Becoming one with my bike...

I procured my very own bike today. My parents offered to get me one as an early birthday present, and I took them up on it. He still needs a name, though. (Yes, I think it's a he.):


I was in a pretty foul mood when I took him to Granger Park this afternoon because I spent two eight-hour days digging out my grandma's backyard with my mom and cousin this weekend (which made me way more sore than I thought it would) and because I fell and skinned both of my knees and one elbow when I ran this morning. (Seriously, what grown woman does that? Apparently, this one does.) Anyway, after about 40 minutes of getting my bearings on him, I finally started to get the hang of it, which improved my mood immensely. I'd say the bike goes where I want him to about 80% of the time, and I'm no longer afraid of turning and steering. I'm still a little afraid of going down hills, but I feel much, much better about all this.

Feel free to suggest a name for Mr. Bike.

Jess :)

I did a brick yesterday and the transition was much better. I did more of what Dan the man
had to say....."spin your legs out at the end of the bike ride." So I knocked down the speed to zero resistence and just spun out my legs longer than before and it felt much better going to the run.
I did not swim last week, yikes, and have yet to get in the pool this week. It will be nice
when we can get into the lake. I think that is why running and biking are working for me,
not a lot of prep. time, shoes and door............
Kathy

Hi gals:
The "brick" workout was tough and I just did a fast 15 min. bike ride and
then went straight to the run, legs were pretty wobbly. I need to do more of
that.

I have an adult member who shared with me she is going to learn how to ride a bike,
I gave her our web address so she could check out Jess's pictures. If you are out
there Nicole welcome.

My prayers are with you and your family Linda.
Kathy

priorities

Hi Guys,

Here is my update....I know you both are aware of my Mom's truly heartbreaking illness. Of course, tri-training has take a back seat, at this time. I have been spending a lot of travel time and time just being there with her, and my sisters. Also, my Dad is having some serious health issues as well in Florida - that require attention.

I am eating pretty well, and am always looking for opportunities to squeeze in a workout. I did get a few cycling classes last week (6am, just so you know). Challenges have been lack time and lack of sleep in general. The emotional toll of grief, all the details involved and physical toll of driving, not working out as much as my body has gotten used to over the last 9 monthes, create overwhelming challenges. I am confident our sprint tri-athlon will be much easier. It is also tough to focus these days, but I am improving in the focus aspect.

Today, I got in a 35 minute run and a cardio kickboxing class. I am having obvious struggles with "squeezing in" swimming. I know I'll swim okay, it might not be as pretty as I had planned in Januarly, but I'll get through the swimming, I know it, with my own unique combintation of strokes, I suspect.

I had to cancel my orthopedic massage tomorrow (Patrick always puts my body back together), so I could free travel time for visiting Mom.

I am loving both of your posts! Thanks - it helps keep me going!

Train On -
Linda

WAY TO GO JESS!!!! Under 30 is faboulas!
You are doing great on the bike, we will get you there.

I was not able to swim this week, too much stuff going on
but I am back on track with the training this week.

I am off now for a bike ride and then a run. I am going to try
to get some brick training in this week. I'll let you know how
it goes.
Kathy

Another goal reached. :)

I managed to finish the MSU Safe Place 5k in (just barely) under 30 minutes--yay! The last mile was almost all uphill, so that slowed me down a bit. I did the first two miles in right about nine minutes apiece, and the last one took me a little over ten.

I had a great swim this morning too, which was nice. I had a lane to myself for a whole hour (which is pretty much unheard of), and the whole pool to myself for the first half hour (which is even more unheard of).

--Jess :)

Bike Lesson, Part Deux

After a little bit of drama surrounding my inability to install the "right out of the box" bike rack (that my dad has graciously agreed to install for me next weekend) to my trunk, Kathy and I made it out to Granger Park so I could learn how to steer. As Kathy quite accurately put it, I am a "bike rider, but need to learn how to be a bike steerer."

We discovered that I felt the need to lean my body whenever I turned the handlebars, and that was tripping me up. I guess the whole "don't get in your own way" thing applies to biking as well as swimming. I practiced for about an hour with Kathy's expert assistance and started to get the hang of it by the end. I think it's going to come down to learning to stop psyching myself out. I'll get there, though!

Other training stuff has gone well this week too, but I had to switch to Wednesday spinning because I was the only one who signed up for Monday. Liz was awesome, though, and ran this week's Monday session for just me. She asked me if I had a heart rate monitor, and I told her yes but that I couldn't seem to get it to the percentages she called out even though I felt like I was where I was supposed to be on her exertion scale. (I can get it up there when I run, though.) She worked with me to get it to 70, 75, 80, and 85 percent and then I was able to do it myself on Wednesday.

--Jess :)

I am curious about your running class also, did you run in
the rain today?

We went to the gym today and I ran home, it was not raining when I
started out but I was wet when I got home. It was not too bad though.

Linda, Jess was totally amazing. I could not wait to send out that e-mail
to you to let you know. We are hoping to meet at Granger Thursday at 2:00.
I want to get her out on a path with her bike. (your bike) After that I think she
will ride on her own or hold her own with anyone she chooses to ride with.

Kathy

GREAT blog entry Jess. You are a rockstar!
Kathy

I did it!

