Mountain Biking - (A tiny bit) In the Mountains!

Bikes have been a love affair of mine since I was in my early teens. My biological mother bought me a 12-speed Schwinn when they first came out.  See "Schwinn Traveler:" http://schwinncruisers.com/catalogs/1984.html  Mine was the girl's version, and was burgundy.  I dreamed of getting panniers for that bike, and I learned all about how to take care of it mechanically.  I rode a sesquicentennial bike ride from Dexter to Ann Arbor with my folks, when I was probably 14. LOVED that bike, loved riding.  It was before I could my (much anticipated) driver's license, and the sense of freedom, and the connection to the outdoors and the countryside, was exhilarating.  That's a feeling that's stayed with me through the years.

In about 1991, an old ex boyfriend of mine owed me a lot of money, and we agreed that he'd buy me a (then completely badass and cutting edge) Scott mountain bike (not my pic, but that's the bike):

I loved that bike so much.  Back then, tubes just weren't that fat. This was one of the first of its kind, right when mountain bikes were becoming main stream.  It retailed for about $900.  That was a lot back then.  I rode around Boulder with it as much as I could.  The guy that bought it was a total showoff, and would make fun of me for not being able to ride mine like he could ride his. (He had an extensive motocross/enduro background, so duh.)  I moved the bike to Maryland with me after I got married (not to the guy that bought the bike, but not much better, either...).  Several years later, when it was time to move back to Colorado, there was literally NO more room on the moving van so, feeling as though I had no choice, I sadly opted to give the bike away to the wife of one of the guys Chris worked with.

I have only dreamed of being able to actually ride my bike it the mountains.  This past Sunday, friends Aaron and Ryan and I went for a bike ride up Waterton Canyon, and did a tiny part of the Colorado Trail.  Aaron is a total badass on a mountain bike - he can bunny hop stairs, and he loves flying down the mountains.  Ryan is a badass (competitive) endurance athlete, and could climb like crazy, but didn't have a lot of experience with the technical aspect (though he still made it look effortless). We went here:  http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/waterton-canyon.html.  We did the Lenny's Rest loop, at the end of the canyon road.  Just a little taste of the Colorado Trail.  About half of it was snow packed.  We went from trekking though snow up to our ankles, to carrying our bikes though shin-to- knee-deep snow.

First, while we were waiting for Aaron:

Here are Ryan and my bikes:

Sheep, not giving even the tiniest of fucks that there are people everywhere:

The South Platte River, with duckies (canvas backs, I feel like):

Here is the sign for the beginning of the Colorado Trail:

The steep switchbacks at the beginning of the trail:

The second half of Lenny's Loop - where we were hiking/carrying our bikes.

It was a GREAT day. We rode from 12:00-4:00, and covered 17 miles.  I hiked a LOT of it.  However, I actually did better than I thought I would, and I can't wait to go back over and over again this summer (maybe even on the way home from work during the week) and try to ride a little more of it each time, until I can successfully complete the entire loop in the saddle.  That's my goal for this summer. It'll take a lot less than four hours, regardless of how much I ride, once the snow's all melted.

Getting Back in Gear

So I updated my annual totals in an earlier post to add November and December - and boy were those numbers dismal!! No wonder I've gained a few pounds!  I'm working on turning that around. I need to stay focused on the big goal - being able to do 14ers this summer, and lots of other hiking with the Jeeps, etc.  I told my husband I hoped to run suicides on the Jeep trails - start off running/hiking when the Jeeps depart, hit the end of the trail and turn back, then run to wherever the Jeeps have made it to, and then turn and run to the end of the trail again, and over and over till the day is done. That's like 6 hours of running/hiking most likely.  The thought of doing that EXHILARATES me and I can't wait to see how it feels.

I'd also like, some day, to run Leadville. Not this year.  Maybe not even next year. But I'd like to do it, if I can find the time to train.

Today's run was great, despite it being my work loop three times. It was almost 6 miles, and I had to stop because my lunch hour was over - I felt like I could go on indefinitely. I love runs like that.  I was wearing the grey stripy pants and my new turquoise top, no gloves, no hat (it was high 40*s) and my hands were a bit chilly to begin with, but warmed up perfectly.  It was a bit sloppy - wet and icy and lumpy - but I figure that's good for getting some of those stability muscles more action.

Tomorrow I'll probably do the elliptical at work again, as it's supposed to be sleeting again.  However, I've found that it's  more motivating to tell myself to get it done on my lunch hour, so I can relax (ha, relax...right) at home for longer (as opposed to going to the gym to use the elliptical after work).

Studded Running Shoes!

With the new snow we got last night, and the fact that the sidewalks are never cleared, I decided to finally put studs in my ("old") shoes.  My husband said last winter he'd do it for me, and he still hadn't...so I went to Home Depot, spent $1.91 on 3/8" sheetmetal screws with hex heads (that's with the military discount) and then came home and coincidentally found said hubby's cordless drill with a super thin bit in it - and used that for pilot holes. I put three on each side of the forefoot, and two on each side of the heel. They were a major pain in the ass to screw in, but after about 30 minutes I got it and they look great. And work great. I just got back from a wonderful 5.7 mile run (I gave up on the last .3 because it was more and more and more uphill back to the house, and I haven't run in several weeks, so eh).

I ran on the trail to Sheridan. The trail was great!  Had a 50% response to the "hi"s, and there were several pups, including two labs - a yellow and a chocolate (they were of the same family and very beautiful and well-mannered), and one Aussie-looking young'n who I was dying to pet. There were also a couple shepherd-mixes, and a purebred Shepherd with sunglasses.  I wanted to ask what was up with that.

