Wednesday, February 29, 2012

One third at 80%

On a tempo build run day, I would often see:
60m w/ 1/3 @70%HR, then 1/3 @75%HR, then 1/3 @80%HR

Today, I finished the first third of my training. I think it takes a great lot of effort but you still don't push your body to unknown limits. I'm calling it 80%. Tomorrow, I start the second third of training. I will bring it to 90% to finish the last two months at 100%. Building endurance, just like I build speed during my training runs.

This second month was more challenging than I thought. I was tired. Unfortunately (or fortunately?!?) not because of training but because of other things going on in my life. Regardless, I felt significantly stronger than last month: mentally and physically. All my swims, bike rides and runs were much better than January.

An exciting highlight is that I got to ride my bike outside twice... even though this February was one of the snowiest February EVER in the area.

Here are some stats for this month's training:
Weight: Lost an additional 5lbs. Still working, and while I didn't lose the 7 I lost last month, I was aware my weight loss would slow down and I believe I am doing it in a very healthy way.
Swim: I swam 9.25km (or 5.75 miles). I confess I skipped 2 swim workouts on days that I was exhausted. Staying on top of last year's training.
Bike: I rode 236 miles... and I'm just getting stronger. Took beautiful Bella out for my first two outdoor rides. She's amazing.
Run: I ran 70 miles even though I skipped one long run. It was a "long-recovery" run.

I only skipped 3 workouts during the whole month which I think is not bad at all. While I skipped one run, it was a 6-miler... and I got my longer runs (a few 9-milers) taken care of. I feel happy.

Goals for March:
Weight: Continue a steady weight loss with the balanced meal plan that I followed the last six weeks.
Swim: DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE. Try to not skip any workouts.
Bike: Do two 70 mile rides outside in preparation to Ironman Oceanside 70.3.
Run: Keep up the good work.

Race goals:
Boulder Spring Half: I am not registered for the official race since it's on the same day as Oceanside, but I have it on my schedule to run the course a week before. My goal is to break the 2h 6m 30s that I ran it in last year... even if it is ONE second.
Ironman Oceanside: Swim in less than 46:15, Bike in less than 3:21:32, and Run in less than 3:04:14. That would be mt PR.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Starting over... again and again!

This was a tough week. I haven't slept for 7 nights in a row and I have not felt this tired in ages. Unfortunately, this isn't a matter of training.

The man-friend and I agreed to take care of a sweet little dog who we love. What we didn't know was that she barks at night... many times, at different times. I've woken up AT LEAST 3 times every night for the past 7 nights with my heart racing when this little girl starts barking as if someone was robbing us. Once my heart is racing, it's hard to go back to sleep right away, so every time I wake up, I'm awake for at least 30mins.

I had to skip my swim on Thursday and as I sit here, exhausted... I am about to skip my Sunday run. It's supposed to be a "long" recovery run. Meaning... not too long: 60mins. I'm torn. When my lack of sleep intervenes with my training then we have a problem. But we do care about this little pup and we are actually trying to work with her for her to be more comfortable and be a good lady. We haven't been very successful... and she's had MANY treats. But she seems smart. She does what we ask, she gets a treat and keeps acting as if she didn't learn ANYTHING.

I'm a little bummed since I REALLY wanted to not skip anymore workouts, but what's a girl to do. I HAVE GOT TO REST.

Tomorrow's a new week... and Emma goes back home on Wednesday night. New week resolution: Go to bed early and stick to the plan.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Typical Colorado

Whoever lives in Colorado knows that the weather is bipolar. One day it can snow and we'll have 14" of snow on the ground, the next day it'll be 60 degrees and the snow melts in less than 12 hours. We can have an amazingly sunny and gorgeous day, but the second you step out ready to enjoy it, you realize a 60mph wind is blasting the city.

Many complaints... I know. Truth is, Colorado weather is amazing. Most days are sunny, mild and no wind.

This year though, it's been crazier than other years. and it's been such a challenge to figure out when is a good day to head out for a bike ride. Today, it's a nice 55 degree day but as we get blasted with 87mph winds, I don't even wanna walk outside. Tomorrow, I'll probably skip the ride outside with the snow that's forcasted. But Saturday... seems like the perfect day for a long ride outside. That is, if the wind decides to stay away.

But then again, who knows... it may be a whole different forecast by Friday!


