Red Wing Roots VII

I went to the Red Wing Roots music festival again this year. It was really hot but I love going. I took Friday off from work so I could get there and get my tent set up before the music started around noon. Then it was three straight days of hanging out in a beautiful place listening to music.

Friday highlights were hearing the East Pointers, Mandolin Orange, and the Wood Brothers.

Saturday I got up early and went on a 30-mile group bike ride to the base of Reddish Knob. Last year I went all the way to the top but I wasn't in good enough cycling shape this year or in any mood to go through that terrifying downhill again. Highlights of the ride included seeing three horse and buggies go by with Amish (I think?) families! Music highlights for the day included the Steel Wheels (who host the whole festival) and Fruit Bats.

(This bike ride was also pretty exciting because I'd recently dealt with a back injury that put me out of commission for a couple of weeks, and I was very grateful to be able to use my body again!)

I dipped my feet in to cool off.

Steel Wheels!

Sunday I got up and joined a group yoga session on the music meadow right beneath the chimney rocks. Then music highlights included Lindsay Lou and the Gibson Brothers. I stayed until the very end when the Steel Wheels came out for one last chorus of their "Red Wing" song, and then it was finally time to head home.

Morning yoga!

Chimney rocks! I sat in the front for yoga right at the base of the rocks because I was afraid the sun would come out and hit me if I was in the back.

Hanging out in the beer garden.

View across the music meadow at one of the stages.

Despite all the sweat and constantly trying to avoid the sun, it was still a really relaxing and refreshing weekend for me.

Cycling!

After not riding my bike outside at all in 2017, I did pretty well on the cycling front in 2018. Most of it was training for my August triathlon, but I kept it up until mid-October. Over the summer I did two rides with friends, a couple solo rides on the Capital Trail outside Richmond, a couple solo local rides, and that mountainous group ride as part of the Red Wing Roots Music Festival. After the triathlon I wanted to keep up my cycling fitness and build up my mileage to do a metric century, and some of those weekend training rides were spent inside attending two cycling classes in a row at the gym (plus a little extra after the second class, until I reached 40 miles on the bike computer).

Heading off for 60 miles around Culpeper County.

Two weeks ago I drove up to Cupleper to attend my third Culpeper Century. I just did the metric century ride (about 60 miles), which went well. It's a pretty ride but it was really overcast all day and I didn't get to see the mountains in the distance.

About to start the Tour de Greene. This was probably my chilliest ride ever and I wore a jacket plus wind breaker. I warmed up plenty once riding though.

 I thought that would be my last ride of the season, but then I learned about the Tour de Greene the next weekend and wanted to do another 60 miles. So last weekend I drove to Stanardsville for that ride, but about 11 miles in I found myself losing steering control and realized I'd gotten my first flat tire ever. Knew it would happen eventually. I pulled off the rode and up a little driveway to get away from the road, and luckily a really nice lady spotted me as she rode by and decided to stop and help me out. I was prepared to figure out how to fix the thing myself (even if I had to use my phone to look up tricky parts), but it was so much better to have someone helping who knew what she was doing. It still took a while and involved her telling me I needed to clean my chain more often and probably need new tires. Oops.

Getting ready to fix my flat rear tire. But look at that beautiful sky!

We eventually got me back on the road and continued on another 9 or 10 miles. By this point we were way behind everyone else, however. I had already decided to drop down to the 40-miles ride after losing all that time, but then my knee started bothering me a little from my IT band. And since I'm also training for a half marathon that I've already paid a bunch of money for I didn't want to mess up my running legs with unnecessary end-of-season cycling. So when the SAG vehicle pulled up with the lady who'd helped me out hitching a ride to the nearest aid station so she could finally catch up with her group, I went ahead and asked for a ride to the finish. The SAG guy was super nice and I learned all about the Greene County amateur radio club. He was happy to give me a ride because it gave them all something to do and radio each other about. At the end I went ahead and stuck around to eat some finish line food (these rides all seem to favor barbecue) and the ride organizer there was super nice. The Tour de Greene is a no-frills (no t-shirt or swag) ride that raises money for Habitat for Humanity and only costs $20! That's way less than some of the other fall rides I was also looking into. And Greene County is beautiful, so I will definitely keep that ride on my radar in the future. I ended the day having only ridden about 20 miles, but I was still happy since the day had been so pretty and I had learned how to fix a flat. (And the next day my leg didn't give me any problems when I ran 10 miles!)