When I set out, it was 10*, and a little after 1 PM.  When I finished, it was a little warmer.  I was wearing my UA compression tights, the new Storm Gear grey pants that I bought with the Dick's gift card Joey gave me for Christmas, my Thorlo running socks with King Soopers bags over them, then tied around my ankle and over the running pants; on top I had the Columbia sleeveless white warm/cool top Mom got me for Christmas, plus the UA long sleeve grey-ish v-neck warm top, with the new grey/pink UA Storm Gear hoodie (=sweat), plus the white Alabama windbreaker over that. I also wore my green neck gator, and my Carhart hat with the face muffle. I didn't wear the stuff over my face past about mile 2.

I was super comfy, and definitely warm enough.

On the way home, there's a blue 4 bedroom house across from the middle school, on the east side of Pierce.  A guy was out shoveling, and we exchanged a few words (started with "how're you doing?" and me thanking him for shoveling, because so many people don't).  Turns out, he's a Vietnam vet, and we talked about the city of Westminster (related to shoveling, etc.), and then guns. I had to go, to get back home to the dogs and to figure out if I was going to go out to the Crawl Space to meet everyone, but I hope to run into him again soon. It's nice to know there's someone like that so close.  I think his name is Lauren (Loren?) Brown.  Chris would love talking with him, I'm nearly certain.  He (Mr. Brown) mentioned that he wouldn't recognize me if he saw me again, since I was all bundled up.

Goals

I've started a chart at home, of the events I want to participate in, in the coming year.  The biggest problem is the fact that the MS150 bike race conflicts with the Pike's Peak Hill Climb. I've wanted to attend the Hill Climb for years and years, and have never been. Chris and Joey vowed that they're doing it next year - which means I'm on my own for the bike ride. I'm hoping I can register soon, so that I can start building a team. Plus, if I register soon, I can get an (I think) free room through the college.  Hopefully I won't have a problem building a team for the event. I'll miss my family, but they will be having their own blast in Colorado Springs.

Wings for Life was great this year, and I'm hoping to do it again next year - but Denver's not on the site.  I hope that's just "yet" - not that it won't be held at all.

Also on the goal menu for next year are 14ers.  I need to get with Donna and anyone else who might be interested, and plan ahead for them.  I think Long's Peak is something like a 12 hour hike. It's going to take some planning and training.

Now, just to get through the winter again...hopefully with biking a bit, too!

Update on Statistics

Update on monthly totals:
August 2013:
70.39 miles (running)
30.39 (biking)
14.05 (hiking)

September 2013:

87.75 (running)
5.32 (biking)
4.11 (hiking)

October 2013:
61.25 (running)

November 2013:
79.23 (running)

December 2013:
73.73 (running)

January 2014:
88.47 miles

February 2014:
56.99 (running)

March 2014:
65.31 (running)
42.91 (biking)

April 2014:
52.88 (running)
96.32 (biking)
13.69 (hiking)

May 2014:
61.91 (running)
50.34 (biking)
3.0 (hiking)

June 2014:
42.55 (running)
236.32 (biking)
5 (hiking)

July 2014:
45.81 (running)
115.30 (riding)
11 (hiking)

August 2014:
54.03 (running)
38.52 (biking)
18.63 (hiking)

September 2014:
75.83 (running)
27.67 (biking)

October 2014:
79.24 (running)

November 2014:
37.12 (running - pathetic!)
3.92 (hiking)
4.96 (biking)
:45 minutes (elliptical)

December 2014
25.19 (running - even more pathetic!)
:45 minutes (elliptical)

I really need to bike more. Have to get a bike rack, which means I need to get a bumper with a receiver in it (as opposed to a hang-down aftermarket U-Haul receiver or something that I'll scrape on rocks).

Finished! (The Other Half in Moab)

Yay! I did it!  Actually made it, participated, and finished The Other Half in Moab on October 19, 2014.  I did it in 2:14.  This put me at a 10:11 mm pace, 498 out of 1095 runners, and 36 out of 115 in my F40-44 age group.  These results are what I'm going to use as my baseline, and I'm going to do speedwork and try to do more than just finish next time.  Now, to find a late winter half that I can train for, through the winter.  Have to keep the momentum...

Half Marathon Training...in the Rain

Yesterday's training called for 8 miles.  Yesterday's forecast called for weather in the 50s, and rain, which it delivered.  Because I'm slow and it takes me 80 minutes to run 8 miles, I opted to run after work. Which meant in the chilly rain, and dark.  The windbreaker set that I purchased for $20 in Alabama last year wasn't water resistant, I quickly learned. Not that I 100% thought it would be, but I was hoping.

The first half of the run involved plodding through, and jumping over, puddles, because it was actually raining for real. Not pouring, not drizzle, but a steady, sopping rain. My feet would be cold and soaked, and then I would forget about them until the next puddle. My clothes stuck to my skin (running tights under the windbreaker bottoms, long-sleeve top under the windbreaker upper shell, baseball hat, gloves) and made movement a little interesting/pullish.

But, having said all that - I did it! I did the whole eight miles, and felt great.  The 8 stopped about a half mile from the house, so I wound up jogging the rest of the way home, because I was getting cold walking.  Hot shower and jammies was my immediate next step, which was awesome.

My remaining long run prior to the half next Sunday, is 9 this Sunday.  The weather's supposed to be great.