Fall Activities - CycloCross

Wow I have been neglecting this blog, sorry about that. So what have I been doing this fall i can sum that up in one word..CYCLOCROSS. I started to do cyclocross, I have been a spectator for two years and decided to give it a try this year. What a incredibly difficult sport but what a BLAST once you body quits hurting.

My summer really stunk triathlon wise i just didn't have the base fitness. I thought that maybe cyclocross would help. It helped ALOT. Riding at 170 HR for 45 minutes can do nothing but help your base fitness. I could tell I was getting stronger as the season went on. Every Tuesday night in Sept and Oct, I would fly home from work feed the cats, change clothes then head to DSM for practice. We had to stop in Nov because it started to get dark to quick.

I have met alot of great people that I hope that I am friends with for a long time. I missed JS, she didn't get to do the practice due to school, however right now school and her family are priority and I can certainly understand that.

I did learn that there are enemies of cyclocross riders...ACORNS. They are evil little nuts. I was out practicing, minding my own business and WHAM 2 acorns took me out. The little suckers body slammed me. Talk about stunned especially because I wasn't even under an acorn tree. I think they migrate to throw people off. I had the biggest darn bruise I have ever had, proof below. This happened the first of Sept and I can still feel it, but at least I dont look like I have big celulite pocket anymore.









I have done 3 races so far, the technical part still makes me nervous but I am getting there. Next week I am doing two races at Jingle Cross. I take it easy and slow but at least I am trying.

So that is a very quick update. I have not decided on next years plans. I am still thinking about what I want to do. I do know I am doing HyVee and I am finishing this time.

Until next time...PEACE

Where did I go....

Sometimes I ask myself the same thing. I don't have much to post about exercise as I don't have much time right now. I'm definitely feeling the effects of it and am itching to find something to do.

I work 35hrs a week. Go to school for 12hrs a week. I also need to study, keep Alexa entertained, spend time with Kyle, and maintain my house. Did I also mention that if I don't get at least 7hrs of sleep I am a wreck!!

Here is my week:
Monday - work till 5, with Alexa while Kyle gets a ride in, Alexa in bed by 8, I have to study and would like to fit some exercise in.

Tuesday - morning class, afternoon work till 5, with Alexa while Kyle rides, Alexa in bed by 8, I LOVE Biggest Loser (maybe trainer during last half) homework assignments during show and after.

Wednesday - work till 5, class until 10

Thursday - work till 5, class until 10

Friday - work until 5, would like to have a night with family, but feel I need to study, most times forgo studying.

Sat/Sun - clean, bike races, study, sleep(catch-up)....hard to make a schedule when every weekend is different.

only take about 45min lunches, and some days need that to study.

Any suggestions??

Something A little Different..

Sometimes you just have to do something a little different and this is exactly what JS and I did this past weekend. We participated in the 10th annual Muddy Buddy in Gilberts, Illinois. Now I know you are scratching your head going "What is a muddy buddy". Well I am here to tell you that it is a blast.

Here is a quick overview:
- two person team
- One starts off biking the other running. The bikers start first then 3 minutes later the runners.
- there are 4 obstacles, when the biker gets to the obstacle they do the obstacle then start running, when the runner gets to the obstacle they do the obstacle and start biking. So you leap frog every other obstacle. the obstacles were 1. a climbing wall 2. Balance Beam 3. a canvas slide 4. army net that we had to crawl under.
- Now here comes the muddy...before the finish line you have to wait for your buddy and army crawl through a mud pit...yes a mud pit and since we were the last wave, there was 16 waves, The mud pit was muddy.
- Each team has to have a name, me in my creative genius chose, Muddy Buddy Virgins. I know real original. So we dressed up as brides. Did I say that there was a costume contest?

Before:



After: The muddy gentle men in the photo is our friend Dan who came support us and take pics.



JS and I carried cameras so here are pics..I hope you enjoy them.

On the way home from Chicago we were already discussing next years costumes. We are always open for suggestions.

I will let JS tell about her experience...

Until next time..Peace..JG

Hy-Vee and I'm a winner!

First off, I never posted about my Hy-Vee Tri swim. I was really nervous going into it as my back had been out of whack all week and I hadn't made it to the pool/lake as much as I wanted. I went in with open as a mind as I could muster up.

Once Julie and I arrived at the transition area, I found Kristin's bike and made sure I knew exactly where to run to for our FAST transition. I found some of the people I knew that were participating and wished them luck and then headed to the beach.

My first intention was to get a good warm-up in, but then decided against it when I got down to the beach and there was a nice cool breeze that if I was wet would have had me shivering all my energy out! Since I had 30 minutes before my wave, I stretched my arms and sides and tried to loosen up a little that way.