Red Wing Roots Music Festival

Last year I attended the Red Wing Roots Music Festival for one day, and I liked it so much I told myself I would return the next year and camp for the whole weekend. And that's what I did two weeks ago.

I took Friday off work to pack up and get ready (which always seems to take longer than you'd think). Finally I left town and drove the hour+ to Natural Chimneys Park in Mount Solon, Virginia. I schlepped all my stuff from the overflow parking lot to the "no frills" camping area (thankfully they had a golf cart shuttle to help with some of that), and set up my tent. It was pretty hot out, so when that was finally done and everything was stowed away I headed to the music meadow to sit in the shade and listen to some tunes. John Moreland and Kuinka were great. Trampled by Turtles were also fun but I was getting pretty tired by the end of the night so I cut their set short to shower and hit the hay. I needed a good night's rest because I had a bike ride coming up! Who doesn't love a music festival with a bike ride?! (They also had organized runs and yoga.)

The natural chimneys lit up at night.

Fun lights in the beer garden

Saturday morning I woke up and ate some breakfast in my tent, then got ready for my bike ride. That meant walking a long way in one direction to fill my water bottles and then walking an even longer way in the other direction to my car and bike. I ended up starting the 8am group ride about ten minutes late, but luckily I figured out which way to go. The first fifteen miles or so (I don't remember exactly) was through rolling farmland, and then we headed into the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. Which means we also started heading uphill. At about mile 17 there was a water stop, and the intermediate ride turned around there and headed back. But I decided to attempt the "intermediate/advanced" ride and head another 6.5 miles straight up to the top of Reddish Knob. It was a slow and painful climb, and I'm so proud of myself for making it. I passed some other riders, and one guy commented "you're fast!" but it's all relative because at one point I was logging 13- to 15-minute miles, which is pretty darned slow. I had heard we'd be riding along a ridge at some point, and I looked forward to that flattish ridge so badly. When I finally got there about four miles in I was feeling pretty spent, and then I spied a spur road making a steep and immediate left turn up to the top. I couldn't make that turn right away, since I'd psyched myself out so much about the flat ridge. So I stopped and ate a snack and drank a lot of water and then actually rode a little ways out on the flat main road just to get my legs spinning again and to gain some momentum. Then I turned around and headed up that dreaded last two miles. I saw some of the people I'd passed earlier make that turn without stopping, so in some ways I feel like I cheated. But I still made it (and re-passed those riders). I made it to the top just in time to hear the bluegrass band play their last song before packing up. I ate some snacks and enjoyed the 360 views of Virginia and West Virginia. (I knew I was seeing West Virginia somewhere, but wasn't sure in which direction. And it wasn't until I got home and looked at a map that I realized the state line was actually right up there on the knob, and that some of the rode up actually crossed into West Virginia a couple of times. So I was in another state without realizing it.) Then it was time to head back, which was pretty miserable. You'd think having several miles of downhill would be relaxing, but it wasn't. I clenched my brakes almost the whole time, which was actually kind of painful for my hands and arms. Not to mention the general tense stressful feeling of not wanting to crash and die. And then it was a strange sensation to have to start moving my legs again when the road actually started to level out. Overall it was a forty-mile ride and definitely the hardest cycling I've ever done. It was also my favorite part of the weekend.

Virginia? West Virginia? Beautiful either way.

Parking lot at the top, with drinks and snacks (and musicians packing up).

Back at the festival, Patrick arrived to join me for two days of music in the mountains. Saturday some of my favorites were the Secret Sisters, the John Stickley Trio, and of course my favorite performing artist of all, Josh Ritter. He didn't come on until 10:30, but he was also the only set of the weekend I actually stood up front for. I love him. Patrick and I also made the short hike up to the top of the natural chimneys to check out the sunset.

Yes I bought a fanny pack for this festival. It was perfect. And it wasn't cold, that's just the newly-purchased festival sweatshirt Patrick bought me that I didn't want to carry all the way back to the tent.

Josh Ritter!

Sunday morning I had originally intended to go for a run on my own (since the group runs were only on Saturday), but I didn't have it in me. So I hung out in the music meadow enjoying a dirty chai and watching a man make giant bubbles. Then it was more music. Favorites included David Wax Museum and the Steep Canyon Rangers. 

Giant bubbles!

