Holy shite it's been awhile.

I'm amazed how much my personal habits have changed since the last post.... interesting.

I quit smoking. I started boxing. I kept cycling. I gave up running.

Most relevant though - my life has gotten about 600x busier.

By coincidence (or tragedy) I had some major health issues last fall and lost about 30 lbs in a couple of months simply by being unable to feed myself appropriately, that was an interesting experience because it was a significant amount of weight, but it felt like very little effort. I'm not sure what that means in the grand scheme of things, but hey --- now it's not a tragedy really...

I'm trying hard to find routine in my days again, but also find myself struggling with routine as I search for it in my life. Sometimes it's just difficult to buckle down when so much else is going on.

This winter-exercise struggle is one I know well... I hate gyms. I like being outside and doing good things. Winter is a challenge for that. One day I'll winter somewhere warm...

30 day Shred - Day 1

Completed!

I also feel like I need to burn off some serious steam today, so I will be doing the cycling thing in a bit as well... once my breakfast digests.

It's interested how my body has adjusted over the past few months... I have strength underneath where I didn't expect, my cardio-fitness level has dropped dramatically - but the muscle is there, with way more fat than I'm used to - which makes it interesting.


Anyway - made it through - did some sweating. Did the Ab work I wouldn't normally do. Good times.

Lost Posts?

Mmm -- For some reason I thought I had posted after the bike rally last year? Shite!
I feel like some of my posts have disappeared.... I don't know. Maybe I'm the person who makes a training blog and doesn't update after the big event???

Never Fear! Bike Rally 2010 is already committed to!


Training for the ride has already started, and I'm totally up to date on the required rides already.... have done 4 ~40km rides so far already this season and a few others as well, so I'm in good shape.

Though "good shape" is totally relative.

A long winter of laziness and not being totally sure what was going on in my life, followed by a fall FULL of stress led to me emerging in the spring 40lbs heavier than I'd like to be, and with a new spider-web of stretch marks on my tummy which I'm TOTALLY ashamed of. Yikes.

Anyway ---- so must rectify.


Today N. - a totally fit, awesome, lady who has come into my world in the past few months - inspired (read: strong-armed!) me into going to GoodLife with her and a friend of mine. So I got in there and worked out, just let the sweat pour into my hair and make it frizz and stick up. I did some solid cardio for the first time in awhile, and did some weights. Training rides don't really force me into an aerobic zone (more of a steady fat-burning zone because it's endurance exercise) -- so it's good to get out and do stuff.


Otherwise - have decided it's time to get out the 30-day Shred again. Jillian is totally awesome and kicks my butt.

So April 19 - May 18 is 30-day Shred.

The idea is to commit to it every day for 30 days. I figure even I can find 30 minutes a day for it - though am giving myself permission to substitute a bike ride for it 1 day a week, and another 30 minutes of cardio (if I do it) another day a week.

Tomorrow morning is Day 1.

Here is my plan for tomorrow:
30 Day Shred
90 minute bike ride (easy-moderate pace, varied terrain)
Morning: Shake for breakfast w/ English Muffin
Lunch: Salad w/ cheese on it.
Dinner: Mushy Beans w/cheese and bread & Salad.

New! (Old) Bike!

Yay!

I met a lovely, funny, fantastically conversational woman on a ride a few weeks ago who sympathized with the lack of a granny ring on my bike.

(Vocab: A granny ring would be a third chain ring, the little one that you would switch to so you can climb hills on the bike by spinning quickly, using your aerobic energy rather than your strength and wrecking your knees)
(Backstory: The bike I ride, is actually an Aquila racing bike - it's super light, was engineered for a guy to ride in a racing position for most of the time. I've replaced the bars, seat and tires, and the frame is a reasonably good fit, so I ride it, but it isn't designed to climb hill after hill, and the gears reflect that)

Anyway, so C. and I were chatting, and she offered me her older Miyata touring bike. It was her "baby" (much as the Beast was mine)... and while she wasn't riding it anymore, she wanted it to be loved.

So I picked it up Saturday morning... a lovely pale blue Miyata bike. Heavier than my Aquila for sure - but with features that will make it a lovely city rider. A rack, and space for another on the front. Solid with a smooth pedal stroke. I'm so freakin' excited about it! The plan is to start the restoration soon after the rally, and get it on the road hopefully by fall.

Here's it's work list: In order of priority.

- recable the brakes, gears, get new housing for the cables.
- clean the chain and assess the chain rings, cassette, and current chain stretch.
- replace chain rings, cogs, and possible the chain (entire drive-train system).
- adjust derailleurs to smooth out gear changing.
- assess tires
- get a recreational seat
- get Mr. Tuffy's for the wheels and install.
- replace toe-clips

That's not so bad really, it's a great older bike - and I'm really excited about it! It's going to be a fantastic ride once it's all sorted!

Whoh! Stuff happening!

Okay, well, I haven't posted in awhile, but I'm still around. Here's my little update on things gone by:

July 12 - I went to Brampton to meet my auntie for an event, and promptly got hit by a car 5 minutes after getting off the Go Train. I've decided Brampton is possibly the most cycling unfriendly city I've ever encountered. Long story short, I was super angry, the woman who hit me paid for my new wheel, and the bike was at Cyclepath in Brampton until last night when I picked it up.

All that said -- the guys at Cyclepath there are GREAT! And totally helped me out as I was dirty, hurt, angry, and trying to hold it together in shock of being hit by a car. They gave me a clean cloth to use in their washroom and room to leave my stuff while I went in search of a drink, and even hooked me up with a few instant ice packs. Great people - definitely recommend the shop.

Luckily it seems that my injuries were largely superficial. The Chiropractor has made some comments about how my back is out of alignment, and I've got bruise and some road rash, but I'm okay, and live to bike again.

This week I've been busy looking after final preparations. I've booked my hostel for the 2nd night in Mtl, I ordered a ton of instant ice packs today to use in the evenings, and last week my mom took me to MEC and bought me some nice new shorts, a shirt and a sweater. I just need to pack, clean and relube the chain, and possibly do one more training ride.... honestly though, cycling is the last thing on my mind right now!


So this weekend my team is riding 100k to Campbellville and back. I'm not sure if I"m going to go or not, mostly because I'm a little afraid of the bike's new components, and want to take it on a slightly shorter ride first. Or maybe I'm feeling lazy ---- I'm not really sure! Either way, I'm considering biking out to Clarkson and back on Sunday instead, because 70k will give me the feedback to make any changes, and isn't too short a ride. I'm wondering if I'm punking out though.

So fundraising is done, health forms are faxed in, rooms are booked, now its just a matter of getting there in one piece.

Will that be the hardest part?