Thanks everyone for tons of support. It’s been a great year, so many hours training, quite the journey. I’m glad I did it.
The Epic Continues... This is the blog I started when I signed up and began training for Ironman Coeur d'Alene, my first Ironman triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). I trained for 10 months. On June 26 20011 I went to Idaho to do it, something went wrong in the cold water, I didn't make the swim cut off and was pulled from the race. Huge bummer. In a fog of disappointment I signed up for Ironman Canada on Aug 28 to get er done.
Monday, July 18, 2011
It's Complete.
I had a great week off and realized that it was easy to want to train when I was off and having time for all the things I haven't had time for this year, but I really don't want to spend my summer training. There may be an Ironman in my future but it's not in six weeks. I thought my head would be back in the game, but I'm done with Ironman for this year. I'm excited to get on with things, creative endeavors, hiking, adventure, friends, being a good aunt and sister and friend, the spontaneity that defines me. It's sad, but I think that's just left over Coeur d'Alene sad and the tears of a stubborn ego.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Flash Mob!
My Week
-There was a dance flash mob at the Farmer's Market yesterday! Also lots of sugar snap pees... it was sort of like this:
-Snakes are out and slithering in the grass when I work in my garden
-Something died under the barn and I can't figure out where...(might be the neighbor's cat...)
-Tomorrow is work on the Silver Streak Trailer Day!
-I got my hand stuck between this flour bin and metal table at work. Stuck. Squished in so I couldn't get it out or move it. Like when I got my hand stuck in the car door when I was little on the ferry boat, only I was calmer. SO I hunkered down in my little cranny for a but and tried to decide whether to chew my hand off or cut it off a la Aron Ralston when I was spotted, I said "I'm stuck" in a weirdly calm voice, "can you lift the table?" and they did, and I still have both hands, but one finger won't clench all the way. So that was exciting.
-Bees will arrive any day, the hive is set!
-Chickens Sunday?
-I talked to some really nice folks about training and my head. Learned a lot. Major Processing. Heavy doody. I'm feeling better about Ironman just being a race and a powerful tool for me to learn with.
- Not that processing one's deep driving desires and having "we need to talk" dates every night with one's ego is ANY excuse...but... I accidentally started watching Glee... It's like an itchy rash I hope clears up soon.
-There was a dance flash mob at the Farmer's Market yesterday! Also lots of sugar snap pees... it was sort of like this:
-Snakes are out and slithering in the grass when I work in my garden
-Something died under the barn and I can't figure out where...(might be the neighbor's cat...)
-Tomorrow is work on the Silver Streak Trailer Day!
-I got my hand stuck between this flour bin and metal table at work. Stuck. Squished in so I couldn't get it out or move it. Like when I got my hand stuck in the car door when I was little on the ferry boat, only I was calmer. SO I hunkered down in my little cranny for a but and tried to decide whether to chew my hand off or cut it off a la Aron Ralston when I was spotted, I said "I'm stuck" in a weirdly calm voice, "can you lift the table?" and they did, and I still have both hands, but one finger won't clench all the way. So that was exciting.
-Bees will arrive any day, the hive is set!
-Chickens Sunday?
-I talked to some really nice folks about training and my head. Learned a lot. Major Processing. Heavy doody. I'm feeling better about Ironman just being a race and a powerful tool for me to learn with.
- Not that processing one's deep driving desires and having "we need to talk" dates every night with one's ego is ANY excuse...but... I accidentally started watching Glee... It's like an itchy rash I hope clears up soon.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Choose it right
I signed up for Canada the same day I didn't finish Coeur d'Alene. It was a brash, emotional decision coming from a place of embarrassment, disappointment, sadness, and regret. If those were my motivations for doing this race than training is going to suck and I don't want to spend my summer doing it.
So, I just put away all my tri stuff. I'm taking a week off. Running if I want to, doing projects, resting my tired mind and heart, doing the self love and coming back into me, coming into a good decision making place. After a week, I'll decide if I want to do Ironman Canada.
So, I just put away all my tri stuff. I'm taking a week off. Running if I want to, doing projects, resting my tired mind and heart, doing the self love and coming back into me, coming into a good decision making place. After a week, I'll decide if I want to do Ironman Canada.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Shit or get off the pot
I went for my run yesterday, hated it, came home and cried.