Enjoying a set from inside the shady beer garden.

The whole weekend was amazing. Yes it was very hot, but other than that I loved being outside all weekend, camping and biking and listening to great music. I love Red Wing Roots and definitely want to go back next year.

running and plans for 2016

I can't believe I ran a marathon in April. It feels like it was ages ago. But I also wasn't as obsessed with it as I had been two years before, so it didn't leave as much of a mental marker. Anyway, after the Blue Ridge Marathon in April I took a break from training, and was just running short distances a couple times a week, maybe with another visit to the gym thrown in. I felt pretty lazy. Then I decided to train for an October olympic-distance triathlon, so I spent a few months swimming twice a week, biking twice a week (usually on the trainer), and running three times. But when my grandmother died and I went to New Mexico for the funeral, I decided to stay there as long as I could to hang out with family, and thus didn't fly back to Virginia in time for the triathlon. (I felt better about this decision when I learned the swim portion of the tri was cancelled due to lots of rain. The swim is definitely my weakest portion, but I wouldn't have wanted to skip it.)

So I found myself in mid-October with no more than seven miles of running or thirty miles of biking at a time on my legs, and no triathlon accomplishment. I couldn't ramp up safely for a fall half or full marathon, and I'd never make it on a fall century ride (or even a metric century). The season for everything was going to be over, I had nothing to show for my summer or fall, and all I could see was a long bleak winter of floundering ahead. This made me anxious to start a training program and go big as soon as possible. So I searched for a winter marathon in driving distance that wouldn't have a good chance of being canceled due to inclement weather. I found the Charleston Marathon, which at the time was fourteen weeks away. Ding ding ding, I found my plan.

I'm going to hold off on actually registering, in case my body (namely my IT-band) doesn't make it. But I'm five weeks into my marathon training. I like having a plan to follow to keep me running regularly, and I like how running makes the winter more bearable. I also like the thought of getting a marathon done early in the year, leaving plenty of time for other events.

So here is my tentative plan for 2016:

• January marathon in Charleston, SC

• May or June olympic triathlon somewhere in Virginia

• September half marathon in Hawaii (!)

• October century ride

I'm excited.

back in the saddle

I'm finally biking again you guys! Since last October's century ride I think I got on my trainer once (when snowed in), and didn't really touch the bike again until late summer. But I'm training for a tentative October triathlon, so I've been riding twice a week. Most of the riding has been on the trainer (and watching TV), but the last two weekends I actually went outside.

The first weekend I was in Richmond, so I rode a familiar route from my Grandpa's house. I did 28 miles, including several hills. It wasn't easy, but it felt good to be out on the road again.

The next weekend JoAnne and I went for a 28-mile ride in Greene and Albemarle counties. I tried to pick a route that wouldn't be too hilly, but I failed. We survived though, and the area was really pretty. Once again, it was good to be riding again.

my first century!

Saturday I spent nine and a half hours on a bike ride doing the Culpeper Cycling Century. It was pretty fun.

JoAnne came to pick me up at 6:45 in the morning and I scrambled to get all my things ready to go. (Biking takes a lot of things.) We drove to downtown Culpeper and then scrambled some more to get our ride packets, use the porta potties, and get our bikes ready. Race bib on, tires pumped, sunscreen applied, socks and cycle shoes on, gloves, helmet, and sunglasses on, cue sheet and map folded and in my pocket, water bottles and computer on the bike, and voila! Ready to ride (five minutes later than the 8:30 start time).

Getting ready.

JoAnne and I have been riding together for several weekends now, and somehow I have been designated to always ride in front. I made a big effort to take it easy in the beginning, knowing that we didn't want to get worn out too soon. We had a lot of miles and many hills ahead of us. We also made sure to stop at every rest stop, which were set up about every 15 miles. They were well stocked with snacks and drinks and a couple even had real bathrooms!

Hitching post at Brightwood Store

Eating all the snacks!

The ride was really beautiful. Parts of the route were the same as the Tour de Madison I did earlier this year. The weather was also just about perfect. A couple times we got chilly (usually after restarting from a rest stop), but we warmed up. And a couple times it got windy, but it wasn't too bad.

Look how pretty!

At mile 58 we got boxed lunches. My legs were pretty sore at that point and I was grateful for a chance to stretch out and sit down. But after our break we were back on the road!

