Olympic Snowboarding...Here I Come

So watching the 2010 Winter Olympics has been pretty inspiring. All those athletes who are so amazing at what they do. All the skill and technical aspects of the sports. Made me envious and wanting of what they have. So I made up my mind that if in the next year I have the opportunity, I will start training on the snowboard pretty seriously and make it to the 2014 Winter Olympics! Snowboard Cross! Halfpipe...MAYBE! Parallel Slalom! Wish me luck! Haha!

Good Weekend

For those of you that keep up with my blog, yes I did post date the last three posts. I have been pretty busy this weekend so I didn't have time to write until now. If you don't feel like reading them, don't worry. I really like having this blog cause it helps me keep track of my progress and thoughts; I don't expect people to read it, though it makes me feel good to know people enjoy my writing. Anyway, to save you time I can give you a quick run down of my workout weekend through short phrases and adjectives.

Here we go.

Friday
Ran. 2 miles.
Banana.
Good.

Saturday
Hip Hop Class. Awesome.
Banana.
Ran 6 miles. Paced slow.
Abs hurt. =(
Apple.
Pasta lunch.
Pasta dinner.

Sunday
Oatmeal.
ConocoPhillips Training ride. 37 miles.
Fig newtons, regular pretzels, animal crackers and peanut butter filled pretzels. Yum.
Fish and bread lunch.
Tired. Nap. Yay.

Spring Breakaway

This morning was the Spring Breakaway ride with the ConocoPhillips Bike Club. Have I not told you about the CP bike club? Oh my bad. So Daninmal introduced me to the bike club a few weeks ago. This is a training series set up by CP. 12 weeks. One ride a weekend to prepare for the MS 150. $125 for late registrants and you get full support on your rides. If you get to ride all 12, then that's a pretty damn good deal considering charity rides are all at least $25 each. I joined about 4 weeks in, and I've missed one, so I'll get 9 fully supported rides. Still a good deal. They have been partnering with organized charity rides recently, so that's why I've been posting on those.

Today was the last charity-partnered ride, called Spring Breakaway. And the last flat ride. I did the 37 miler today, finished in a little less than 3 hrs. That's 12.3 mph. Yay. I feel like I improved, but I have to factor in the tail wind. Man was that fabulous. Today I also have to claim hypocrisy as I...turned on my Serfas bike computer. haha. I know I said I don't like to workout with too many measurements, but really the overall timing myself was getting me down and I was beginning to question my ability to gauge my speed. However, thanks to the wind I had a good measurement day. I was getting up to 19mph on flats and averaged about 16.5 mph after 30miles. I was flying. Best morale boost ever.

But what's a ride in Katy, without wind in your face? So yes. The last 7 miles I got a good dose of wind in my face. This leg I averaged about 11-12 mph. At the end of the day my computer said I had been on the bike for 2.5 hrs and averaged 14.6 mph. woo! Maybe I should keep using the computer to really know my speed and not my overall speed. That might help my training cause I am freaking tired and kind of sore right now. The 6 miles yesterday probably helped. Ah so my workout philosophy is changing. I will flip flop in and out for a while until I decide what works best...

Hip to the Hop

So I planned to do the 5k Rodeo Run this morn, but I flaked out cause I didn't want to pay and felt that I would be too out of shape since I hadn't worked out much this whole month. Plus I've never actually done a full 5k without stopping to walk, and I didn't want to look like a wuss in front of 13,000 Houstonians.

Instead I decided to take the one free Saturday morning and go to the Houston Metropolitan Dance company and take this Hip-Hop class I've been dying to try. Thanks to Alec for recommending the MET. The instructor was hilarious. He was an effeminate man with a small lisp and a get-it-done-and-have-fun attitude. It made the class all the more fun. At the beginning we did this intense core workout, so now it hurts to sneeze. And he did go really fast so that was good in that I think it makes the class challenging, but I didn't have time to perfect the steps. Plus everyone was pretty much focused on themselves and trying to get it right so you didn't really have to worry about looking like a fool cause no one was paying attention. Once these ConocoPhillips Training rides end, I'll have to go back...because hip hop is awesome. Then maybe one day I'll be able to do this. Haha.
After that I made my way to Rice and ran the outer loop. 32.06 minutes. No stopping. woohoo. I actually paced myself. haha. This is good I think it will help me in my overall ability to pace. I made sure to leave energy cause I wanted to run the steps in the football stadium to get a good quad workout. No dice. Some guy kicked me out, so I just ran another loop. This time I ran it the way I like to, which is GO FAST for about 300 meters or so then walk until I feel better, then GO AGAIN. Horrible way to run, I know but I think it came from the way I bike - cause it's easy to coast on a bike. You don't always have to be pedaling. Anyway, I'm breaking the habit so yay.

Reset

So after I wrote that post, I think I got out some of those lingering emotions, tried to put aside the sad and decided to get off the slump. I started by going to HEB and buying myself some fresh fruit and other healthy snacks. Yay. For some reason a walk through the grocery store always relaxes and refreshes me. And buying food adds to the fun.