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What is Ironman training?

Just like me, some of my friends train for Ironman races too. They know what Ironman training is. Many other train for marathons. They know part of what Ironman training is. But most my friends just say it's super cool and think of me as awesome for following an intense training schedule.

When I wake up every morning, this is what I see:
Swim: 60m w/ 20m moderate nonstop, then 5-10x 50 sprint w/ 20s recoveries, then any extra time and energy for kicking and other strokes; or
Bike: 1.5 hours outdoors w/ 2-3x 10-minutes quick @70%HR, or 75m indoors; or
Run: 60m w/ 1/3 @70%HR, then 1/3 @75%HR, then 1/3 @80%HR

For me, understanding and doing what I just listed above is the easy part. For some, sticking to a crazy workout schedule is the hard part. But from my experience, following "the plan" is the easy part.

Do you like being alone with you, yourself and your soul? Ironman training makes you feel lonely. Yes, training buddies are great but even when you are with them it's still you, your thoughts, your demons, and the road ahead of you. Just that. You have to be willing to get in your own head, get emotional, allow yourself to cry, bribe yourself, recognize when you're in trouble, talk to yourself, be your own support crew, celebrate big and small victories alike, sing, scream, laugh. You learn to get to know yourself.

Ok. It's clear. I'm on my own. Now, I need to talk myself into getting out of bed every day and cooking, eating healthy, count calories, go to work, deal with stress, run errands. And when you are tired, just like everyone else, after a hard day at work, and all you need is a beer... you gotta talk yourself into "sticking to the plan". Is that it? No...

Ironman training is painful. You get blisters. Lose toenails. Body parts that you previously didn't know existed ache, chafe, swell. It's like being stuck in a cage with a grizzly. It beats you up, and yet you come back the day after and go at it again. It doesn't care how tired and hurting you are, you have to dig deep, find a way to press on, suck it up, get out of that freakin' nightmare in one piece... then line right back up to do it again. It sucks. It's awesome. It hurts.

But obviously, you have to "enjoy" pain to make it through training. Feel the high as your legs are screaming at you during your tempo run, as your lungs fire up after you've completed your 100m sprints (10 times) in a pool. Smile at the incredible pain in your lower back after an 80, 90, 100 or more miles on your bike.. And so on.

If you've read this far, then I'm sure I can read your mind: "This is stupid. I would never do this." Yes. It is stupid. Ironman training is stupid. It's stupid to get up at 4am some days. It's stupid to ride your bike in 35 degree weather, in hail, snow, and wind. It's stupid to run 20 miles when it's 90 degrees out. It's stupid to spend money in "salt pills". It's stupid to sit on your bike, that sits on a trainer, that's set up in front of a tv... for 3+ hours.

So, "why do you do this?" you wonder. For the privilege. For the privilege of being there at the start line. Prepared and confident. For the goosebumps I get when 3500 people line up waiting for a canon to go off. For the adrenaline rush I get when I have to run into the water. For the smiles I give away when I come out of the water. For the amazing scenery I get to enjoy while riding my bike. For the deep breaths I take before starting my run. For the sound that my shoes make when I put a foot in front of the other. For the last mile. For hearing the music and the announcer when you cannot even see them yet. For the last 500 yards... where a whole town gathers and cheers you on. Because you are champion. For crossing that finish line... laughing, crying, and out of breath.

So, if you ever sign up for one of these and think it's as simple as following a plan, you are mistaken. It is much more than that. Much more.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sunny with a high of 37 degrees!

Saturday's forecast called for "plentiful sunshine" and a high of 45 degrees. They were ALMOST right. The high barely reached 37 degrees but it was nice and sunny outside.

Given the forecast, I decided to invite a few friends for a little bike ride. Aiming for a 30-40 mile ride, we decided to go up to Lyons and back to Boulder through Hygiene. Took "Bella" out for the first time... She is THE BEST! I will love her forever.






The guys as usual decided to push it a little at times, but I kept my comfortable pace for most time although it's hard not to go fast when on "aero" with Bella... she just asks for speed. I had some nice stretches. My average speed was 17.0 mph. If I were able to maintain that for longer distances I could potentially finish my Ironman ride in a little over 6.5hrs. That would be one hour faster than last year... Today, I can only dream, but I still have 4.5 months of training so maybe. I'll do my best. :)

Today, I ran a little over 9 miles. My legs felt a little tired at first but it was just a matter of warming up for them to respond and go all the way. I felt great (but trashed... if you know what I mean) after the run and now, I'm ready for bed! A new and busy week awaits.


