(no subject)
Haven't updated in a zillion years. Too much to fully catch up on, but here are the top ten highlights:
1. Ride for the Feast (yeah, it's been that long since I updated) was amazing, as always. We had more riders than ever and made more money than ever. I had a rough ride--muscle spasms due to dehyration--and spent time in the SAG vehicle, but that meant getting to watch everyone else ride for a little while, which was its own kind of awesome.
2. Almost immediately after RFTF, my work became so crazy that I was working all sorts of extra hous. I had zero time to do anything social, which left me feeling quite lonely and isolated (thank god for the internets!). Also because of my work schedule, I had to give up on going to the gym for about a month and a half. Going from working out 4-6 days/week to working out 0 days/week left me feeling gross--sluggish, bloated, and depressed. Just when I saw light at the end of that tunnel...
3. I fell off of a ladder while painting my kitchen over July 4th weekend and twisted the shit out of my ankle. My kitchen looks great; my ankle not so much. When Doc Jules put me on limited activity (no running or walking, no yoga, no weight bearing exercise of any kind) for SIX WEEKS, I didn't know whether to cry or throw a punch at her. I opted for neither and instead just began extreme bargaining until she agreed that I could bike in easy gears on flat surfaces.
4. My first bike ride post-anke injury highlighted how sluggish, bloated, and depressed I was as a result of my workout hiatus. I responded to this feeling largely with pouting and extreme inactivity. (Ok, and lots of reading. Finally read Middlesex and loved it.)
5. After three weeks of obsessively watching the Tour de France, I decided that I'd pouted enough and scheduled a boatload of appointments with my trainer at the gym. I had my first one on Saturday and didn't feel nearly as bad as I thought. I was nervous going in, and the first 20 minutes or so were a battle against giving up, but then I remembered how Lance Armstrong wanted to give up after being diagnosed with brain, lung, and testicular cancer all at the same time but then went on to win the Tour de France five times in a row. I am definitely deconditioned from almost two weeks away from exercise, but I think I'll bounce back quickly--even moreso once the ankle brace comes off in 3 weeks. Will I be ready for the marathon in January? All I know is I have better shot at being ready if I stop pouting and keep moving.*
6. Moveable Feast asked me to chair the ride again next year and I said yes. I think this has something to do with how we had more riders and raised more money than ever before, but that is truly due to a combination of the hard work of lots of people and luck. I can't take credit for it, but I can try to facilitate its happening again.
7. I am a natural at picking crabs.
8. I am an excellent writer of cycling-related raps.
9. I am in deep denial about how soon plantastic and jazzometer and girlwithcamera are moving away.
10. Sasha is doing great. I am almost certain her seizure was just a ploy to increase the amount of treats I give her. (It totally worked, too.)
*This positive attitude was no doubt helped tremendously by the random stranger who came up to me in the middle of my workout and said, "Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know that you look great. I joined in January and I've seen you in here a bunch since then and just wanted to say good job to you and your trainer because you're looking fantastic." My brain immediately dismissed this as a case of mistaken identity, but I'm trying to let myself believe it.
1. Ride for the Feast (yeah, it's been that long since I updated) was amazing, as always. We had more riders than ever and made more money than ever. I had a rough ride--muscle spasms due to dehyration--and spent time in the SAG vehicle, but that meant getting to watch everyone else ride for a little while, which was its own kind of awesome.
2. Almost immediately after RFTF, my work became so crazy that I was working all sorts of extra hous. I had zero time to do anything social, which left me feeling quite lonely and isolated (thank god for the internets!). Also because of my work schedule, I had to give up on going to the gym for about a month and a half. Going from working out 4-6 days/week to working out 0 days/week left me feeling gross--sluggish, bloated, and depressed. Just when I saw light at the end of that tunnel...
3. I fell off of a ladder while painting my kitchen over July 4th weekend and twisted the shit out of my ankle. My kitchen looks great; my ankle not so much. When Doc Jules put me on limited activity (no running or walking, no yoga, no weight bearing exercise of any kind) for SIX WEEKS, I didn't know whether to cry or throw a punch at her. I opted for neither and instead just began extreme bargaining until she agreed that I could bike in easy gears on flat surfaces.
4. My first bike ride post-anke injury highlighted how sluggish, bloated, and depressed I was as a result of my workout hiatus. I responded to this feeling largely with pouting and extreme inactivity. (Ok, and lots of reading. Finally read Middlesex and loved it.)
5. After three weeks of obsessively watching the Tour de France, I decided that I'd pouted enough and scheduled a boatload of appointments with my trainer at the gym. I had my first one on Saturday and didn't feel nearly as bad as I thought. I was nervous going in, and the first 20 minutes or so were a battle against giving up, but then I remembered how Lance Armstrong wanted to give up after being diagnosed with brain, lung, and testicular cancer all at the same time but then went on to win the Tour de France five times in a row. I am definitely deconditioned from almost two weeks away from exercise, but I think I'll bounce back quickly--even moreso once the ankle brace comes off in 3 weeks. Will I be ready for the marathon in January? All I know is I have better shot at being ready if I stop pouting and keep moving.*
6. Moveable Feast asked me to chair the ride again next year and I said yes. I think this has something to do with how we had more riders and raised more money than ever before, but that is truly due to a combination of the hard work of lots of people and luck. I can't take credit for it, but I can try to facilitate its happening again.
7. I am a natural at picking crabs.
8. I am an excellent writer of cycling-related raps.
9. I am in deep denial about how soon plantastic and jazzometer and girlwithcamera are moving away.
10. Sasha is doing great. I am almost certain her seizure was just a ploy to increase the amount of treats I give her. (It totally worked, too.)
*This positive attitude was no doubt helped tremendously by the random stranger who came up to me in the middle of my workout and said, "Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to let you know that you look great. I joined in January and I've seen you in here a bunch since then and just wanted to say good job to you and your trainer because you're looking fantastic." My brain immediately dismissed this as a case of mistaken identity, but I'm trying to let myself believe it.