The next day I got to get out of work early, so I took the time to go workout at the gym. While there they convinced me to take advantage of the deal they were having. Awesome, cause I cut my monthly payment in half. Had to sign up for another yr, but I think it's worth it cause I don't see myself not going to the gym. It's great for their classes, and it's a good for when the weather is ugly or cold. Plus I have the nationwide deal and Bally's has pretty good coverage in all the major cities.

Had a good workout with my new Sansa Clip. That music really did make my time on the treadmill go fast. Logged 2 miles and then just jumped from machine to machine.

Good start to a good weekend.

Slumped

So I've been in this long lazy slump for the past month. Sure I've been able to do a few rides, but that's not enough when you're supposed to be training for a half marathon. I have hardly worked out on the week days. It's been a combination of knee pain, tiredness, laziness, and some emotional dissatisfaction. I think the frustration and sad got me started. Then I started eating unhealthy. Then I got 3hrs of sleep this one night for no reason. Agh! It's been a spiral down to the bottom again.

I really need to just get up and go. If my knee still hurts I need to see the doctor. Ugh. I don't want to go see the doctor. Stop hurting knee.

And what's up with this being tired all the time? I take my multivite, is my iron really that low or am I just getting lazy?

Fine. I'll get off my ass and go to the gym...tomorrow.

Argentine Tango with Rose and Luis

A few weeks ago, started a Tango class. My friend Rose an her bf Luis are the teachers and they are amazing. They break it down to simple moves and let us practice, critique as needed and always fun and happy.

I have to say I'm already in love with Argentine Tango. It's different from any other social dance in that there's no need to follow a beat. All the moves are based off emotion, want, feelings.


You tell what foot to put your weight on by following the lead. He moves his weight to the left, you move your weight to the left. He moves his weight to the right, you move yours to the right. He keeps standing on one leg, you match that. Waiting, pausing, collecting, all these are part of the dance. You move slowly and deliberately. You are independent of each other yet connected. Your sense of touch is all you really need. I could dance with my eyes closed.

I love it.

Sansa Clip!

Yesterday I got my Sansa Clip! This baby fits in the middle of my palm and hold 4 gigs of music. Comes with FM radio, so I can tune into TV at the gym or the radio if I get bored of my 4 gigs of music. Can't wait to take this cutie running as my last run was so freaking boring I quit after 3 miles. Hopefully it will be my key to pushing myself and getting more excited about running. Still doing the Half Marathon in April. Must step up the training. And stop eating peanut butter from the jar.

So what is on my playlist? Well I'm glad you asked. I've got a little bit of Basement Jaxx, La Roux, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, The Script, Bag Raiders and Ne-Yo. I'll probably add Juanes and the like, when I'm in the mood to hear Spanish. Building up my music library now that I have an MP3 player again...I think it's been over 5 yrs since I had the Ipod vid. Let me know what I should work into my playlist.

Pedaling the Prairie

Yesterday I pedaled 41 miles in the prairies of Houston. The first ten miles were pretty miserable - numb toes, cold face, my sweat wipe became my snot wipe. Gloves are definitely going in the wash this week. I also felt like I should be going faster than what my bike was outputting. So I stopped at the first stop, raised my seat about 3-5cm, ate some Fig Newtons, and got back in the saddle. Wow I probably upped my speed by 1 mph just by changing the seat height. The change in my performance was so noticeable. The physics of riding is so cool.

The whole ride took me 3.5 hrs. That averages out to 11.7 mph. There was less wind this time, so that's where the .7 came from. But seriously? just 11mph? I feel so slow. Maybe I should put the bike computer back on and really keep track of that...NO. The reason I stopped using it is because I don't believe in constantly using numbers to gauge my strength. You should ride however fast you feel comfortable for as long as you feel comfortable. Just listen to your body and you can tell how far you can push or not. That's how I work out. That's how I ride.

Now I just have to develop the mental strength to push myself harder and harder. Not sore today, so I'll prob go for a run. My knee doesn't seem to be hurting me, so that's a good sign. Maybe all I needed was to give it a good low-impact workout.

BTW can I just say how HAPPY I was that this ride had Fig Newtons? I hadn't seen these delicious babies for years. It's the little pleasures in life that keep you going. =D

One Long Stretch

When I went snowboarding a few weeks ago I wiped out and twisted my left knee worse than any other fall. I groaned, laid in the snow for a little bit and then got up and kept going. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't go another run. When I got back to Houston, I still felt a dull pain in my knee so I just decided to take it easy for a week. Well it's week two and there's little sign of improvement. I've stayed away from running and just kept to weight lifting, but yesterday there was Yoga at Bally so to Yoga I went. I thought one long stretch could really do my body some good.

The instructor was a sweet old lady who really knew her stuff. As she went through the poses she would describe what part of the body was being affected -"pull the knee to your chest, opening up your transverse colon"...



"Shake away all your anxiety, frustrations and tension..."
"Rock back and forth, this is good for digestion..."
"Now go into dolphin, no forehead wrinkling..."
"Left brain, right brain, tighten your thighs together..."