I am super resentful of training right now and what's the point of spending 20 hours a week voluntarily doing something you hate.
I need to:
a) Get my head back into a space where training for Ironman is an exciting, healthful, therapeutic adventure that makes me feel good
or
b) Stop training, not do Canada and spend my free time doing things I love like spending time with friends, family, creative projects, fun exercise, and summertime.
It's clearly all in my head. If I think about a 6 hour bike ride today for training, my body cringes and I immediately think of 9,000 better things to do. If I think of going for a solo bike adventure for fun, I'd do it.
So I went today and talked to a guy from tri club who works a lot with mental training.
I'm going deep.
Stay tuned.
I am super resentful of training right now and what's the point of spending 20 hours a week voluntarily doing something you hate.
I need to:
a) Get my head back into a space where training for Ironman is an exciting, healthful, therapeutic adventure that makes me feel good
or
b) Stop training, not do Canada and spend my free time doing things I love like spending time with friends, family, creative projects, fun exercise, and summertime.
It's clearly all in my head. If I think about a 6 hour bike ride today for training, my body cringes and I immediately think of 9,000 better things to do. If I think of going for a solo bike adventure for fun, I'd do it.
So I went today and talked to a guy from tri club who works a lot with mental training.
I'm going deep.
Stay tuned.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Highlights
Fresh kale smoothies from the garden
Saying hey to people I know coming into the bakery
Sleeping in the trailer and waking up to birds
Trying to learn butterfly at Masters swim and laughing my nuts off
Visitors galore and eating out on the deck
Sunrise on the mountain
Biking in the sun
Running from the lake
Animals EVERYWHERE!
Translating spanish at the post office
Laughing at work
Being happy that I am the one at home so excited for main man's return.
It's summer!
Saying hey to people I know coming into the bakery
Trying to learn butterfly at Masters swim and laughing my nuts off
Visitors galore and eating out on the deck
Sunrise on the mountain
Biking in the sun
Running from the lake
Animals EVERYWHERE!
Translating spanish at the post office
Laughing at work
Being happy that I am the one at home so excited for main man's return.
It's summer!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Mind Ironing
I went to Hood River Tri Club on Tuesday night. People were SO nice! I had met a bunch of them at a party at my coach's house on the 4th so they all knew I was The Girl Who Didn't Finish The Swim. It was a treat to see them all again.
The course was an open water swim, 7 mile bike, and 2 or 3 mile run or something. Then a beer. I'll do it every week until Canada.
Getting back in the water with a group of people in wetsuits wasn't fun. I swam 2/3 of the swim course. It's this weird panic like I can't breathe, or am not moving, or something. So weird. Not a problem in the pool and never been a problem in open water before Ironman.
After the workout, when we were all hanging, chatting, and laughing, a man came up to me, he asked me how it was going, and I smiled and said "good," he smiled and said "Really? How was that swim?"... fuck.
I told him it wasn't fun, but that I'd just keep banging my head against it until it got fun. He just looked at me. I'd met him at Mondays party and he basically, very nicely, called was calling me out on my shit. He basically said that though I was physically trained for Ironman, my mental game was a mess.
True.
It makes sense. One signs on for these things for lots of reasons, for me there were lots of reasons as well: Adventure, a big goal, to see what I'm capable of, to celebrate my life... then there's all the "because I have something to prove" reasons. The latter reasons are deep and rooty and probably worth some pondering and making peace with. It totally makes sense that one goes into all this with all their weird stuff about being good enough, and if you don't sort all that out before hand it's not like it's going to get clearer in the freezing water with 2500 other freaks.
It think I have some deep wormy hiccup in my mind, and I have to iron it out.
In addition to mind work, it's back to training. I got acupuncture and massage on my whackidy shoulder last night and am all over figuring out the work/train/sleep/eat/shower/water garden/summertime balance.
The course was an open water swim, 7 mile bike, and 2 or 3 mile run or something. Then a beer. I'll do it every week until Canada.
Getting back in the water with a group of people in wetsuits wasn't fun. I swam 2/3 of the swim course. It's this weird panic like I can't breathe, or am not moving, or something. So weird. Not a problem in the pool and never been a problem in open water before Ironman.
