Half Moon Bay

The photo doesn't do justice to what a beautiful cycling day it was in Half Moon Bay last Saturday. Its a ride I was dreading for the difficulty and distance but the weather and scenery helped ease the pain of the day.

Today we rode with our new assistant coach Jodi Z since Coach Steve isn't able to ride...he however, was with us on and off throughout the ride...coaching and observing from the SAG vehicle. It was like big brother was watching when we would hear the faint hum of the SAG mini-van lurking in the distance.

This was a ride that we really had to go out slow and pace ourselves since we had 70 miles in front of us and over 5000 feet of climbing to do in the process. Most of the climbing didn't happen until about mile 40...so we need to conserve our energy...easier said than done when you are on fresh legs speeding down Highway 1 in gorgeous conditions!



The first climb started subtlety and was became very long and relentless as we searched around every curve hoping to see the top. This was a great test for my mental game and to trust myself and abilities to the top and beyond. We were briefly entertained at the top by couple of our fallen teammates that were taking pictures, dancing and rooting us on...thanks to them my grimace faded into a smile! This was a day about working as a team so at the top of each hill we stopped to re-group and stay together. I must admit that I did enjoy the break.


The first hill might have been the longest but it was just the beginning of some other steep and ruthless climbs throughout the remainder of the ride. We were blessed with 3 SAG stop on this ride which helped us to re-fuel between climbs. It was also nice to be on a lot of back-roads with very little traffic to worry about.

After the last climb, the temperature had really dropped and gotten very cold...especially on a body covered in sweat soaked spandex clothing. The skies were getting very dark, so Coach Wayne sent the group of us waiting at the top, to go ahead and finish out the ride...at this point we were only about 5 miles from the finish.

As I began my decent I could feel the mist turning to showers. It was a very narrow, curvy and steep hill with blind corners. I was riding alone and focusing through the rain around to the left...when suddenly all I saw was the grill of a Toyota 4-runner! I quickly skirted around the outside of him since stopping wasn't an option for me at that moment...and found enough road and balance to safely get around him...it was truly a holy crap moment! I felt very lucky and blessed to have narrowly escape what could have been a tragic end to my day...since my options were vehicle, cliff or about 3 feet of road in between...yikes!


After surviving the last decent, I found my self catching up with some of my other teammates as the rain came pouring down. We were soon back on Highway 1 and traversing traffic to head towards the finish. It felt so good to roll in knowing that accomplishing this ride means that I have what it takes to finish Solvang!

Livermore & Calaveras Road Ride

This was my first team ride after straining the muscle in my leg...and I was so glad it was more focused on mileage than climbing. This 65 mile ride began as a buddy ride and became a team ride to make up for the ride that got canceled due to extreme and unsafe weather conditions. There was a lot of unnecessary controversy over the ride being canceled when the storm didn't appear. However, my body was happy to have the recovery time. Up until this ride I had only went out for a moderate 30 mile ride. This ride would be the indicator if my leg got enough recovery time or not.

It was a beautiful day that the Winter team doesn't get to enjoy very often. Our biggest climb of the day was up Calaveras Road. Since we had a lot of miles to warm up my body and muscles...I was happy to have no issues with the climb...thank goodness!

I got the opportunity to ride with various team mates since the groups were scattered around. This season our staff has been dwindling quickly due to various injuries and illnesses...unfortunately, my coach most likely will be on the sidelines through the rest of the season.



My body was holding up very well on the ride but my tires were not so lucky on this day. I knew it was getting time to change out my tires since I had over 1200 miles on some very cheap tires that were put on my bike when I first got it...those $10 tires got me a long way! At about the 40 mile mark going about 15 mph on a very busy road...I got a flat on my front tire...not fun! Luckily it was a slow leak and not a blow out. James and Craig to the rescue! The 3 of us got back on the road, missed the turnoff to second SAG stop and were heading for home!




In the last 10 miles of our ride I was feeling sluggish...I thought it was me lacking energy. I looked down to see my front tire wobbling and going flat...damn! Craig noticed the actual tire was damaged and since we were so close to the finish we opted for the pump it up and go method! Since it was a slow leak, we could keep filling it with air and ride until it went down again. My pit crew kept air in my tire and we all got back without SAG assistance...yeah! I was a lucky girl and had great weather, great ride and great teammates!!!

Woodside Ride

This was one of the most beautiful rides that our teams has gotten to experience this season. It was originally set up to be a team ride but got bumped to a buddy ride due to permit issues.

It began as a great ride day for me...I felt very strong on this ride, my average speed increased and I was climbing with more ease without dropping to my granny gear every time. Sally and I rode the ride together and enjoyed our own pace.

In spite of it being a buddy ride, we did get to enjoy the comforts of an unplanned SAG stop...thank you Mike! This was the first ride that we experienced another TNT team, the Santa Clara Cycle team was out in the area, on a team ride. As the Spring season is gearing up and overlapping with the Winter season, I am sure we will experience this again before our season comes to a close.

We experienced more climbing than we had anticipated on ride. It was a beautiful and busy day on the roads...since it was the first nice day in awhile and the cyclists were taking advantage of the break in the weather.