The event included a 35 and a 65 mile option, which split off from us. At our lunch stop it became very clear to us that we were probably the last of the hundred milers. There had been a few other people at that stop, and we saw two guys again at the next stop, but by about mile 75 we knew we were in the very rear. But we just kept riding.

A few miles before the last stop at mile 92 the SAG vehicle pulled up next to us to tell us the last stop had closed. Then the guy said it was five o'clock. What?!? Where did the time go? I thought it was around 3:30. Time flies when you're having fun. The SAG guy asked if we were going to be okay or if we wanted him to call a truck to come get us.

You guys, the event was over and the SAG truck was ready to drive us back to our car. How did this happen? We had no idea we were so slow. This was embarrassing. But there was no way we were going to let them take us off the road. We were going to ride one hundred miles no matter what. So we told the guy we'd be fine and rode on to the next stop for a break anyway, planning to eat our own snacks. But a different SAG vehicle (the truck) met us there and this new guy offered us snacks and drinks. He was nice. We felt really bad for his having to be with us, and we offered to take off our bib numbers and just ride on like two strangers unrelated to the event. But he said no, this happens every year. And then he proceeded to ride just ahead of us the entire last nine miles with his yellow lights flashing.

We were basically escorted back into town. Again, embarrassing. But we also found the whole situation hilarious. It's always a joking fear in races that one will get picked up by the SAG truck if you can't meet the cutoff time. It never really occurred to us that we wouldn't make the cutoff time. Guess I shouldn't have taken it so easy in the beginning. And we shouldn't have spent so much time at each stop. Lessons learned.

Anyway, the nice SAG guy met us at the car after we'd completed all 101 miles on our own. He took our picture (in front of a pretty empty parking lot, since everyone else was long gone) and gave us a recommendation on where to get some food.

We did it!

Sure we were tired and I was a little sore, but overall we were in great shape. (That's a perk to taking our time!) We had averaged 13.5 mph, which isn't that great but don't forget there were lots of hills (a 5,750 ft. elevation gain). I think we were both plenty pleased with how it all went, despite the SAG escort. And of course if either of us decides to do another century (likely), we'll pick up the pace.

(For JoAnne's version and extra photos, see her post here!)

Basement and Biking

I figured it's time I finally show you a picture or two of my new house. I'll start with the basement. (And can't promise when I'll get to another level.)

I put the TV downstairs, along with all the living room furniture I used to have in my apartment. (Though the bookshelf, TV console, and rug are new additions from my aunt). So this is a cozy reading or movie-watching room.

It's also the room where I ride my bike twice a week. I know my mom is glad I have this basement now for my bikes (my hybrid is in the big storage room behind that closed door), instead of having them cluttering up the entryway and living room like they did in my apartment. 

Usually for shorter rides I just set the bike up so I'm looking out the window and then listen to the radio. But recently the midweek rides have been longer, so I've turned it toward the TV and been watching Anne of Green Gables.

Speaking of biking, last weekend I rode 66 miles but was feeling uncomfortable in the saddle starting around mile 20. I went to the bike shop the next day and they fitted me for a new seat (my third seat for this bike so far). I also got a new pair of what should be good biking shorts. I already had what I thought were supposed to be good shorts, but these are even more padded. Hopefully between the new seat and shorts my long rides will get more comfortable. Otherwise next weekend's century is going to be rough. (Well, rougher than a century already is. I mean, one hundred miles! Yikes.)

October goals

I'm on a training schedule again! I run three days and I bike three days. The goals? Ride 100 miles the first weekend in October and run a half marathon two weeks later. Yikes.

Last weekend I rode about 50 miles. I was plenty ready for that ride to be done (it was hot, I didn't eat enough, and sitting in the saddle so long gets uncomfortable), and can't really imagine that being only half the ride. But hopefully these next few weekends of longer training rides will get me prepared. When my riding buddy brought up the idea of an October century I laughed and dismissed it immediately, but you know me. I like big goals.

On the running side, I'm attempting an abbreviated half marathon training plan so I can go to Baltimore and make use of the registration fee I paid last year for the marathon I missed due to injury. My dad is going to come too. To be honest, I'm really just training for this race as an excuse to have a little vacation with dad. It's gonna be fun. As long as I don't get hurt.

final countdown

After all my triathlon talk, the time has finally come. I'm in week 16 of my 16-week training plan. On Sunday I'm going to put the swim bike run all together in my first triathlon. And not just any triathlon, but a half ironman. (Well, 70.3 miles which is the half ironman distance but it won't actually be an Ironman race.) I made "America's Toughest Road Marathon" my first marathon so I thought why not make a half iron my first triathlon?