After the workout, when we were all hanging, chatting, and laughing, a man came up to me, he asked me how it was going, and I smiled and said "good," he smiled and said "Really? How was that swim?"... fuck.
I told him it wasn't fun, but that I'd just keep banging my head against it until it got fun. He just looked at me. I'd met him at Mondays party and he basically, very nicely, called was calling me out on my shit. He basically said that though I was physically trained for Ironman, my mental game was a mess.
True.
It makes sense. One signs on for these things for lots of reasons, for me there were lots of reasons as well: Adventure, a big goal, to see what I'm capable of, to celebrate my life... then there's all the "because I have something to prove" reasons. The latter reasons are deep and rooty and probably worth some pondering and making peace with. It totally makes sense that one goes into all this with all their weird stuff about being good enough, and if you don't sort all that out before hand it's not like it's going to get clearer in the freezing water with 2500 other freaks.
It think I have some deep wormy hiccup in my mind, and I have to iron it out.
In addition to mind work, it's back to training. I got acupuncture and massage on my whackidy shoulder last night and am all over figuring out the work/train/sleep/eat/shower/water garden/summertime balance.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
31derful
I had an awesome birthday last weekend. Friends, sun, water, food, rad scavenger hunt left by main-man before he went to work, morning coffee in the trailer with Caroline, innertubing, basking on the futon on the deck, hula hooping, meeting more people doing Ironman Canada, and lots of lots of love.
And now there's time to get my head right for my next race. I'm still a bit mopey about Idaho, I cry, I wonder what the eff I was thinking signing up for another, I get pissed, but under it all I'm glad I'm going back to do it right. Its time to train hard in body and I've got some work to do on my mind. Tonight I'm off to tri-club with some folks I'm pretty sure wear pointy helmets and don't fuck around.
Here's some mind training I'm doing:
The next 9 weeks:
Be my best: Laugh a lot
Eat my best: Plan groceries and fuel so I can be fueled for workouts and recovery
Train my best: Complete all training goals each day
Recover my best: Prioritize sleeping 8 hours a night, take care of my shoulder
Long term goals in sport of Triathlon:
And now there's time to get my head right for my next race. I'm still a bit mopey about Idaho, I cry, I wonder what the eff I was thinking signing up for another, I get pissed, but under it all I'm glad I'm going back to do it right. Its time to train hard in body and I've got some work to do on my mind. Tonight I'm off to tri-club with some folks I'm pretty sure wear pointy helmets and don't fuck around.
Here's some mind training I'm doing:
The next 9 weeks:
Be my best: Laugh a lot
Eat my best: Plan groceries and fuel so I can be fueled for workouts and recovery
Train my best: Complete all training goals each day
Recover my best: Prioritize sleeping 8 hours a night, take care of my shoulder
Long term goals in sport of Triathlon:
- Arrive at Ironman Canada feeling calm and confident
- Train so I have ample cushion time for each cut off
- Complete Ironman Canada on August 28
- Work: Laugh a lot and do my best, connect with people, build farm, do a little each day
- Community: Maintain peeps, build Hood River community now that I'm here
- Level of commitment to acheiving tri goals: High for next 9 weeks
- Price willing to pay to achieve tri goals: I will have to sacrifice some social stuff
Monday, June 27, 2011
Totally Disappointing
It was a great few days before the race. Lots of family love. So many nice messages from friends and family. A great lake house. Stormy weather, but the weather was calm and perfect race day morning. I'd been out the day before with my coach and was chompin at the bit. I felt calm and confident. I can write more later about the experience of being here and all the hub bub.
I want to write now a little about not finishing.
The water was 53 degrees and calm. The gun went off and I let the mass go and then got in and started swimming. The cold took my breath and for whatever reason I couldn't get my breathing together for the first 1.2 miles. Half way through my first 1.2 mile lap I got a wicked leg cramp.
Whatever the reasons, I couldn't get my shit together.