Friday, February 17, 2012

The Wall

It's well known among runners that when you run long you may come across "the wall".

A few see it 1 or 2 miles before the finish line and some others earlier. It depends on training, nutrition or simply mental preparation. Some others just don't see it.

I've seen the wall several times in past races, but sometimes you hit a different type of wall... Although that doesn't mean you can't keep going. You just have to find a way around it.

Last year, during my first Ironman training experience I hit the wall early on (3 weeks in) when I couldn't really figure out if I was coming or going... The early wake up times were killing me, I was starving all the time and couldn't figure out what my body wanted. I was also tired... very... all the time. I called Coach. Asked for help... Figured out a way to go around the wall. Kept going.

This time around I doubled the time... 6 weeks. That was yesterday. My training isn't frustrating, my body isn't tired, my nutrition has been great. I do believe I hit an emotional wall. I found myself frustrated at my living situation, not having all my stuff with me, not finding my things... It all started when I couldn't find my watch to go swim. Then realized my Garmin was not there either. Got all my stuff that was scattered all over the man-friend's place and left. Went home (after swimming of course!).

I missed my home, my space, my stuff. While being in Boulder is a commodity, I love my home. I don't mind the commute to work (as I write this while on the bus). I lived out of a suitcase for almost 3 weeks and I hate that.

Anyways... Maybe not a big deal for some, but believe me, when you put your body through intense training, little things can mean the world. All I can say is: It's good to be home!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Cravings

I should blame Valentine's Day... But I was not going to be dieting during my dinner date with the man-friend. I ate bigger portions than I have been doing in the past few weeks. I went "all out" with the dairy and in my head, I was the luckiest girl in the world so I should be allowed to eat whatever I want.

This morning I went back to sticking to my meal plan. Well... almost. Until my amazing co-workers (no sarcasm here) brought some V-day candy into the office. Yuu-mmmyy!

Milk chocolate. The simplest thing but OH GOD! The most delicious and vicious drug out there! I'm seriously fighting my brain right now. "No, you don't need the chocolate... you are NOT hungry!"

I wonder at times why my body demands random stuff while I train for Ironman. I truly believe it's the cycling part of it that makes me SO HUNGRY. Last year my cravings were out of control. This year it's been mostly just coke... I ALWAYS want to drink a big coke with lots of ice. Until today. I am adding milk chocolate to the list. And it's only February!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

First day... Again!

My goal of working out 40 days in a row has not been accomplished.  After a 17 day streak, including a double workout on the 17th day, I had to take a rest day.  I actually had to convince myself that it was the right thing to do.  I was exhausted from a fun weekend. 

After my rest day yesterday and a 9hr overnight sleep, I felt like myself again.  Today I got back to training and while my legs were feeling tired the first 20mins, I felt as if I warmed up after that...

Maybe I should aim for 18 days this time... 40 sounds pretty ambitious. 

Monday, February 13, 2012

Getting high in Vail - Training day 17

We woke up at 5:40am on Sunday morning after a few beers the previous night. We didn't sleep so good... I was nervous, the neighbors were loud. The man-friend had some coffee and I had some water, and with an empty stomach we were on our way to Vail at 6:10am.

We arrived at the Lionshead parking lot at 6:40am, rushing to pick up our race packets and get ready to go. While I always try to get my ski gear ready fairly fast, 10 minutes does not seem enough to put ski boots on, put skins on skis, pack my pack, get layers on, find goggles, hat, gloves, etc. Too many things...

We walked fast (in ski boots) towards the base of the Gondola and got there 3mins before start time. I was already panting. Picked up race chip, got my skis on the ground, clipped in, looked for my garmin, couldn't start it, 1 minute to go (they announced), found my camera, put it in my pocket, dropped a glove, 45 seconds, took my pack off, looked for my shell, it's not there, left it in the car... oh crap! 30 seconds, took my puffy off, put it in pack, 15 seconds, put my pack on, walk towards start line, 10 seconds, kiss from man-friend, good luck! 5 seconds... 4, 3, 2, 1... OFF WE GO!