Once our wave was ready to go, I finally felt ready! Ready, set, GO...I stayed to the outside and got a good start in. Round the first buoy and got ran over by a BIG guy! A little composure and back off on my way. It was feeling really good and I thought I was sighting pretty good. Let's take a few side strokes and see where the buoys are and make sure I'm on track...CRAP...I'm way too far from the buoys!! As I start angling in I ran into a bunch of guys doing backstroke, back out to get around them and angle in again!

I finally got closer and headed around the last buoy, so with the last stretch left I try to kick it in, once again getting off track on the sighting...NOT my DAY!! I finally hit the beach and book it into transition. I about collapsed while Kristin was taking the time chip. I look over and she is trying to put it on backwards...I help her quick and off she goes!

Final swim time of 35:40 (1.5K)...not too bad, but not as good as the year before.
Kristin rocked it on the bike with a time of 1:10:14 (40K)
Kelly kicked it in the run with a 1:02:15 (10K)
We ended 14th out of 53 teams!

Second, I am a Winner! I posted a comment on Steve Stenzel's blog and won a supply of Monkey Drink mix! Here I am with the winnings and my first go at a Monkey Drink, I will need to add more flavor next time, but it was good! JG will be getting some of the supply too...since we do share this blog!

Hy Vee in the books

Well things never go as expected and for me the Hy-Vee was no exception. It is my first DNF(did not finish). I felt good in the swim, I took a little side trip which didn't help my time. I started sighting the wrong booy. OOPs. but I got back on track. Since I DNF I do not know what my official time was because they did not post the swim and bike however my watch said 32 minutes. I am happy with that.

Out of the water and on to the bike, I started out slower this year, I did it on purpose. I wanted to get my legs warmed up before I started to pound them. Up Grand I went I found out that I am a better hill climber than most, I was passing people right and left. I guess riding into the river bottom does help. On the top of the first hill I was met with the sight of the "Hecklers", most of the biking hecklers had been out riding and drinking all night. So they were pretty well wound up, and one even had a speedo on, I will refrain from naming this speedo wearer to protect the identity of this wife and daughter..:)who have to put up with this speedo wearer. After the Grand hill the gound was flat for quite awhile. I was going between 18-19 mph. we had a slight head wind. I would pass some people, people would pass me. People would ride by yelling "go pink biker". Go to love the All9Yards pinks tri kits. About 2 miles from the turn around the hills started again, they were long and fairly steep. On the way back I started to crank it a little harder. I was going between 20-22 mph. Nice little tailwind. My shoulders were starting to ache really badly, i need to ride the tri bike more to get use to the position. Well back to Grand Ave and the Hecklers. Julie Hugo was cheering and yelling as was SS. I is nice to see your friend yelling for you. I think I did the bike in about an hour 20-24. I am not unhappy.

Now the Bike to run. I knew that this would not be good, I was not feeling energetic at all, i just wanted to stop. So I get my bike racked, my calf sleeves put on and head off to the run. I waved at Julie, Bill and my mom, sister, niece and nephew, then trotted on down the trail. It was miserable, my hips hurt, my stomach would not settle and I was thirsty. I tried not to drink to much water because that did me in last year. I ran maybe a mile then walked. Once I started walking I knew that it was over. I just could not get any kind of rhythm. The cycling hecklers were now the running hecklers. They cheered me on but It didnt help much. I was talking to myself about what to do. I really didnt want to walk the whole thing. It is a tri Swim, Bike and Run. Not swim , bike and walk. So I decided to hang it up. I have tried to starting listening to my body more. As I was walking back I ran into Kyle, Rob, Joe and Kurt. They tried to talk me in to walking it but I had made up my mind. I was done. No tri finish for me. I got a ride back to the park with a nice gentleman with a golf cart. Then went and found Bill. He felt bad for me but knew the issues that I have been having with my legs he was surprised that I stopped but not that I was having to walk.

I am upset with myself but at the time it was the right decision for me. I need to reevaluate how I am training and eating. I was having a hard time this year getting my mental attitude ready for this race. I was much more excited about it last year. Will I do another intermediate tri, I don't know. I hope to keep doing sprints.

I need to work on my nutrition, my stretching and my running. I need to maintain my swimming and cycling. I also need to lose weight.

I want to say I failed. I did fail in my mind but I tried and it was not to be. Life is full of disappointments you just have to deal with them.

JS also participated and did great. I will let her tell you about her adventures.

Thanks for checking in... until next time PEACE

Hy-Vee Tri...here we come!

hopefully...my back is all whacked out right now...lots of ice and rest before my swim on Sunday!

JG is once again taking part in the whole tri....she'll do great!!

Come on out and watch the fun!

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