I've swam the distance in the pool twice during training, I felt calm in the open water at my second Blue Lake Triathlon race a few weeks back, but today it wasn't working out. I got through my first lap finally at 1:20, they started cutting people from the race behind me. I stumbled back into the water and swam. My breathing was still all over the place and I couldn't feel my hands or feet. 1/4 way through my second and final lap a paddle boarder told me I'd be cut from the race at the far buoy. I got to the far buoy, 1.8 miles in and no body cut me. I got to 2 miles at the 2:20 cut off time. They asked me if I wanted to get on a boat as I was cut from the race. I knew I'd need something to be proud of so I kept swimming and finished the 2.4 miles 19 minutes past the cut off.
Who knows why I couldn't pull it off. Cold? Nerves? Whatever. I got to shore, last one out of the water. I was devastated. My family was there and lots of people were clapping. I wanted to be alone. I was so cold. 2:40 in the water swimming. I got whisked into the warming tent which was filled with other bummed out women. Some missed the cut by seconds.
I know it's just a silly sports event. I know I am one of the luckiest people for so many reasons. It's just sad to let myself down so badly. I wanted to be on my bike so badly.
I got home and slept, and woke up to family.
I decided I don't want to leave it like this. I know I am strong enough to complete this race, I have a full year of training under my belt and am in awesome shape. I don't want to go the rest of my life knowing how close I was to this goal.
I decided I would sign up for another Ironman in the next few months and train my ass off and do it.
The only spot was a $1,112 community foundation spot in Ironman Canada August 28. I'm in. My grandma has a house there and I can drive which justifies the cost.
So here's to 8 more weeks of hard ass training and a hopeful happy ending to this adventure.
I want to write now a little about not finishing.
The water was 53 degrees and calm. The gun went off and I let the mass go and then got in and started swimming. The cold took my breath and for whatever reason I couldn't get my breathing together for the first 1.2 miles. Half way through my first 1.2 mile lap I got a wicked leg cramp.
Whatever the reasons, I couldn't get my shit together.
I've swam the distance in the pool twice during training, I felt calm in the open water at my second Blue Lake Triathlon race a few weeks back, but today it wasn't working out. I got through my first lap finally at 1:20, they started cutting people from the race behind me. I stumbled back into the water and swam. My breathing was still all over the place and I couldn't feel my hands or feet. 1/4 way through my second and final lap a paddle boarder told me I'd be cut from the race at the far buoy. I got to the far buoy, 1.8 miles in and no body cut me. I got to 2 miles at the 2:20 cut off time. They asked me if I wanted to get on a boat as I was cut from the race. I knew I'd need something to be proud of so I kept swimming and finished the 2.4 miles 19 minutes past the cut off.
Who knows why I couldn't pull it off. Cold? Nerves? Whatever. I got to shore, last one out of the water. I was devastated. My family was there and lots of people were clapping. I wanted to be alone. I was so cold. 2:40 in the water swimming. I got whisked into the warming tent which was filled with other bummed out women. Some missed the cut by seconds.
I know it's just a silly sports event. I know I am one of the luckiest people for so many reasons. It's just sad to let myself down so badly. I wanted to be on my bike so badly.
I got home and slept, and woke up to family.
I decided I don't want to leave it like this. I know I am strong enough to complete this race, I have a full year of training under my belt and am in awesome shape. I don't want to go the rest of my life knowing how close I was to this goal.
I decided I would sign up for another Ironman in the next few months and train my ass off and do it.
The only spot was a $1,112 community foundation spot in Ironman Canada August 28. I'm in. My grandma has a house there and I can drive which justifies the cost.
So here's to 8 more weeks of hard ass training and a hopeful happy ending to this adventure.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Leaving for Idaho tomorrow...
Last Hood River Pool training workout was today.
I've swam in so many pools this year!
I'm procrastinating packing right now.
Off to Idaho tomorrow!
If you want to track me on Sunday, here's how:
Go to: http://ironmanlive.com/tracking.php?race=coeurdalene&year=2011
The race starts at 7am and if I finish it will be before 12am Monday.
Last Name: Jenkinson
Age group 30-35
Bib number 259
Send the good vibes! Here goes!
I've swam in so many pools this year!
I'm procrastinating packing right now.
Off to Idaho tomorrow!