So it turns out that you were both right--I needed to start on a little bike, and the big bike does fit. :)

Had a biking lesson today with Kathy and Tim, both of whom are currently at the top of my favorite-people-ever list. Kathy was an amazing teacher (she has the patience of a saint, but wasn't afraid to tell me when to suck it up and wear the big-girl pants) and Tim was our fabulously supportive photographer. (Linda, we know how much you like photo documentation!)

We started out with an old kids' bike that Kathy's neighbor had. Isn't it fabulous?


We had to start with Kathy holding on to the back until I realized there was pretty much no way I'd be able to fall far enough to hurt myself and eventually figured out how to balance. Then I did it by myself:


When I had the little bike down, we broke for dinner (and a random freak hailstorm) before bringing out the big-kid bike. The confidence-gaining process was considerably longer, but Kathy was again super-patient and I only screamed like a girl twice. Here are some action shots...


Poor Kathy got quite a workout. Can it still be a brick session if one of us is running and one is biking? ;-)


Stopping is important...


Determination or trepidation? I'll let you make the call:


And for good measure, here's one where I'm not making a weird face:


After this, I rode a little bit in Kathy's subdivision while she watched for traffic. I think after one more lesson, I might be (easy, no-hill) trail-ready. :-)

...get by with a little help from my friends.

Thank you both so much for all your help and encouragement with the bike business (and for the offering the pseudo-dad services)! I'll get it eventually. :)

Here's a photo from the run on Sunday. Linda, thanks for pointing out the results online--I didn't realize they were up. My goal for the April 20 race is to break 30 minutes.

I am glad your run went well Jess, mine went great at Hawk Island on Saturday as well.

Interesting, I was talking to Dan the Man and asked what I would expect to run the
5K in after the swim and bike. He said my running pace is my running pace and I should
be close to my usual 5K race speed. I found this to be interesting.

I have the perfect spot to teach you how to ride a bike Jess. I have pads, I have a
smaller bike for you to learn on, we can even have Tim come out and you can call
him Dad if it will help. I have experience, I taught my kids how and I can teach
you also. Up to you if you want to bring your usual bike out so after you get rolling
on the smaller bike you may want to try it on your bigger bike, again, up to you.

My son has taken it upon himself to get me biking. This is nice because he is 19 and it is
time together for us, it has been nice.

A gal from my tri-class would like to bike and run the Hawk Island course, maybe at the end of the month or May we can do that.

FYI, the ice has melted from Lake Geneva!!

Kathy

adventures and misadventures

So. I took the bike out yesterday. In my typical stubborn fashion, I went by myself to an elementary school near my apartment. (Let me tell you, getting the bike down from and back up to my third-floor unit was a workout in itself.) I had downloaded a little how-to thing from a school in Massachussets that teaches grownups how to ride, and tried (to no avail) some of the tactics it listed. I think I made a tactical error in trying to ride on the grass, but I was afraid of falling on pavement. Long story short, I spent an hour of quality time with the bike (I know it's going to take longer than that, but it was all I had to spare yesterday) and made almost no progress. You should have heard my inner monologue, though--it was an odd combination of words that aren't appropriate for a public blog and "I want my dad!"

Today was much better, though. I usually use my workout time to be alone with my thoughts and my ipod, but there's something to be said for working out with fellow rockstars. :) Linda, thanks for joining me at the 5k and thanks to both Linda and Kathy for the swim! I beat my Superbowl 5k time by about a minute and got some really helpful swimming tips from Sara, so that was good. Oh, and here's a tip of my own to pass along to you ladies (though I suppose common sense should have indicated that I was making a big mistake when I did this): Never shave your legs immediately before a swim. When I was changing to go to the pool this afternoon, I realized it had been a few days, so I did a quick "stand in the tub and get rid of the stubble" move and regretted it the second I got in the pool. Ouch, ouch, ouch!

quick whine

For the record...

I went to my usual cardio kickboxing class on Wed. night - there was a sub. It was a cardio kickboxing class with a step, and an instructor who was into various lunges and squats. I knew as the class concluded, I'd likely be sore - 48 hours out. Despite that, I went to the group cycling class right after - tough workout, too! DId another group cycling Thurs. am. Here it is 48 hours later, after a swim tonight, and yes, it is confirmed - the quads - OUCH! (but it's all good)!

Train on!
Linda

I don't get the dry face with swimming.
I will probably go to the Hannah Center and swim today.
I am thinking about the Hawk Island 5K tomorrow, supposed
to be nice weather. I would like to run the course, maybe some
weekend we can bike the course and then run it also, back to back.....
Kathy

michelles blog

Hi Kath and Jess,

Don't think I ever gave you Michelle's blogspot info - she will be doing the same tri as us, with her brother. She attends my Wed. 8 am mtg. about 48# down - WAY TO GO MICHELLE - and just a few pounds away from goal! She is amazing....BRAVO!

http://michelle-trainingformytriathlon.blogspot.com/

Linda

ariel view sprint tri

Here is a link for an ariel view of Hawk Island Park - FYI - that doesn't look so bad, hee, hee - the bike course is not at the park, as you might recall.

Linda

http://www.ingham.org/pk/DSC00921.JPG