Sonoma County Team Camp

This weekend, I attended the team camp for the bike team I joined this year, Early Bird Women's Developmental Team. We stayed in a cute cabin, next to a river in a tiny little town, Monte Rio, in Sonoma County. We all showed up on Friday night in time for team photos & planning for the rest of the weekend.

Camp Day 1

Oh my! This was the hardest ride of my life. The morning started pretty chilly (for here) at 34-degrees, so we bundled up with multiple layers. We started out on a flat, warming our legs up, but after about 10 miles, we began to climb, for what seemed like 3 hours. Really, this is not an exaggeration. Despite this, the ride was absolutely beautiful. We made our way north then over to the coast where we followed the stunning coastline and hooked up to Highway 1 for a bit. We added another climb about mid-ride that took us through farmland and country, past the little black lambs chasing their mothers, past horses and cows. A dad of one of the girls rode behind us in his car in case we had flat tires, needed to shed clothing, refill water bottles--it was so nice of him and reassuring to know we had support if we needed it. We stopped in Occidental at an adorable bakery to refuel on smoothies. That evening we hung out, chatted about the season, made dinner, and relaxed.

Camp Day 2
We rode through Sonoma County wine country over the rolling hills, through the vineyards. We simulated a road bike race, so worked on our team strategies, drafting, descending and ascending. This ride we focused on cadence (leg speed) and overall speed. Even though we didn't have the monster climbs of the day before, it was incredibly intense, and we still rode about 55 miles at a fast clip. We had one of our sponsors ride his motorbike with the lead group for support, and a teammate's mom drove her car in the rear.

Korbel Winery

We got our team kits (outfits for cycling) this weekend. We wore them on our training rides, and we looked really sharp. I really felt like I was a part of a team, especially with the "support" cars. As always, I learned a lot--keeping my legs moving, refueling, cornering, catching people on the descents.

On the way home, since we were in wine country, we stopped for a quick "pick up" of sparkling wine at Korbel Winery. The grounds filled with budding and flowering trees and shrubs, shaded a bit overhead by the redwoods--it was beautiful.

Things I love this week...

1. The King's Speech warmed my heart.

2. Peanut Butter Luna Protein bars. 12grams of protein. I have been eating these before my long bikes and runs. Yummy!

3. My flannel sheets.

4. Arm warmers! For biking, cycling. Genius.

5. Exit through the Gift Shop, a documentary about street art, particularly in Los Angeles. Banksy.

Biking, running weekend

Saturday, a few friends & I  rode from SF to Nicasio, a cute little ranch, hippie town in Marin. According to Wikipedia, it is an unincorporated "community" of about 1000 people and it was where Grateful Dead musician,  Jerry Garcia was when he died.

Anyway, round trip from my place, the ride was about 68 miles. The weather has been unseasonably warm and dry, and the day was beautiful. Our turn-around point was Rancho Nicasio, where we were joined by cyclists and motor-bikers stopping to refuel. After drinks & food, a quick stop in the porta-potty, and a pose for the camera, we were on our way again. Only one flat occurred, and our "pit crew" (us) fixed it in record time. We got back to SF in time to enjoy some of the afternoon sunshine.

Sunday, I ran the Kaiser Permanente 1/2 Marathon. The race took place mostly in Golden Gate Park, plus an added loop around the Panhandle and 6 mile jaunt along Ocean Beach. The weather was amazing. We don't get many beautiful days in SF, especially along the water, and especially in February. By the time the race began, the temp was near 70-degrees. Whoa, I am not used to the heat! I ran with a pace-group (a group leader runs a set mile time for the entire race) for a 1:45 finish time. The "pacers" usually hit the mile marks perfectly timed, carry balloons to distinguish the group, and chat the entire race! I asked our pacer to tell us jokes, which weren't "good" by any stretch, but we'd been warned. The jokes did help pass the time! I finished the race a head of the pace group. It was a such a beautiful day that I took my time biking home from the race.

It begins...Week 1

185 days.

I have signed up for an Ironman distance triathlon called Vineman, which will take place on July 30, 2011, in Guerneville, CA. This includes a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, followed by a marathon...I'd always told myself I'd sign up for an Ironman when I turned 30. Well, here I am. Luckily, this triathlon is just outside of Napa, so I can train on the course as it draws closer. Right now, I am terrified at what I have signed myself up to do. So, I will use this blog to record my training, in addition to the happenings of my everyday life. I am sure there will be tears, triumph, frustration, elation, and every emotion in between. It will be a humbling rewarding experince, whatever happens along the way. So it begins...

I think I have seen it all...

Today, on my way to meet RC for a bike ride, I rode up behind a man who sounded like he was talking to himself.  This is not out of the ordinary--I've seen people talking to themselves, singing, or humming while biking.  Then I realized the man was talking to the small green parrot that was sitting on his shoulder! Whoa! My dad says, "it takes all kinds." Yes. It made me wonder if there are "normal" things that I do that make other people shake their heads in amazement or bewilderment....Guess I can only hope!

Winter Wonderland

Happy New Year!!

This afternoon, my parents & I went cross-country skiing near their house. There are miles of trails literally 5 minutes from their house. I had not skied in years, but it felt great to get out of the house and into the fresh air. And it's kind of like riding a bike, you never really forget. Despite the 5-degree temp, we stayed warm due to the numerous layers of clothing, the exercise, and being tucked in the woods & out of the wind. After we made one loop, my friends happened to show up to ski, so I took another lap with them.

Sarah & Andrea

Mom & Dad

Merry Christmas!

This morning, after our coffee, my parents, brother & I took a ride to our cabin. The road is not plowed all of the way, so we parked and walked the rest. Snow was probably at least 2' deep. The trees were frosty & beautiful and it was so serene; it was much so fun to be outside!

Merry Christmas!