I started in the back of the pack... still trying to make my Garmin work "Oh, screw it!" kept walking. The pack was slowly pulling away and I looked up to see if I could figure out where the man-friend was, couldn't see him. The first part straight from the start line had a mild angle, so it didn't seem too bad, but as soon as we turned right, it got steeper. "Great, what the heck did I get myself into?!!?!?!" I kept going... people kept getting farther and farther away from me and some others that started late were catching up to me. My brain started speaking to me: "Ok, skinning is not your thing... all you gotta do is keep going. Slow and steady, just keep going".

In my head, I didn't care if I was first or last, I knew it was hard and I'm not experienced. Yep, I was a rookie. The person "sweeping" the course caught up to me, she was super nice, kept me company and gave me a heads up of what was coming up. She even took a couple of pictures of me along the way. At the halfway point, I knew for sure I was the last one but I was still smiling. And I could still see the people in front of me. Never lost sight of them.


The last hill was the worst. Seemed long and steep... Actually, it was steeper than it was long. Pretty painful but I pushed through. Once at the top, there was a nice flat section along the ridge and on to the finish line, where apart from the 2 race staff members there was one more person. My man. He made me smile, as he always does.

We then headed to the lodge at Eagle's Nest where they gave us hot cocoa and some food and we stayed for the awards ceremony. To our surprise, the "Heavy Metal 20-29 Female Category" only had 2 contestants. So I got second. Yep, I got my silver medal. Ok, I wasn't the fastest, but apparently, only 2 girls in my age group are brave (and awesome) enough to put on a pair of skis and walk up a mountain for a total of 2 miles and 2500 ft of elevation gain.

To those who read on Friday about our goal times, here's the veredict: No, neither one of us hit our goal time. It was harder than we thought. He finished in 1hr8mins as opposed to the 46mins he estimated. As for me, I finished in 1hr44min instead of the 1hr15mins I said I thought I could finish it in. Lesson learned: NEVER underestimate an uphill race.

Truth is, we earned our turns so we ended our morning by skiing a few runs, 3 or 4. When we decided to come down to town, we skied down a nice blue run: Simba, the run we skinned up. I've skied this run countless times throughout my life but I will never EVER see it the same way. It will always be the run I "skied up".

Came back home with a silver medal that made me feel like a rockstar... especially after still completing my 9mile training run later at night. Who said Ironman training was boring??

Friday, February 10, 2012

46:28 he says...

On Saturday, the man-friend and I will have our official debut in winter sport races. We are signed up to race the "Vail Uphill" at the Teva Mountain Games.

This "little-fun" race consists of a 2.06 mile trek up Vail mountain for a total elevation gain of 2,475. The man-friend and I have decided to go after this monster on our AT setup and skin up the mountain to be able to ski down afterwards. There's the option of snowshoeing up, skinning up with AT setup or splitboards or just go up with whatever traction device you can put on your feet...

The man-friend emailed me with his goal time. He says it'll take him 46m28s even though he mentions his average "hiking" (yeah, he put hiking with quotes) speed is 1hr per 1,000ft. Doing this at an average (for him) speed would take him roughly 1h15m but he's thinking he can do it in pretty much 2/3's of the time.

Me, on the other hand, wanting to be consistent and steady, am aiming for his average speed of 1h15m. Considering I'm sort of new to the AT world, this seems pretty ambitious but in the end... aren't we RACING??

Full report on Monday- Will we meet our goals??

Welcome to the 2012 Ironman Coeur d'Alene!

Got an email this morning with this subject line: Welcome to the 2012 Ironman Coeur D'Alene. Ahh... Scray! It definitely triggered a nervous feeling. My heart rate went up.

It was a nice letter from the race director in which he mentions that this year is the 10th edition of this amazing race. He mentions volunteers and support crews that will be there to support us along the way. From the beginning and until we hear those coveted words: "Gaby, you are an Ironman" (yes, they say your name... It's AWESOME!).

The most important part of this message is highlighted in my brain as if it were written in BIG BOLD RED CAPITAL letters. There will be changes to the course and Ironman Village. Ironman Village changes, are not a big deal to me. I guess I'll find it anyway. Just follow all the skinny people, the men with shaved legs, the ladies with compression socks, the ones wearing Ironman branded clothes, the ones with the "M-Dot" tattoo on their ankle... Yep, I will find where to pick up my race packet and where to drop off my bike.

