Getting Back On Track

The 12-hour race was fun, but opened my eyes to a little reality -- I'm getting fat! Everything was jiggling a little too much and my slower-than-normal lap times probably had something to do with carrying a little too much weight up the hills - 20 more pounds than my team mate. Geez! That's too much. Sooo.... I got up this morning and got pissed off. Why do I spend every single day for the past 6 months thinking about losing weight, watching my calories, exercising, yet not losing a single ounce? Probably because I'm not tracking every morsel going in my mouth. Probably because I stopped exercising as much as I used to. For me, getting pissed off usually does the trick. And I'm pissed! I'm mad at myself for letting it get me down, for not really doing something about -- especially knowing I CAN do something about 'cause I did it 3 years ago. So today was my first pissed off day of doing something about and here's what I did: I dug a big hole for a wash line; I pulled the peas, chopped them up in little itty-bitty pieces for the compost pile (I was pissed - remember? -- therefore the chopping was pretty erratic); I turned 3 compost piles; pulled 10 broccoli plants and chopped them up into little itty-bitty pieces for the compost pile; helped Rick cut down a medium sized tree and drug it away; ran/walked 4.5 miles; got my boobs squished in an xray machine; and did my core work for 1/2 hour -- the full gamut of side/front/lower gut work. Now I'm tired! Oh... and I tracked every morsel of food and it came in at 1,930 calories. But according to fitday.com, I burned 2,591 calories today, so I guess I'm a little ahead of the game for a change. So that's the goal now -- increase the activities to what they were a year or two ago, and record everything I eat and try to keep it below 2,000 everyday. If I want to lose, I have to shoot for 1,500 which is kinda hard, but doable. Damn it, I'm pissed! I'll do it now.

VisitPA 12-Hour Relay Race Report

Donna ROCKED AND ROLLED over logs! Our duo Team placed 2nd! Yeah baby... We're getting a kick out of that. We were beat by two of the fastest women racers on the race circuit this year with a little bit too much testosterone. Ha! How could they! We both had our apprehensions going into this -- me 'cause it was my first "official" (finished) race since my accident a year ago coupled with my jigglyness being the jigglyiest its been in 5 years (even my boobs are jiggling now -- they never jiggled!:)); and Donna for several reasons, but mainly because of the thousand or so logs on this course. We both opted (through Donna's suggestion) to go without the security blankets - the camelbak. This is my first ever I rode without it and tools -- not even a gel stuck in my shorts. The course is short enough and centralized enough that if we flat or have a problem, it's a 5 minute or so walk back to the parking lot. "How liberating!" It was nice without that pack hanging on the back. And the race? It turns out we both had fun. Kuhn downed a couple more trees and added some new sections with a little more twisting and turning and log hopping. The course is all about sharp turns in trees -- that's what he terms "technical". (I continue to think of "technical" as rocks and hard, long rocky climbs... roadies like to think of "technical" as smooth trail with turns :)). Donna did 4 of the 7-mile loops and loved it. I know she had a 5th lap in her, but mention the word "beer" and it makes her and most mountain bikers stop and smell the real roses. Most logs were rideable and her 29er helped her over them. She also mentioned going to Ray's this winter helped her out too. I did 3 laps..... and struggled. My racing fitness just ain't there anymore. I thought I was racing race pace, but my times proved differently. It was a pace much faster than I've been riding this year so far, and I guess that pace wore me out by lap three. The farm was cool, as usual. Very light turnout, but I saw a couple BASHERs that are already getting psyched for the BASH; Matt Landis, and Dan Killingsworth. And of course all the old racing buds were there too -- Janice Morris, Mike laub, Sally McClain, Lorretta and Fernando Torres, Zachster (who, by the way, was setting an AWESOME example for the kids and NOT drinking this time -- niiiccccee Zach!), and the Visitpa guys whom of course were killing the course and all the other teams. I saw an interesting event for 2010 -- the Trans-sylvania Mountain Bike Epic. Kuhn is putting it on in cooperation with the PA Wilds and the state. Its a multi-day staged mountain bike race. But I'm not doing it -- I'm not racing! :)

It's Only 12 Hours....