As the day continued, we noticed the clouds coming in and the temperature starting to drop. The last 4 miles of the ride suddenly changed for me as we rounded a corner up to a short steep grade. I hit the turn in too high of a gear and quickly tried to downshift...but pushed to the top before I found my lower gears. For this, I paid dearly as it leveled out at the top...suddenly, I felt a twinge in the front of my right leg...I paused my cadence but kept riding unsure what had happened. We continued to ride and what began as a mild ache quickly turned into sharp pain that increased with each pedal stroke. I geared way down and pedaled with my left leg but was still clipped in on the right, so the leg was still felt the rotation. Sally was up front and stopped to check on why I had dropped back...at this point the rain began to fall and I knew if I stopped now that I wasn't going to get myself going again. I am too damn determined, stubborn and tenacious to let some pain keep me from finishing this ride under my own power!


Sorry Sally but this picture made me laugh!


My mind began to race, as I wondered how badly I had injured myself and if it would inhibit me from continuing my training and riding in Solvang. The frustration and fear was building up in me as the rain turned into a down pour and in that moment...I realized my eyes were blurred with tears. It felt like the weather and my emotions were in perfect sync. I was so pissed that a seemingly perfect ride was ending like this! As I was pulling myself out of my internal pity party, I looked up and noticed the finish...thank goodness! I finished pulling myself together and put on a brave face as I rolled into the parking lot.


Surprisingly, we figured out that all the people waiting had come back early for various reasons and we were the first to roll in that completed the route. After taking a handful of Ibuprofen, Sally took great care of me by putting me in the car to get warm and loading up the bikes...thanks Mom! We got out of there quickly to find some ice for my leg, a bathroom and food. Next stop was Sally's tri-athlete, brother-in-law, who is also a Kinesiologist and was willing to take a look at my injury. He found it was a muscle strain and my recovery would be to follow the regiment of, R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression and elevation)...not a dietary plan:)

For various reasons, the Woodside ride was full of high's and low's for me and not just the route...haha! I look forward to getting a chance to ride there again with better weather and less drama:)

Impromptu Hiatus

I wanted to put a quick update on the blog...to let you know why there has been a lack of entries. Yes, I am still riding and training but I also added in moving...which threw me completely off my routine with my blog...I apologize for that. Getting internet access was a bit of a challenge and sitting at a coffee shop with a laptop isn't conducive for focus and writing. I do have a lot of content & photo's to catch up with from my training.


I will be going back through and highlighting my rides and training...well, at least the parts I can remember:)


Stay tuned!

Bear and a Half

Today, against my better judgment I headed back to Orinda to ride 3 Bears with Sally. Since she wasn't able to make the team ride, she wanted to get some good hill work in this week...so we chose The Bears!

We didn't want to do Bear Creek Road twice (out & back), so our plan was to park one car in Orinda and the other in Martinez. We thought this was a great plan since time was limited for us to do a big loop. It was a gorgeous day and we didn't want to miss getting in even a short ride...so this seemed perfect!

As we finally headed onto Bear Creek and started up Papa bear...I realized I was over dressed for hill climbs! When I left the house it was still foggy, so I put on the winter gear. We have been under clouds for so long, I didn't anticipate to actually see the sun today! In my attempt to open my vest for better ventilation, I had an epiphany...I left my keys in Sally's car...oh crap!

We were midway through the bears by the time I had this realization. I checked every pocket in hopes I was wrong...no such luck. Sally was not pleased to hear the news either, however stopping to decide our plan of action was a welcome relief. We didn't have the time or desire to go all the way out and back, so we headed back up and over to Orinda.

It would have been a great plan if I wouldn't have forgotten an important element...the damn keys! We were glad we discovered it when we did, otherwise this could have been a very long and exhausting day. In spite of the abridged version of our ride, we were pleased with being able to ride a Bear and a half.

Orinda

Day 7...still raining!

The picture above shows how my morning started...dark, very cold and to my surprise, it was continuing to rain! I just stood staring at the back of my truck, watching the rain and knowing this was going to be a very challenging day for me. I needed to push through my apprehension and get to the ride. On the drive there I was questioning my sanity, since I had a week of no riding (due to the weather) and I was on my way to tackle a 50 mile ride with 4000 ft. of climbing...in rainy conditions! This was one of those times where you need to discover your mental tenacity.

As I approached the Orinda off ramp...the rain suddenly stopped...I was thrilled! It didn't take away from the other factors concerning me, but it was a promising start. My rear fender and rain pants were finally going to be put to use today.


We headed towards Moraga to begin our first loop and encounter our first big climb of the day...Pinehurst Rd. The name sounds pleasant and road was not. This would be about 3 miles on climbing on a very curvy 2-lane road up to Skyline Rd...we were all dreading this one! It was a relentless climb that felt like it was never going to end...of course, the last portion was the steepest.


Once our group reached the top, we all had to re-group and re-fuel ourselves. I was needing to get more electrolytes and water in me since I was feeling my right calf starting to stiffen up on me. I also acquired a handful of caffeinated gels from the roving SAG...I needed all the help I could get since we still had 40 more miles to go! My hope was the adrenaline and sugar would push me through any pain or fatigue that may occur throughout the ride.

