TGIF 12/14/2012

Must resist temptation

Well then- where did the year go? You blink and race season is over. Next thing you know, you're trying to avoid the egg-nog and Christmas cookies. Or maybe that's just me. People at work right now are just DYING to catch me with a sugary piece of something but I'm holding strong - so far.

Went out for groceries and came back with this!

Last I left you, I was headed out for my first dirt ride on my super awesome cool SuperX cross bike. As is the norm for me, I didn't tip toe into the affair - I dove right into what turned out to be a 4 hour trek with two fabulous teammates. After a short stretch of road leading out of Loudoun County High School, we made a right turn and promptly hit a downhill washboard gravel road. I'm glad there wasn't time for pictures because the look on my face was probably something between wanting to cry and being constipated. We survived, though, and throughout the ride I got more and more comfortable with gravel and dirt. Mission accomplished, albeit with a few wrong turns and a few extra miles.

For the record, road names on google maps are really just suggestions in that area, which is just plain mean as we all know I'm directionally challenged in the first place. 

I think it's a left here. Maybe a right. 

Kelley and I have also made it out to a few of the Evolution Team rides. These are advertised as "Zone 2" but - either my zone 2 is super low or this is false advertising. I am fairly certain it's the latter. Anyway, these rides are keeping us honest - painful at times but nothing beats the post-ride "We did that!" feeling. Oh - and the "We earned lunch!" feeling is pretty good, too. 

December 1 marked the beginning of "real" training so I'm making friends with the rollers for early morning and/or severe weather workouts. P90x stuff is off the table now and it's time to really get moving on the bike (pun intended). The good news is that, as of TODAY, I'm off work until Jan 2nd. If the weather plays nice, that should be a decent kick in the arse for me.

One might ask, "But PlainJane, why are you off until Jan 2nd?" Because today is my last day with this particular company. I will miss the 2-metro-stops commute but that's pretty much all I'll miss. I have had a bit of a ride trying to find a work-home since I left Baltimore and I'm hoping that the third time is the charm. Here's hoping!

In the meantime, I'm taking advantage of the break to ride, relax and reset - after all, the Month of Wendy starts in two weeks!

Black Friday - TGIF 11/23/2012

Holy good gracious - it's been nearly a month. I'm so sorry, my neglected blog, I'll endeavor to improve my rambling proliferation as this year comes to a close. It's true what they say (whoever "they" are) ... the days and weeks go faster as you get older. I used to think the distance between the beginning of the school year (after Labor Day back when I was a wee little girl) to the Christmas break was nearly insurmountable but now it seems as though you blink an eye and you're seeing holiday sales and hearing Feliz Navidad replace the usual sleepy musac on the elevator. So, here we are with the turkey barely cold and a few lone slices of pumpkin roll left, knowing that entering any retail space is pretty much taking your life in your own hands. Seriously- have you seen those videos of Black Friday gone awry?

In the meantime, those of us prone to two-wheeled madness of our own have been enjoying chilly but relatively pleasant conditions (in other words, it could be worse) for long rides to reconnect with friends and bond with new and old teammates. I had the pleasure of attending my first-ever Haymarket ride last weekend. I didn't do the gravel-version but loved the paved route that a few of the girls put out as an option. I was thrilled to see 8-10 women - the majority of whom are new teammates! - pushing the pace and challenging each other on the hills, all in good fun. By the end of the ride we were pretty worn out and ready to replace our spent calories. I'm very proud to say that I didn't devour every bite in sight and managed to stay within reasonable limits, despite the array of choices provided by the fine folks at Wegmans. The ride was well worth the trip and I'll be doing it again - maybe I'll see you there?

Fast forward to yesterday - the holiday. Kelley and I spent about 4 hours chopping, dicing, baking and cooking with some assist from the boy who spent 45mins manning the grill after trying to stay out of the chaos in the kitchen. It's been a while since I've participating in cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner but it turned out awesome, if I do say so myself.

First, let me say that it was my intent to make this meal as paleo as possible. In addition, the boy and I made the executive decision not to do the full-on turkey thing, instead opting for some very convenient marinated turkey tenderloins that could be grilled. The one exception from the paleo theme was to make my first pumpkin roll of the season (with great assistance from Kelley). We then experimented with grilled sweet potatoes (in lieu of mashed) and a butternut squash stuffing that, in my opinion, stole the show. Seasoned, grilled brussel sprouts and zucchini squash served as our veggies and the grilled turkey tenderloins turned out perfectly. Add a glass or three of a nice Tempernillo and the good company of a couple friends and whaa-lah: as near as perfect a way to spend the day as I could think of. Big thank you to Kelley - couldn't have pulled that off without you!, to the boy and to (unnamed friend), who patiently waited after arriving in the midst of cooking with beer in hand. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

This morning we woke up at a decent hour (most of us ... not that I am calling anyone out ... Kelley) and puttered around the house knowing that it was only FRIDAY and we had 2 more vacation days and no real plans ahead of us. Then it was time - time for my inaugural ride on .... MY NEW CROSS BIKE!!!