My first "team" race ever was a 12-hour race with my bud, Donna Weiser -- that was in 2003 (I think); The Ole Bull Midnight Madness. I fell in love with not only 12-hr (and sometimes 24 hours) races, but the "team" atmosphere and camaraderie. These races are always a good distance away from home -- I think Ole Bull was the closest with about a 3 hr drive. This year, the 12-hour racing is in our back yard and only 50 minutes from home. Kuhn decided to run a 12-hour race at the Festival Weekend this year rather than cross country, and yes, we (well maybe more me than Donna) were all over it. And its this weekend! Am I ready? Dunno. Donna and I will switch back and forth each lap for the duration of the 12 hour period. Each 7-mile lap takes about an hour, so we'll both be doing probably 5 laps for sure - that's 35 miles. No, I haven't ridden 35 trail miles yet this year. I hit 30, but that was it. So maybe I'll be ready, maybe I won't. And we'll have to wait and see how the race goes on Saturday with competition - maybe we'll go faster, maybe we'll go slower. The main goal is F.U.N. And that'll be there for sure. The choice bike for this is the stiff-rear 29er with gears 'cause there's a good bit of climbing. So go register your female team and join Donna and I on Saturday!

Two Channels of DTV

Living in rural PA has its benefits – but it doesn’t include cable TV and we’ve always refused to buy a satellite dish for the little television we watch. My brother and his wife pay over $80 a month for satellite – but my sister-in-law used to get home from work, put on her pajamas, and get perched for the night! Of course the satellite price is no different than cable from what I understand so the two are equal. But, never having to pay for TV and then being forced to do so, simply has no appeal. Even the basic satellite package would cost about $35 a month – a monthly cost I believe is too high after years of freebies. Since we have Internet service, I truly could live without TV – but hubby questions if he could. So when the TV stations announced the switch to DTV and we realized we may be TV-less, we started thinking about life without TV. We turned the TV off a couple nights, “watched” the Internet, and bookmarked the local newspaper to catch up on news. Even dear hubby was ok with this – he agreed we didn’t want another monthly bill with satellite TV – although I think he turned the TV on after I went to bed. Hubby was up early on the Saturday morning after the big switch and I reminded him we may not have TV. He plugged in the converter box and did the scan. TWO CHANNELS! We have TV!! It’s Channel 21 and their sister station, Channel 15. He’s enjoying surfing his two channels. Oh this is cool – two channels!!! Not a lot of thought going into “what’s on TV tonight!”

My Hubby is Leaving Me

Or should I say, he already left me! For several years, we've been the Siamese twins and one couldn't go somewhere without the other. Be it biking, racing, kayaking, hiking, to the grocery store, work (yup, we ride to work together too), whatever it is, it's a Rick and Jill Team. Even our email is Rick and Jill. But this year is different. Hubby is really, really into ww kayaking this year and I'm really, really into my garden and some biking, and there's been at least 4 times so far this year that he went kayaking without me and I ended up doing something on my own - usually the garden. And I miss him! This past weekend was a little lonely and sad with all the racing schtuff going on that I missed out on and Ricky went kayaking on his own AND went to dinner with his kayaking buds without me; but yesterday was sorta the same. I took off work to catch up in the garden (I'm caught up by the way), and Rick decided to paddle after work -- not once, but twice in one night! He's obsessed. He first went with Tony Labato, then went with the Harrisburg Canoe Club Narrows night people which usually starts at 6:00ish - about the time him and Tony were done. So Rick didn't get home until 9:00ish and I was in bed! This morning we decided this weekend we'll do stuff together. Well, he decided we'll kayak together, but maybe not ride together. How fair is that! I guess its ok 'cause next weekend we're parting again -- he can't miss a release day on the Lehigh and it just so happens to be the same day as the 12-hour race at the Farm. And I'm all over that one! Oh what fun Rick will miss. :)