If you want to track me on Sunday, here's how:
Go to: http://ironmanlive.com/tracking.php?race=coeurdalene&year=2011
The race starts at 7am and if I finish it will be before 12am Monday.
Last Name: Jenkinson
Age group 30-35
Bib number 259
Send the good vibes! Here goes!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
One Week Countdown
Today, this time next week:
7am Swim Mass Start
9:20 Swim course cut off, I hope I'm biking by this time
1:30pm, better be done with 1/2 bike course
5:30pm bike course closes
9pm better be done with 1/2 marathon
12pm best be done...
Final count down..
We're leaving for Idaho on Wednesday!
7am Swim Mass Start
9:20 Swim course cut off, I hope I'm biking by this time
1:30pm, better be done with 1/2 bike course
5:30pm bike course closes
9pm better be done with 1/2 marathon
12pm best be done...
Final count down..
We're leaving for Idaho on Wednesday!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
100 miles
blister buns
teen bulls
crazy ass head wind
hills
llamas
great barns
rain
hills
gels
wind
sun
rain on cement smell
sore buns
done
Ironman will be hard, but probably OK.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
11 days
This is the final push til taper.
Today was my second day at my new job. I'm baking artisan breads at Knead.
It's waking up at 5:45 and learning so much rad stuff about baking that I've wanted to learn for so long, lots of flour, and making things with my hands. I like it.
Also today I did the full length swim. Swimming in a pool after this weekend is way easier. I'm tired but not wrecked. Which is great. Tomorrow I bike 100 miles.
Then taper!
Today was my second day at my new job. I'm baking artisan breads at Knead.
It's waking up at 5:45 and learning so much rad stuff about baking that I've wanted to learn for so long, lots of flour, and making things with my hands. I like it.
Also today I did the full length swim. Swimming in a pool after this weekend is way easier. I'm tired but not wrecked. Which is great. Tomorrow I bike 100 miles.
Then taper!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
I'm in control, I could do this all day
That's my new mantra: "I'm in control, I could do this all day"
It's a result of the main man calling me out that I am indeed not afraid of drowning but rather of being out of control... touche.
Saturday was my first Triathlon, it was Sprint distance (1/2 mi swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run.)
I freaked the frick out with the swim. Wednesday was the first time I learned to sight, and I got all confused about breathing, got bumped around a bit and went to a very dark place. I finished fine but was scarred.
Brother, brothergal, big sis and new niece came and made a sign and it was rad, despite a lingering deep horror at the swimming. I talked to my coach that night, she said don't worry, all first tri swims are traumatic.
Most people wait a week or more soon forget race trauma and want to do another. I did another the next day, with full force fear.
Saturday eve was food carts and friends, Portland summer wonderful, and lots of well wishes for the race.
Woke up at 5:30 on Sunday, sweating. Triathlon number 2: 1 mile swim, 21 mile bike, 10k run. Couldn't stop shitting, scared animal shit. I can't remember not wanting to do something I was going to do so much. SO scared for the swim. 8am rolled around, I was standing on the beach in my wetsuit pretending not to cry scared ass tears. We got in the corral, the horn tooted, we went.
It's a head game. As long as I don't think, it's fine. Don't think, focus on exhale, I'm in control, I could do this all day. Coming in from the swim I lost my nose plug and main man was there yelling along the shore, easy to spot because luckily he never changes his clothes, like a champ.
The bike was good, same mantra. I didn't take a watch so I wouldn't be able to feed the thought gerbils in my head numbers and get all worked up. A bunch of war planes took off over us, that was noisy. A lady behind me kept hollering "Thanks for the great pace, keep it up" which was rad. At one point a 60 year old lady rode up next to me on my same bike and told me she had my same outfit. She was a badass. I saw a guy in a tri suit that said "Ted Nugent" on it, like a sponsor? I stopped to pee. And I spend a lot of time imagining people naked to keep my mind distracted. It's super easy when everyone's wearing see through spandy suits.
The run was good, I passed a lot of people.
End of race was good, main man, strawberry short cake, no more fear.
I picked up my brother, a free egg incubator, free chicken feeder, free foam leg roller, and a German hitch hiker and we got to come home. All in time to get to bed early enough so I could get to work this morning at my new job as a bread baker here in Hood River.