The boy made some small adjustments to mimic my road set up as best as he could, I put some spd cleats on a new pair of mountain bike shoes and Kelley got her Redline ready to roll. We set out with no real intentions and wound up on the C&O Canal via the towpath in Georgetown. It was fun- bumpy but I had confidence with the thicker, knobby tires and never feared for my life or the life of others as we chatted and, somehow, gained speed at the same time. We weren't killing it by any means after the spirited ride and the 4hrs of cooking the day before, but we were moving ok. After me unnecessarily lecturing Kelley on the fact that I need to learn at my own pace and I don't do well when I am pushed into something (in other words, I have fear and don't like it), I asked her to show me how to dismount in the grassy field next to Key Bridge Marriott. A few random passers by got a fun show. In the end, though, I managed the move a few times .... it wasn't pretty, mind you, but I did manage to do it three times in a row before deciding to call it a day.
 

Not my finest moment but hey, at least I'm smiling!

Tomorrow is my first dirt ride. I'm sure I'll let you know how that works out. For now, Thanksgiving leftovers for recovery. It's not such a bad life.

Changing Tides - and I'm Not Talking about Sandy

It's been slow at work, as evidenced by my facebook-trolling this past week, so I have no excuse not to update my blog. Everyone can relax, though, as I'll be steering clear of anything that might be perceived as political, politically motivated or otherwise biased about the upcoming elections. Frankly, I'll just be happy when they're over so normal, adult-like discourse can resume.

Part of my recent blog-silence has been the sheer amount of change going on, and I don't just mean the weather. Biggest (and possibly best!) change is our move into a house - yes, a real house. Only a few blocks from where we were, right off the Clarendon Cup course.

No more whining about the 1br apt with a boy and a cat. No more whining "I could really use _______ but ... it's in STORAGE" (the boy is especially happy about this). Cassius the Cat is walking around with a lighter demeanor, hissing only once a day or so at the boy and generally thrilled about his access to the out-of-doors. When I don't like what the boy is watching on Netflix (Star Trek, again?), I can retire to a different room. The workout area in the basement is still in process but - WE HAVE A WORKOUT AREA IN THE BASEMENT! It's a beautiful thing.

Of course, with moving into an older house (we're renting), there are going to be issues. Like the no-heat issue during that cold snap earlier this month. Pretty sure that was the tipping point when the boy got a vicious head-cold and, despite (or because of?) his best efforts, passed it on to me. Or the no-hot-water issue last week when the pilot light kept going out - a new hot water tank was quickly installed but me-no-like cold showers. But, we have gorgeous wood floors, lots of windows, no bikes in the living room and two  - count them - two bathrooms! All in all, we're both thrilled to be out of that apartment. And, despite the fact that I moved TWICE IN ONE YEAR, I'm happy to be settling in to a more comfortable space. BIG thanks to Kelley, who sacrificed a weekend to help us move. Don't think we're not on to your ulterior motive to secure a room in the house - but we still appreciate your help.

Other changes: I've been working through P90x again, just for a little cross training and a change in routine. Coach Chris assures me that the hard work on the bike is coming - and I'll be ready for it! I've also been doing Yoga at least 2x a week. A few more weeks of this and you'll be calling me Gumby. But not to my face, because I've got some new-found muscles to kick your scrawny cyclist butt. Thanks to Georgetown Yoga for a few awesome sessions with Alex! 

I've been fairly good with switching my diet around to be more Paleo. I didn't take a baseline number to compare to, but I do feel lighter and more energetic -when I'm not suffering from germs propagated by the boy. The proof will be in the (non-dairy) pudding, as they say.

I was talking to some "normal" (ie. non-cyclists, not overly athletic and prone to pastries and birthday cakes) people at work. They were absolutely incredulous that I would be "so" strict on my diet in order to prepare now for events that are months down the road. It's their mission in life to catch me noshing on a pastry or M&Ms or birthday cake. This is the same way I've been treated in prior workplaces - it's like I'm the resident freak-show and they're determined to make me "normal".

And ... last but not least ... I've decided to step down as president and member of Team Me for the 2013 season. Don't feel bad, it's not you, it's me. Thanks to friends and loved ones for patience, support and encouragement this past year as I tip-toed back into the peloton. Big - HUGE - thanks to Haymarket Bicycles, thank you for the support and the pumpkin-skinsuit. For 2013, I'll be flying new colors as I throw my hat in the ring with a fantastic race team - Thank you, Evolution Cycling, for the opportunity to represent.