Emotional Roller Coaster Ride

The Stoopid had over 180 folks registered for a perfect-weather 50 mile trek in the woods - I hadn't been training enough and was feeling rather "down" that I couldn't be there too. But those are the choices I made -- either train like a mad woman to do these races and get nothing else done, or attempt to balance a little training and other things in life -- like eating (the organic garden). The Big Bear 24 hour race was also this weekend and my buds were winners! Donna Weiser and her team (SHEENA!!) took first place as did her hubby's Team. It's awesome watching real-time scores - I could feel the energy in the transition tent just like I'm standing there with them. You can see who's riding when and how long its taking them - nice. But that too brought me "down." I wanted to be there, of which I could have and I was regretting not going 'cause my little bit of training would have been ok for this. Yet another weekend brain wave - one year ago today, I crashed and broke my head -- another "down" thought. What if I didn't crash? What would I be racing today? And lastly, Rick went paddling on the Lehigh River on Saturday of which I intended to go along, but the backyard is screaming at me for not paying it enough attention (and I'm taking off work on Tuesday just to work in the garden) so I opted to work in the yard rather than play to reduce some stress levels of things to do (Rick helps very little in the gardens). Rick is usually home by 5:00ish, but at 5:30 he called and said "we're stopping at the 901 Pub for supper." Drat... yet another "down" feeling - we seldom eat out - and I'm not there to join him. That was the icing on the down cake and I started getting depressed - I read menopause will do that. Nothing a little ice cream can't fix; and it did while I was eating it. I came home, went to bed, and woke up Sunday depressed. So what could really fix this emotional duldrum crap? What could bring me out of this slump? How 'bout a nice long ride on my beloved singlespeed. I was thinking maybe a half-stoopid in Weiser would be perfect and it turned out to be a 30 mile-trek - just what the doctor ordered and I felt like a million bucks afterwords. Even today (Monday) I'm still feeling good - no leg issues of which I thought there would be after 30 miles on one gear (did I mention that included 2900 feet of climbing?? Yeh, baby!). Twenty teeth are ideal. I MUST ride more than I do to keep the moods in check. Oh, and the really weird part of the emotional roller coaster ride? I waited for 15 horses to pass me while riding, and when they were all by, I burst into tears! What the heck is up with that?!? But maybe that was the release I needed 'cause I've been fine since. I have to call Barbie and see how her menopause is doing. Can't wait for the next year to be over.

3rd Annual Tour de Millersburg - August 15 2009

Should I? Dare I? I've never done a road race - I'm thinking it would be fun. (HA!!). Last year Rick and I watched our first criterium, the Tour de Millersburg, and basically said, "holy shit." It was exciting to watch -- crit racers are fearless animals, to say the least. I wanted to enter this race the 1st year, but they didn't have a women's category. Last year, I wasn't racing; but this year..... I'm toying with the idea. I wouldnt' do the crit, but I'd do the time trial on Saturday morning, and the 36 mile road race on Sunday morning. Would they make fun of me in my touring bike? It looks like a road bike - doesn't that count? Ha! So just how fast are the cat 4 women? I'd love to try it. Any takers??? Millersburg is a lovely little community and you'd enjoy the day. (To those that know me, you know I'm just a joker!!!! jill in a road race?!?!)

Stoopid Decision Yet?

Yup... nope. I rode 28 miles in Weiser today and didn't feel all that great and it took me 4 1/4 hours. That means it would take at least 8 hours for the Stoopid and that's a tad too long to sit in a bike seat. I sorta have a twinge in my lower calf too -- reason enough not to be stoopid. AND, its confirmed - a ti bike rides much, much nicer through rocks than aluminum -- today's ride on the aluminum was painful. So this coming weekend is the LEHIGH river on Saturday, then come home and watch the live results for BIG BEAR, and Sunday is another long ride -- maybe a nice road ride for a change -- or a fire road ride.