We were finally out from under the dense trees and dark clouds as we rode across skyline. We were in awe of the views from across the bay as the clouds were drifting away. After riding through some gorgeous areas around Redwood Rd. and Chabot, it was time to head back down through the dark canopy of trees into Moraga.

The was a very un-nerving section for me with the combination of wet road conditions and a very steep and curvy 2 lane decent while a car was following me closely the entire way. Did I mention there was no shoulder or bike lane! I was SO happy to make it safely to the bottom of the hill and discover it was also a SAG stop. It was a great opportunity to catch my breath...I think I was holding it most of the way down the hill...haha!


Heading back into Orinda was bittersweet...Pinehurst was behind us but we were only halfway through and 3 Bears was still ahead for our next big series of climbs. We stopped at a gas station to re-fuel again and shed our jackets, since a majority of the rest of the ride would be some brutal climbing.

The last 10 miles of the ride was riding up the stupid damn Bears...starting with Baby Bear. From this direction, that first big climb did not feel like a baby...it was tougher than before! Mama Bear seemed a little more forgiving but Papa was still king of the Bears from whatever side you approach him from! It was very long and agonizing...I questioned myself many times, whether I could make it all the way up to the top without stopping. Somehow I willed myself to the top.

As the group ascended the peak, we were greeted by Big Papa himself...Coach Wayne! It was a nice surprise to have his support, after those climbs late in a ride, you don't feel like you have a lot left in you. The climbing wasn't over but the worst of it was behind us.

Going down Papa Bear was an interesting experience, as my gears locked up on me...again! I mentally had to keep myself calm as I was locked up in a strange leg position on a curve, at a high rate of speed...I tried everything I knew to release it and get my bike in a gear. Near the bottom of the hill the derailleur finally pushed the chain into a gear...whew! But now I was stuck in my second ring again!

We had a brief stop at the end of the Bear Creek Rd, where I manually got my bike into the small ring. However, at that point it wasn't as necessary for the the few miles back into Orinda. It was a welcome relief to roll back into the Orinda Bart station and know I had survived the toughest challenge so far in my cycling training.

As I met up with teammates after the ride, there was no lack of crazy stories that occurred to some of the other riders. My experiences were very sedate in comparison. All the days activities kept our SAG personal very busy with various incidents. It ranged from a variety of equipment failure, body failure and some illness...fortunately nothing too serious (however, x-rays may tell more later). Every ride is a unique experience and this one was no exception.




This shot doesn't quite show the entire picture of how grimy the bike and I were after this ride...but yuck, we were a mess!

The "House of Pain" Buddy Ride

This week our meeting point was in the East Bay Town of Danville. We were all pleased it wasn't raining yet but the cold and dense fog was not a lot of fun. When we got our ride maps, we found out the route's name..."The House of Pain". It's named after a cycling group in the area that does this 47.5 mile loop regularly, at an incredibly high rate of speed. They are a large group of, wanna be pro-cycling type of "dude" roadies (slang for road bikers).


The first part of the ride began on the training route that The Dynamic Duo (me & Sally) rides every week. Since it was familiar roads, Sally and I headed out quickly. The first 6 miles was just me and Sally riding and talking together. A couple others caught up to us and informed us that we needed to pace ourselves better since we had a long way to go.


Slowing down was especially good advice for me since I woke up with tight right calf muscle. I was hoping that it would work itself out but at mile 10 it let me know it wasn't happy...my first riding cramp...ouch! The cramp hit while I was riding up a slight grade, drinking from my water bottle. My bottle quickly ejected from my hand and I almost took another rider out, when the bottle hit the ground behind me...sorry, James! After electrolyte pills and a lot more water...the cramp seem to work itself out within the next few miles.


The next challenge was just seeing the road...the fog was thick and my glasses were completely steamed up. It was time to ditch the glasses and deal with the wind drying out my eyes...at least I could see better. As the day went on, the weather improved and the fog finally lifted. It is time to invest in some vented glasses, to keep this from happening when it is cold riding conditions.

Riding on the back roads and enjoying the scenery, I got startled by the sound of I could only describe as...a freight train loaded with bees. My coach quickly called out to get out of the way...as a large peloton of riders closed on us quickly. You could feel a slight breeze as they raced by us without saying a word. They were an intense group of focused cyclist riding dangerously and confidently close to one another. They were gone as quickly as they appeared. I later found out they were the infamous, "House of Pain" cycling group.



Finishing the ride, I heard Sally cheering me in...she kept up her rigorous pace throughout the ride and was back early. As usual, everyone was huddled into various groups analyzing the ride and their experiences. Of course, there was also a lot of light-hearted trash talking, laughter and post ride stretching.
















Since this was a buddy ride, the groups were scattered more so than with a team ride. Most of us waited to greet the later ride groups and make sure everyone made it back safely. The coaches were already meeting and planning out next week's team ride...which sounds like it will be another tough one! It will be a combination of old and new roads and challenges for us to tackle.

More mileage, more climbs and more pain!