offered me a chance to try it. We went on a hike together and I loved, loved  how the pack felt. I have never had a more comfortable pack than this one. Figuring that for most of the hiking time I would not have to look at it (I really hate the way it looks), I decided I my comfort on a 220mi hike was worth... $60 - yes sixty. I am sure it will also make as a great conversation starter.

Good news on my background check. They did not find any dead bodies in my closet so I am clear to start volunteering at the center for the blind. I will have my first training session on Thursday. I am hoping to meet the lady I'll be working with then. Her progressive eye disease made her totally blind four years ago though, I've been told, she's been legally blind for much longer than that. I am curious as to what her fitness goals are and what kind of help she expects from me. I, of course, have grand plans for her.  

Time for an update?

Hi All. How have you been? I've been on a roller coaster, as usual, even though I keep telling my life that I really do not enjoy up and down rides, it does not want to listen. Oh, well, might as well adapt. 

Allow me to skip the down parts, since I really don't like those, which explains why I suck at downhill skiing and bike down really slow (JoLynn, my bike group leader, can testify to that), and focus on the positives. 

My application for the volunteering position for the center for the blind is in the works. DA is checking my background and it seems doing a very thorough job because it's been already two weeks. My assurances that I am not a serial killer did not work so I have to wait for their report.

I know a little about the woman I will be working with. She is about my age, is strong willed, and seems to be determined to get in shape - I just love that and can't wait to meet her! Hopefully soon. 

I got to spend some time in the snow!!! So skiing was not as bad as everybody thought it would be this year. Northstar, my favorite resort, is pretty good about making snow, and while I was there, it snowed a couple of times. Still, there were hardly any people on the slopes. I should not complain about that, right?  I like downhill skiing though spending 3-4 more time on the lift than on the slopes is kind of silly. I am getting better at skiing though I wish I took skiing lessons when I was 5, not 50! 

I had a couple of spills, one when a child-missile ran into me from behind. Dad, apologizing profusely that he was not watching, was nice enough to collect my skis and my bones so I could continue having fun. I am happy to report that I seem to be intact. 

And then there was an overnight backpacking trip to Martis Peak lookout tower. This was for sure the highlight of the Tahoe trip. This is by no means a challenging hike but with a loaded backpack and snowshoes it makes for a very good workout. Not being certain if the tower was going to be accessible, I carried everything I needed for camping in the snow, which made my pack quite heavy. The snow was fairly fresh, but not too soft and not too deep, for which I am glad because I do not think my snowshoes would have been big enough to support me and my pack in thick, powdery snow. There was nobody around, nobody, so the trail, the mountain, the tower, the sunset, all the trees, the sky, the stars, and the views were mine, all mine - I am not possessive, not at all. 

The tower was open, the door was not frozen, so I spent a very comfortable night sheltered from howling winds. With windows all around I could see a lot of stars, still, I just had to venture out to look because in my light polluted area I never get to see so many. It was magic.

In the morning I put my microspikes on and ran for Sherry to join all the other runners, walkers, and bikers who wanted to make a statement that we will not let thugs scare us away from doing what we love. Hers was a totally random and senseless death. I think for the first time, while in Nature, I felt a lot of anger. Running helped cure it and when I was done, I actually felt empowered. 

Still, I had to go back as I realized that all my clothes were very sweaty and that staying one more night would not be wise. Reluctantly I packed my stuff and headed to the car.

Snowshoeing is hard work but fun. I love that I do not have to stay on trails and can go practically anywhere I want to. So ever so often, after a few hours of downhill skiing and dodging snowboarders, I would venture out into the forest to enjoy peace and quiet. These were my little trips to heaven.

If you are interested, there are more pictures of snow wonder on my FB page. 

I promised myself to do some biking during my Tahoe stay. Well... that did not happen. I biked a bit when I came back for a couple of days to deal with some stuff in Bay Area, but again not as much as I hoped I would. I have a very long list of excuses for why not if anyone wants to know them for future personal use, email me.