My Other Weekly Fix

About twice a week, I get on the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg with hubby and friends to experience the thrill of whitewater kayaking. Actually, there's not much thrill in the Susquehanna, but the twice a week thang is a great skill-building session. The Dauphin Narrows have all the features of a good river run-- rocks, eddies, waves, swirly thingys, and sometimes a hole or two to side-surf on. After all, the Susquehanna IS a river the last I checked. No, I'm not side-surfing yet, but the other parts are great practice. We usually get in at either the Narrows, or today, at the Rockville bridge 'cause the river level is a tad high for the narrows (optimum is between 3.5 and 4 feet) and the workout begins by attaining up to the rocks. Then, we ferry and surf our way across the river to the other side, and back again - about a two hour session. All the while, practicing those essential WW skills of surfing, ferrying, eddying in and out and getting a "feel" for the water. Is it a workout? My arms are mush 'til I'm done if I really work it. Some days I don't feel like it, and sit in eddies while Rick plays - those aren't worthwhile workouts. I like to float into a wave backwards -- Rick is big on eddying in and out. Rick's been trying to teach me the "proper" way to paddle with appropriately named paddle strokes, etc., but nooooooo, I just wanna paddle and do what I need to Git r Dun. So he gave up on the proper strokes and I'm happy, he's happy. Rick is much, much more obsessed with the sport than I - he'd go every day if he could. I'm balancing it, biking, and gardening -- a pleasant mix of activities.

Stoopidity

It appears the organizers of the Stoopid are still trying to figure out the start of the race – “base” camp - the Tussey Parking Lot? It’s only 10 days away! I emailed the organizer this morning asking for directions to the start to see if I can get any more information. Does this mean I’m doing it?? I’m still on the fence. Part of me thinks 50 miles is no big deal – its just a ride in the woods and it’ll be great training. Janice said its a beautiful ride -- great training for the Ironcross with the hike a bike section (although the Ironcross is 4 months away -- so how much will this really benefit that?!) Another part of me thinks, “shit girl – you’ve only done 27 miles so far this year. 50 miles is gonna PAIN you big time – if you finish.” Yet another side of me says screw the $60 bucks and take your beloved single speed and ride for 5 hours in Weiser for free one day, then kayak the Lehigh with Ricky the next. But then the final part of me says “but they have a Women Master 45+ category! How often does that happen? There was only one gal last year -- join her this year! Shouldn’t you go support the organizer for having the category?” Yes, I should. I have until June 12 to register…. I think I’ll let the cards fall as they may up to the 12th – and they will! And I’ll have my answer next week.

Riding the Mountain Version of the Tour de Cure

Thanks to Donna and Brett Weiser – the lead proponents of a “mountain” version of the Tour de Cure – the first mountain bike ride to benefit Diabetes was held on Sunday, May 31, 2009. Some folks would argue, what is the value of a benefit ride? Why do I have to pay? Why is it so much??? I suppose you’d have to have the disease hit home to truly appreciate and understand the real meaning of supporting a cause. I have, and I did, and am glad I rode. Last evening, when my mom asked where I was, I proudly said, “riding my bike for you mom…” And she smiled – she seemed to have cheered up almost instantly. The ride was spectacular. It was in Michaux state forest, starting at the Big Flat ATV parking lot – a popular starting point for mountain bike riding and of course the ATV guys. The 16-mile course was oh-so-sweet – rocks, roots, twisty turns, a little muck, a little climbing, a grand view of the reservoir, and a bright sunny day. My Ricky was going to ride separately with a friend of his who became ill and never showed up. Luckily, our group was going slow enough that he could catch up. The majority of the group (Mountain Bikers of Michaux who know the trails inside out and back again), zoomed through the course due to some of the members needing to get somewhere else by a certain time; but Donna, myself, Rick, and Stephanie casually enjoyed the ride. Thanks to all who organized – especially Donna and Brett! It wouldn’t have happened without you two.