Saturday was my last long ride. I was in Richmond hanging out with family but drove 35 miles away that morning to Montpelier, then rode 47 miles which included a few views of Lake Anna.

After the ride I immediately ran for fifteen minutes, and then I rushed back to the house in Richmond to get cleaned up and go to lunch with Grandpa.

Sunday I got up early again and headed out for a fourteen-mile run. That was followed by 2400 meters in the pool. Then once again it was time to rush back to go to lunch with Grandpa. Later that afternoon I returned to Charlottesville and met up with a friend to go practice open water swimming at Walnut Creek Park. I practiced sighting, and then I tried on his wetsuit, which I'm going to borrow for my race (assuming wetsuits are allowed, which is determined the day of the race based on the water temp).

I still have a few more workouts before Sunday, but the bulk of the work is done. I'm nervous about how the race is going to go though.

For one, I'm not fast in the water. And I'm used to getting an extra breath or two every 25 meters in the pool. My biggest fear for my race is not swimming the 1.2 miles fast enough and getting cut off from continuing the race. I'll be in the last wave, and I'll have 1:10 to complete the swim. I should be fine, and am estimating I'll do it between 45 minutes and an hour, but we're also swimming up stream and it could be choppy. I could also be bad at sighting and waste time weaving around. We'll see. Eek.

For two, I haven't been as good about eating during my workouts as I should. I eat the GUs and chews and stuff, just not enough. I will need to eat on the bike a lot. This will be especially important because I have to have enough fuel left for the run.

For three, running a half marathon is one thing, but running a half marathon after swimming 1.2 miles and biking 56 is another. I've followed a training plan, but the most it ever had me run right off the bike was twenty minutes. I don't really know how running two hours (and likely more) will go. Not completing the swim in time may be my biggest fear, but I think how the run will go is my biggest mystery.

Wish me luck.

awesome things that happened this weekend:

• Saturday I rode 60 miles outside. I went to Scottsville and followed a route I found online. This should have been my third 60-miler. The first one I did I think still counts, even though it was on the trainer (for 4 hours). The second was supposed to be last weekend but I ran out of time before a big family event in Richmond and only did 43 miles. But yesterday was legit. The weather was nice. The route, for the most part, wasn't too scary. And when dogs ran at me on three separate occasions I was never bitten or crashed or panicked too much.
• After my ride, and a short run, I hung out briefly at the pool with a friend.
• Then I made an offer on a townhouse, and we eventually came to an agreement. So I've got a contract to buy a place! Still lots to be done before it's all finalized, but this is exciting.
• Sunday I got up early and ran 14 miles around town. At one point I saw a groundhog that ran into a little ditch but then peered back out at me. We locked eyes for a few seconds and I said "hello!"
• After my run (and some stretching and foam rolling) I swam 2200 meters. I was supposed to swim 2400 meters, but I ran out of time.
• I ran out of time because I was meeting friends to go watch polo! A local winery has polo every Sunday during the summer, and though I've heard about it for years this was my first visit. It's a great time to sit out on the grass and eat a picnic and drink wine and look at the beautiful scenery with mountains and see horses run around.
• After church this evening I went to dinner with some other friends and we got to sit outside. Then I went to an outdoor concert and listened to fun old-timey music. I also saw my first fireflies of the season!

Tour de Madison

Saturday I was slated to ride 45 miles. Finding bike routes takes forever for me to do, but this week I let others find the route for me by doing the Tour de Madison. It was an excellent decision.

I made the drive out to the Graves Mountain Lodge in Madison County and got there right as the 60-milers were taking off. I rushed to register, use the porta potty, pump my tires, apply sunscreen, don helmet, gloves, and cycling shoes, and then take off! The 45-milers started at 8:45 but I ended up rolling out on my own five minutes later. It didn't take too long to catch up with some other cyclists though.

I was able to catch up in good time because I was riding my new road bike! I bought it a week and a half ago but this was my first real ride. This was also my first ride with other people. People passed me. I passed people. I stopped with groups at intersections. I didn't fall over or make anyone else wreck. It was a success!