Here's my times:
Saturday Sprint
Overall Time: 1:32:10
Division place: 17th
Swim: 19:37, Bike: 39:52,Run: 26
Sunday Olympic:
Overall Time: 3:04:11
Division place: 21st
Swim: 36:29, Bike: 1:25:21, Run: 56:08
It's a result of the main man calling me out that I am indeed not afraid of drowning but rather of being out of control... touche.
Saturday was my first Triathlon, it was Sprint distance (1/2 mi swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run.)
I freaked the frick out with the swim. Wednesday was the first time I learned to sight, and I got all confused about breathing, got bumped around a bit and went to a very dark place. I finished fine but was scarred.
 |
| Getting Ready |
Most people wait a week or more soon forget race trauma and want to do another. I did another the next day, with full force fear.
Saturday eve was food carts and friends, Portland summer wonderful, and lots of well wishes for the race.
Woke up at 5:30 on Sunday, sweating. Triathlon number 2: 1 mile swim, 21 mile bike, 10k run. Couldn't stop shitting, scared animal shit. I can't remember not wanting to do something I was going to do so much. SO scared for the swim. 8am rolled around, I was standing on the beach in my wetsuit pretending not to cry scared ass tears. We got in the corral, the horn tooted, we went.
It's a head game. As long as I don't think, it's fine. Don't think, focus on exhale, I'm in control, I could do this all day. Coming in from the swim I lost my nose plug and main man was there yelling along the shore, easy to spot because luckily he never changes his clothes, like a champ.
The bike was good, same mantra. I didn't take a watch so I wouldn't be able to feed the thought gerbils in my head numbers and get all worked up. A bunch of war planes took off over us, that was noisy. A lady behind me kept hollering "Thanks for the great pace, keep it up" which was rad. At one point a 60 year old lady rode up next to me on my same bike and told me she had my same outfit. She was a badass. I saw a guy in a tri suit that said "Ted Nugent" on it, like a sponsor? I stopped to pee. And I spend a lot of time imagining people naked to keep my mind distracted. It's super easy when everyone's wearing see through spandy suits.
 |
| The Finish! |
End of race was good, main man, strawberry short cake, no more fear.
I picked up my brother, a free egg incubator, free chicken feeder, free foam leg roller, and a German hitch hiker and we got to come home. All in time to get to bed early enough so I could get to work this morning at my new job as a bread baker here in Hood River.
Here's my times:
Saturday Sprint
Overall Time: 1:32:10
Division place: 17th
Swim: 19:37, Bike: 39:52,Run: 26
Sunday Olympic:
Overall Time: 3:04:11
Division place: 21st
Swim: 36:29, Bike: 1:25:21, Run: 56:08
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
17 days
Home!Coach and I went to Blue Lake this morning. I'm doing my first triathlons there this weekend.
Saturday: Sprint Distance: 8am 1/2 mi swim, 12 mi bike, 5 k run
Sunday: Olympic Distance: 8am .8 mi swim, 22 mi bike, 5.3 mi run
Swam in the water: it's not that cold. Practiced getting pummeled whilst swimming: funny.
Swimming will be a total head game, if I stay calm I have no doubt I can do it. Get amped up and I'm screwed. So there's that.
I'm so lucky to have such a rad coach.
Then we got beers and lunch and it was good to hear about how most folks get a little high strung before big events and what the plan is for the next couple weeks.
The truth is I'm terrified and an emotional loose cannon. I'm excited too, but it's scary as shit.
At this point alls I can do is my best every day.
In other RAD news:
-I'm getting bees and I planted my garden, come on summer!
-Saw a big snake on a bike ride
-I saw what may be the cutest animal: Baby Highland Cattle on the run the other day.
-Grande Finale: Same run... shit my pants! Really! It's true!
Monday, May 30, 2011
26 days
Here's the thing about Hypothermia. It comes so slow and makes you so dumb all you can do is try to prevent it. I had no idea how bad of shape I was in until I had been rescued by a nurse and her husband in a gigantic truck, bundled in blankets and driven half way home.
I headed out Sunday for a six hour ride. Plan: Ride into Yosemite Valley and out.
Weather: sunny.
Clothes: Jersey and Windbreaker and shorts.