It was actually pretty interesting and as I lay there in child's pose I wondered if all that stuff was true. Was my blood flowing more easily? Was my brain becoming more active? Would I need to use the bathroom right after massaging my colon? Even if they weren't I still felt pretty clear headed and relaxed for most of the session. Not to mention all that stretching made me more limber and flexible. Yoga is great.

However, my knee is not much better. Doing a ride tomorrow. Might have to re-evaluate my knee after this ride. Hopefully it will be ok.

Food Tastes Good

Ugh. I just did the typical and ate myself into an impending food coma. Since I moved home I've found it hard to keep up a healthy and happy diet.

First I don't do the grocery shopping and do almost no cooking now. Bad bad bad. My mom doesn't know what's healthy, what's not, what's more healthy or just ok, etc. She doesn't balance the meats and veggies well. And of course, in a traditionally Asian home, we always have rice for dinner. Pure starch. I try to cut down on the amount I eat, but that just means I'm still hungry and fill myself up with the loads of meat my mom cooks. She doesn't always buy the veggies I like, so more often than not I skip those. Result? Probably a little bit of weight gain; probably a little bit of wear on my performance, and mostly a lack of the vitamins I need. I'm already feeling anemic again, and I've been taking my daily multivite.

What's more, my mom doesn't always cook the food I want to eat at the time I feel like eating. So I will snack or starve. When dinner finally comes around I will eat too much or not that much and feel bad after. And if it's not food I particularly like, I'm not satisfied despite my being full. Maybe I'm complaining too much, I mean having my mom cook dinner really gives me more time to work out or do other things, but I live to eat; I love to cook. I love everything about food. And I hate doing dishes. Not being able to do eat or cook what I want is wearing on my physical and emotional health. I need to find a good medium or I will eventually hate this situation and steer myself down a path of unhappiness.

First I need to find a way to get out of doing dishes...

Puddle for the Ducks

First organized ride of the year!

Damn do I love this stuff. Today I popped out of bed at 5:15am. Yes, 5:15am on a Saturday. It was awesome. Got my oatmeal, bike gear, hooked up my Saris trunk rack, hitched my Jamis to it and we were a go.

I wanted to do this ride cause it was relatively close to me and I have heard good things about it. Plus its for ducks. Who doesn't like ducks?

Riding was good. It did two things: solidified my decision to get a new bike and gave me a good gauge of how much training I still have to do. A couple weeks ago I took my Jamis out and felt pretty good on it...like why am I blowing so much money on a new bike? This one is perfectly good. But today, like clockwork, my back started to hurt right around 30 miles. And then my seat had fallen back and stretched me out for a good 8 miles...further pain. I'm praying that with my new bike I'll be able to get a perfect fit. I didn't get to try the size out in the store cause they didn't carry it. I just tried one size up and knew it was too long, but still ride-able like my Jamis.

Not to sound like I don't like my Jamis. It has treated me well, taken me hundreds of miles. Enabled friends to ride with me. But we don't fit as well as I thought we would.
Now some of you out there might say, just get a shorter stem. Well the stem on my bike is 0 mm. It basically clamps the bars to the fork. So the only solution is a smaller size. Plus carbon will be a plush ride...and maybe the stiffness will help my performance.

There were a lot of Specialized, Trek, and Scotts out today. It made me miss my Scott. I miss how it used to sing that hollow aluminum sound that made me feel like I was going fast. Funny tho I didn't see the model I had out...I guess not too many people bought the Speedster S20 in 2009? I did see one Blue Pinarello FP3 and a good handful of Cervelos - R3, TT bikes, no soloists.

So I was ambitious and signed up for the Metric century thinking it was 62 miles. Cause 62 miles I've done before. My best time was just under 5hrs - including stops. But this ride lied and instead it was really 70 miles. And they wanted us done by 1pm. We started 7:15, 730ish. So I was thinking ok, if I book it - I can make it just in time. But then, the wind came out. haha. So instead I took the 46 miler and made it back by 11am. So it was just about 4 hrs including stops - just over 11 mph. merp. Not a good time. I even drafted in and out as the wind got gustier. I need to bust my ass in the coming months if I want to ever make it to averaging 15mph - with stops.


On a happy note, I love my Castelli Mito Jersey. This was my first cold ride and it kept my body warm throughout. Although my arms were cold in and out. It was still warm and soft.

Ride Prep

So today I had some free time before Tango lessons, so I popped over to Performance Bike and hung out there for about an hr. Bought the Hurricane Quickshot CO2 Inflator and a few tubes cause I realized last week that all my tubes were stolen with my Scott last yr.



So this week I haven't exercised at all cause I've been busy. Thinking about hip hop lessons. Something I've always wanted to do. 62 miles on Saturday. I'll be ready...I think. At the very least, I won't let a flat stop me. =D

Elliptigo

Ever feel like "Damn my knees hurt" or "...not running again?" and jump on the elliptical? Then jump off the elliptical feel like you didn't do anything for the last half hr? Well here is your solution. The Elliptigo.



I have to admit, this machine looks pretty silly but when you watch the promotional vid you want one. Just to ride by runners and cyclists and look awesome.