During the ride a woman said she liked my new bike and how it sparkled in the sun. I hadn't noticed it before, but sure enough it sparkles!

The weather was perfect, and Madison County is gorgeous (think farmland in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains). There were definitely plenty of hills, but my new blue bike and I made it just fine. This was also my first ride with a computer telling me how fast and far I was going. I think my average was around 14.8 mph. The lowest I noticed was about 6 mph while going up a long hill. The fastest was about 32 mph (eek!). I think with a mostly flat route I could average around 17-18 mph.  Toward the end of my 45 miles I was plenty ready to be done though, mostly because my new bike's seat isn't as comfortable as my hybrid's. I was also getting sore in my neck/upper back area on one side. I'm having a bike fitting on Tuesday so hopefully we can fix these problems.

During the ride there were two rest stops. I had a cookie and half a banana at the first. I had a PB&J sandwich, a big orange slice, and another cookie at the second. After the ride they had live music and a full meal. So I grabbed my food and sat outside near a river, listening to fun blue grass.

After I ate I headed back home for a long and very necessary nap. Then I went to some friends' and stuffed myself with their crawfish boil.

It was a pretty good Saturday, I'd say.

ups and downs. literally.

Last weekend I biked 50 miles in Richmond. While out on the road I ran into (not literally) a friend who's super into biking and she looked over all my gear, declaring that I need a road bike. I agree. This hybrid is great but not for really long (and hilly) rides.

After the ride I ran for 20 minutes. Apparently when I run right after a bike ride my legs automatically keep up the same cadence they just did for hours on the bike. That means I go super fast (for me), but it won't be sustainable much longer than 20 minutes.

The day after the bike ride I ran twelve miles in Richmond, which was fine, and then I swam 2000 meters. Halfway through the swim I was STARVING and became weak and wanted to throw up. But I didn't. When I got out I was so hungry and miserable that I cried in the shower. Really. Then I got back to the house and luckily my mom was visiting so she helped feed me immediately while I just draped myself on the kitchen island and whined about how tired and hungry I was.

I'm loving the warmer weather and my shorter midday morning runs. But I'm not loving Charlottesville's hills. I used to seek out every hill I could find to train for my mountainous marathon, but now it'd be nice for a little respite. Oh well.

Yesterday I was supposed to run 13 miles. But I also wanted to run the Montalto Challenge 5k, my favorite race of the year. (Yes it's all uphill. I guess I still like hills a little, just not all the time.) So I ran the 13 but it was pretty split up, which is cheating. I did an easy 2 miles to warm up before the race, and then ran up the mountain for 3 miles. I made it up without walking again (like last year), but was over a minute slower than last year. I still managed to get 3rd place in my age group though.

Good friends who also ran or volunteered.

Capturing the elevated view.

After the race I hung out at the top with some friends and watched the award ceremony, and then we went out for a post-run brunch. Then it was home to get my stuff together and head out for another 8 miles of running. Followed by another 2000 meters in the pool. I didn't starve this time.

Today I was supposed to ride 55 miles on the bike. I headed out with a mostly-new route. I was on real (but still sorta rural) streets with cars. I crossed a highway at a stop light. I'm making progress. But it was a hilly ride (they always are around here), AND it was pretty windy. So windy that I got scared a couple times a gush would send me off the road. And a ton of debris was flying out of the trees at me. So it was not pleasant. I cut the ride short at 41 miles with the intention of riding another hour on the trainer to make up the rest after church. But friends at church convinced me that since the triathlon I plan to do is flat and I'd just done all those hills in the wind with the extra work of the hybrid, I didn't need to do any more tonight. I feel a little bad, again cheating myself on this weekend's long workouts. But I'm also exhausted. Training for a big triathlon is hard you guys.

Triathlon: a lesson in bravery

I've been interested in triathlon for a couple years now, but was always hesitant to actually start working on the three sports. I'm comfortable running and feel like, for the most part, I know what I'm doing. But biking and swimming? Those are foreign territory. And they are awkward. And they are scary.

I want to do a triathlon. I want to be a triathlete. And that means I have to go outside my comfort zone. I'm generally a pretty cautious person. I've spent a great part of my life being embarrassed (about anything and everything), and trying to avoid embarrassment. But with triathlon, I have to throw embarrassment out the window. I look ridiculous. I feel ridiculous. But it's okay. I trust it will get better.