I saw a flipped raft, gigantic dead deer, lots of wildflowers, big water, awesome rocks, it was a great ride. When I hit El Portal it got drizzly and I put on my windbreaker and started to climb into the valley. It was slowly getting colder and I figured I'd bust out the last 10 miles and dry off by the fire at the Ahwahnee and head back down. Then I got dumb. Next thing I know, my hands are numb, I'm soaked through, there are occasional snow flakes, and I'm biking down a muddy road towards smoke (smoke = fire = warm). I asked the nice Mexican family If I could warm my hands over their meaty grill so I could make a phone call. I hung like a hobo by the grill and called the main man to see if he could meet me at the park gate. Then for some reason I rode deeper into the valley before turning around. A little later when I was shivering violently and biking 2 miles an hour unable to brake or shift, a gigantic truck pulled up. Ordered me into it, swathed me in blankets, fed me, and made sense of my mumblings.... "Midpines," and "Friend at gate." We passed Main Man, "We've Got Your Girlfriend" and I got home to lots of eating, a bath, a fire, and being so exhausted all I could do was cry the tired cry of a 2 year old while Main Man made me finish my dinner before bed.
I am the luckiest girl.
I've been feeling like some geriatric version of the me I once knew. This is the "finding my limits" part I've been so excited about!
In other news, I got an interview at a Bakery in Hood River tomorrow and am chompin at the bit to get home and move forward with thrilling farm and settling down plans. One more week of California wildflower sunshine and it's home again home again to Northwest summer bliss!
I headed out Sunday for a six hour ride. Plan: Ride into Yosemite Valley and out.
Weather: sunny.
Clothes: Jersey and Windbreaker and shorts.
I saw a flipped raft, gigantic dead deer, lots of wildflowers, big water, awesome rocks, it was a great ride. When I hit El Portal it got drizzly and I put on my windbreaker and started to climb into the valley. It was slowly getting colder and I figured I'd bust out the last 10 miles and dry off by the fire at the Ahwahnee and head back down. Then I got dumb. Next thing I know, my hands are numb, I'm soaked through, there are occasional snow flakes, and I'm biking down a muddy road towards smoke (smoke = fire = warm). I asked the nice Mexican family If I could warm my hands over their meaty grill so I could make a phone call. I hung like a hobo by the grill and called the main man to see if he could meet me at the park gate. Then for some reason I rode deeper into the valley before turning around. A little later when I was shivering violently and biking 2 miles an hour unable to brake or shift, a gigantic truck pulled up. Ordered me into it, swathed me in blankets, fed me, and made sense of my mumblings.... "Midpines," and "Friend at gate." We passed Main Man, "We've Got Your Girlfriend" and I got home to lots of eating, a bath, a fire, and being so exhausted all I could do was cry the tired cry of a 2 year old while Main Man made me finish my dinner before bed.
I am the luckiest girl.
I've been feeling like some geriatric version of the me I once knew. This is the "finding my limits" part I've been so excited about!
In other news, I got an interview at a Bakery in Hood River tomorrow and am chompin at the bit to get home and move forward with thrilling farm and settling down plans. One more week of California wildflower sunshine and it's home again home again to Northwest summer bliss!
Friday, May 27, 2011
29 days
SO it's less than a month until the race. Shit!
I have a case of nervous right kidney. I actually went to the doctor, which I never do, and I hope it's musculoskeletal. They said it's that or a stone. At the doctor I also learned I've gained 15 pounds in 2011! And I'm still the same size! Nuts!
It's warming up here. Flowers blooming. Training and yoga and taco night with cowboy music in town. It's good people here in Mariposa.
I am getting eager to get home. Set up garden, transition to not always training life, back to friends and summer and home.
I have a case of nervous right kidney. I actually went to the doctor, which I never do, and I hope it's musculoskeletal. They said it's that or a stone. At the doctor I also learned I've gained 15 pounds in 2011! And I'm still the same size! Nuts!
It's warming up here. Flowers blooming. Training and yoga and taco night with cowboy music in town. It's good people here in Mariposa.
I am getting eager to get home. Set up garden, transition to not always training life, back to friends and summer and home.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Rad-poccalypse
Busy week of work/train/sunshine/rain Yosemite life.