When I got back late on Friday, I checked the route for the Saturday morning ride and I almost choked: 50mi and hard climbing. I almost called the whole thing off but then I thought that the worst thing that could happen would be Ewa turning around and going back home. The start of the ride was ominous, I fell. A girl riding in front of me yelled 'stopping' and before she finished the word she was stopped, and so was I, only I was on the ground. Nothing got broken so we continued. A mile later we heard a loud bang. My back tire blew. Was the universe trying to tell me something? OK, I had a spare, of course. We continued on. I survived a steep climb and thought we were done climbing for the day. I even had (some) fun going down till... a nasty piece of glass kissed my tire. Guess what happened next. If not for the generosity of other riders (yes, in the future I will carry two spares especially that this is not the first time I punctured my tires twice on one ride!), I would have to be calling for help. Another change, more riding and... more climbing! C'mon, whoever planned that ride was just plain mean. But guess what, I did it and without stopping, I actually enjoyed it (my butt did not), and I am so grateful for the opportunity to train with this group because I know that there is no way my mind would let me do this route by myself. 

I will be checking your blogs later tonight. I am curious to see what you all have been up to and I need some inspiration. 

Mind over body and Run for Sherry

I have always been envious of people whose minds aid them on their journey to reach their goals. They set their mind on achieving their dream and they seem to just go for it without doubting they will ever get there. Their minds know that no matter what obstacles are on the way, they will overcome them. Their minds know that stumbles are only opportunities to learn, grow, and get stronger.
Just watch this lady. I want to be like her when I finally grow up.





And here is me:
I've been always saying that my mind has a mind of its own. Somewhere deep inside it, hidden from me, live beliefs that I can accomplish amazing things. These beliefs are why I even consider challenging myself. The majority of my mind though is filled with lack of trust that good things will come my way and in my abilities regardless of my previous successes.
Do you really want to know how pathetic it can get? Say I had a fabulous 26.2 mi run. I finished it quite happy, not that exhausted, and without any major aches and pains. Yes, I am talking about my marathon. A few days later, feeling actually quite recovered, I was planning a 3 (yes, three) mile jog (yes, I said jog, not run), and my mind started questioning if... I would be able to run that far. Now how is that for silly? So I had to dig in very deep to find my little sparks of inspiration, blow on them gently to start the fire that would propel me for the three miles I wanted to run. 

So how was it that I was able to run the marathon? Sometimes friends provide such sparkles of inspiration with their encouragement and support. A few kind words of advice and not only did I run the darn thing, I totally enjoyed it.


It happened again when JoLynn inspired me to do a Cinderella Challenge bike ride. My first thought was to do it. Of course, I wanted to do it! Then the true battle begun. My mind started raising doubts and questions about my ability to even train for such a challenge, and soon walls begun to grow and I thought of giving up.

You should have heard my mind when I saw the climb...

I am very grateful to JoLynn for the encouragement, and help, without which I would never even attempt to train, much less to ride these hills ------------>

But I did and I survived to tell the tale, but since JoLynn tells stories better much better than I could, read her post. I am going to miss next week training so two days later, this time by myself, I did a 55miler. It was not a very hilly ride because my brain told me my legs would hate me if I hit the hills so soon after our last ride. What my mind did not tell me was that my legs and my a$$ would hate me anyway. 

My body seems to be able to endure a lot. It performed superbly well on my three week backpacking trip in the Sierras last summer. It ran a marathon. It biked for hours and did not die on the hills. It is my mind that keeps telling me that I cannot, that I have to stop, that maybe it would be better not even to try. One of these days I'll learn not to listen to what it says, until then  all I need is a little help from my friends to shut my mind up.  


What I love about our blog community is how supportive it is. All your comments matter a lot. I know I am not the only one out there doubting my abilities. Some of you are battling food addictions, some have what might seem now, impossible fitness goals whether it is to be able to walk around the block, run 3 miles, or do an ironman. I strongly believe that if we stick together sharing our stories and encouraging each other, we will reach and exceed these goals, that we can reshape our minds to believe in what seems to be impossible.
I think I am beginning to...


Thank you, friends.


And how is your mind treating you?

ONE MORE THING. I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS VIRTUAL RUN/BIKE/WALK FOR SHERRY

PLEASE READ AND JOIN US. 

LETS MAKE A STATEMENT 

WE WON'T LET ANYONE MAKE US AFRAID TO PURSUE WHAT WE LOVE!