Yesterday I biked forty miles. This was a big deal for me for two main reasons. One, it's the farthest I've ever biked. Two, I did it outside, which I think makes it the third time I've ridden my bike with these stupid clipless pedals. Clipless pedals are scary. I'm proud of my ride, but it was definitely not without incident and embarrassment.

First, one of my water-bottle holders lost a screw, and after a while the whole thing turned upside down and my bottle fell out. I managed to stop and unclip in good time to retrieve the bottle, which I then had to stick in my belt on my hip. (I don't have a real riding jersey yet, so I just wore a running shirt, and since I needed a pocket I used my running belt. It worked, but it made it obvious to anyone in the know that I'm not really a cyclist. Yet.) Then I had to deal with the annoying rattle of the loose bottle holder the rest of the way.

Second, while starting up at a stop sign, nervous about crossing a street with actual cars, I managed to get a giant cramp in my calf. I was proud of myself for not freaking out though, but as soon as I got across and out of the way I had to stop and try to walk it off. It still tightens up and I've been stretching it all day. Annoying.

Third, I pulled into a parking lot to eat a little something and have a drink of water, but as I came to my stop I didn't manage to unclip in time. Yes, I fell over. Right in front of an elderly couple in a truck. I must really have looked ridiculous, practically stopped on my bike but then tipping right over onto the ground. I'm fine, but I did get a little road rash on one leg and a bruise on the other.

You can barely see the bloody road rash beneath my knee, but it's there. Trust me.

Fourth, the fall made my chain come loose. Again, I'm proud of myself for not panicking. I turned my bike upside down (never done that before) and managed to get the chain back on (never done that before), using a stick so as not to get grease all over my hand. Then I simply carried on.

Fifth, I picked a six-mile stretch of relatively quiet road and just went back and forth until I reached forty miles. But it was a really hilly stretch. Going up the hills was hard but manageable. Going down the hills was terrifying, and I braked a lot.

Riding a bike is scary you guys.

Today I ran nine miles. That is exciting because I've finally got some decent mileage back after my injury. I still take a few walking breaks just to be safe, but overall I'm feeling pretty good in the running department. Right after the run I went for my swim.

Swimming is another area that has taken a determination to throw embarrassment out the window. When swimming, you have to wear a bathing suit in front of people. With a silly cap and goggles. Then you have to swim in front of a life guard and strangers in the hot tub. I'm okay with this now, but I probably wasn't a few years ago. Which is why I didn't tri (ha!) sooner. (And I haven't even gotten to open-water swimming yet, or the chaos of an open-water swim with a bunch of other kicking and flailing swimmers. Something to look forward to.)

I swam 1600 meters, including a 1000-meter time trial. I'm pretty slow, but I ended up doing it in less time than I thought it would take, and was relieved that it indicates I can probably finish the swim portion of the triathlon I want to do within the time limit. That's a relief. This workout completed week 6 of my 16-week training program. So far so...good? At least I'm excited (even if a little scared) to keep working!

an early glimpse of Spring

This past weekend was beautiful. The weekend before was covered in snow, but this one was in the 60s! So I went outside a little.

Saturday I joined a friend for a five-mile run. That was the first time I've run with someone else since my stupid injury. (Which, by the way, I think is mostly gone!) It worked out well this time because I'm still slow but she was taking it easy before she runs a marathon next weekend.

Sunday I went to Sugar Hollow for a bike ride. I'm still not very comfortable with the whole feet-stuck-to-the-pedals thing, so I tried to pick a place that would be paved and relatively long and flat and with little traffic. And since I don't know good bike routes (yet), I went with a good running route.

I've run on Sugar Hollow Road with a training group lots of times before, but we always turned around before the hill that leads to the dam. So when I finally saw the dam for the first time Sunday it was a pleasant surprise.

I made the mistake of parking in the lot next to the dam. It was a mistake because it was at the top of the steep hill, which meant that both starting and stopping on my bike made me really anxious. Especially stopping at the end. Going up a hill is hard enough because you have to keep moving in order to not fall over. And if you are going to stop because you can't keep moving anymore, you want a foot free to land on. Which you can't free up very easily when it's holding on for dear life cranking slowly and painfully up the hill so you don't fall over. You see? Nerve wracking. Plus it's a beautiful day so lots of people are hanging out up there by the dam and are going to see you fall, if you fall.


But don't worry, I didn't fall. And I made it up the hill without stopping. What a relief.