This weekend we went to San Francisco. On our way there we stopped for a quick sec in Modsesto to grab a bite to eat. We parked and popped into a restaurant with a little bluegrass band in it, ate a hot dog, and no more than 30 minutes later, walking back to the car noticed a bazillion cops/ambulances/firetrucks/lights. Here was the scene: A closed intersection containing: crime tape, lights, a shot dead guy getting CPR, and our truck. We had to stay until the detectives came and the dead man was transported, (luckily?) we were gone eating hot dogs and didn't have to respond. After a bit we were escorted out, crime tape lifted, drove under it and made it to Oakland around midnight to begin an up late sleep late city living weekend.
The weekend was, good friends, sunshine, sitting in Dolores Park for a New Years Style countdown cheer for Apocalypse, Cutting a rug with the main man at Soul Night, Tacos, Potato Cakes,a vinegar tasting. General Joy.
It's so easy to fall in love with a place in springtime when it's busting open with flowers and people in short shorts. 3 cheers for the bay!
This weekend we went to San Francisco. On our way there we stopped for a quick sec in Modsesto to grab a bite to eat. We parked and popped into a restaurant with a little bluegrass band in it, ate a hot dog, and no more than 30 minutes later, walking back to the car noticed a bazillion cops/ambulances/firetrucks/lights. Here was the scene: A closed intersection containing: crime tape, lights, a shot dead guy getting CPR, and our truck. We had to stay until the detectives came and the dead man was transported, (luckily?) we were gone eating hot dogs and didn't have to respond. After a bit we were escorted out, crime tape lifted, drove under it and made it to Oakland around midnight to begin an up late sleep late city living weekend. The weekend was, good friends, sunshine, sitting in Dolores Park for a New Years Style countdown cheer for Apocalypse, Cutting a rug with the main man at Soul Night, Tacos, Potato Cakes,a vinegar tasting. General Joy.
It's so easy to fall in love with a place in springtime when it's busting open with flowers and people in short shorts. 3 cheers for the bay!
Monday, May 16, 2011
Hornitos
It's coming closer...
2 more weeks of build workouts
1 recovery week
A race week including my first two triathlons
And begin taper/prep for the race June 26
MAN!
Life in Yosemite's been good. Swimming at lunch in the outdoor pool. Teaching a great class of new EMTs. Living in a cabin with a million critters and their babies as neighbors in the walls. Props to the new young bird mothers up at all hours feeding their yelling chicklets.
The weeekend was a treat. Friends from SF visited, we basked on the porch sipping sangria, grilled, hammocked, played lots of games, woke up to snow! made a fire, and visited a ghost town. Great visit.
This ghost town had a DIY style graveyard. mounds of dirt, flowers, rocks, no grass, lots of room. It also had lots of baby goats.
The jam these days is to keep my head straight and my feet on the ground as the nerves and reality of the race get more acute. And as the reality of looking for a job in Hood River gets more real. Lots of changes on the docket, but the truth is that the sun is out, the pool was nice, the course is good, it's nice to be here, and like the ghost town folks I'm just here to do my best every day, connect, and I'm out.
2 more weeks of build workouts
1 recovery week
A race week including my first two triathlons
And begin taper/prep for the race June 26
MAN!
Life in Yosemite's been good. Swimming at lunch in the outdoor pool. Teaching a great class of new EMTs. Living in a cabin with a million critters and their babies as neighbors in the walls. Props to the new young bird mothers up at all hours feeding their yelling chicklets.
The weeekend was a treat. Friends from SF visited, we basked on the porch sipping sangria, grilled, hammocked, played lots of games, woke up to snow! made a fire, and visited a ghost town. Great visit.
This ghost town had a DIY style graveyard. mounds of dirt, flowers, rocks, no grass, lots of room. It also had lots of baby goats.
The jam these days is to keep my head straight and my feet on the ground as the nerves and reality of the race get more acute. And as the reality of looking for a job in Hood River gets more real. Lots of changes on the docket, but the truth is that the sun is out, the pool was nice, the course is good, it's nice to be here, and like the ghost town folks I'm just here to do my best every day, connect, and I'm out.
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