It's the bike course change that matters the most to me. Last year, after a small out and back (and fast) section along Coeur D'Alene lake, we headed up north towards the town of Hayden for some amazing views of Hayden Lake. While it was a gorgeous course, it did have lots of turns. I'm a little scared that it will change but according to race director: "... all of those sharp turns will be replaced by a smooth, fast ride heading south on highway 95." Does this mean I'll be faster? Well, who knows, but maybe training in Boulder has its benefits.

The following image shows the elevation profile... Maybe a couple rides up to Ward and Jamestown will get me ready for those big climbs.


Thursday, February 9, 2012

Running on empty

Don't we all feel like we are running on empty at times?  Don't we all feel like there's nothing in the world that will motivate us to even get out of bed some days?

We've all dealt with ups and downs in life... Some more than others.  My "downs" come and go... But all in all I am a lucky girl.  I'm sure my bad days would be someone else's luckiest day ever.   Still, these are the days when I feel I'm running on empty. 

During the fall last year I felt like I hit rock bottom.  I was feeling sad and tired all the time.  I started to gain weight and was not feeling motivated to do much.  One day I decided to stop by the bookstore.  Walked around and ended up finding myself wondering way too close to the self-help books.  While I wanted to cheer myself up, nothing looked appealing enough.  I kept walking.

Later on, as always, I found myself in the sports section. "Ah, this feels more like me"  I found a book called "Running on Empty".  An ultramarathoner's story about love, loss and a record-setting run across America.  This sounds right.  I need to read this. 

Due to my lack of motivation, I never really got to it.  It sat on my bookshelf for a few months.  I picked up a few other books which also sat there unread.

Today, as I lay in bed getting ready to sleep, I decided to pick it up.  I do not have the feeling of running on empty, but still looks like a great book with great reviews from well-known people: Aron Ralston, Dean Karnazes, Christopher McDougall, Kara Groucher, Ryan Hall, and others. 

Will post my own review in a few days.  Maybe it'll help keep my momentum going.  Yes... 14 days of working out and counting!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

How to train a dog

Some say it takes 40 days for some simple instructions to become a habit to a dog.  All it takes is consistency and the pup will learn whatever you want them to. 

How about humans?  Is our brain trained to make a habit out of something we do 40 days in a row? 

As far as I'm concerned, getting back in shape after a 2 month "I'm-not-gonna-do-anything-post-marathon-recovery" is hard.  The first few days of Ironman training this year were hard and yes, I skipped a run the first week and skipped two swims 2 weeks ago.  After that second skipped swim I've worked out 13 days in a row.  So, in theory, I'm only 27 days away from making swimming, biking and running a habit. 

I grew up an athlete.  I did track a few years in elementary, middle and high school, swam when young, was always a runner and played tennis a few years.  That's apart from basketball and soccer that I played in school too.  But, was this a lifestyle?  I was never really on a schedule... I just did it for fun. 

Today, I find myself training for an Ironman.  Where skipping a workout means a lot.  Running, swimming and biking has become part of my daily routine... And I like it, but I still struggle to get myself to the gym or just simply out the door after work.  Maybe in 27 days it will be less of a hassle and it will just be like having breakfast, like brushing my teeth... A habit.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Injury-free

It's been a long time since I've had a training related injury.  Maybe I shouldn't be talking about it but just thinking about it makes me smile. 

When I started training for Ironman last year I got to a point where I was stiff and sore on a regular basis and my body felt... well... tired.  For the first time in my life I started getting a massage on a regular basis.  Three words: A-MA-ZING.  Well, maybe I was able to describe that in one single word, ha. 

My massage therapist, let's call him A, is amazing.  He is a great listener and will really focus on addressing all my concerns.  Last night was the first time this season that I went back to him.  My thought: "Why did I wait so long to come back?"  I had put it off due to work and other little things happening but I'm glad I finally came back. 

I scheduled three other sessions for the following few weeks and can't wait to go back.  It's an hour of my week that I get to close my eyes, relax and feel all that my muscles do for me.  Not that I think the reason why I have been injury is 100% because of the massaged but I definitely think it plays an important role during hard weeks of training. 

Here's to another year of injury-free training!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Reality Check

Ironman is a strong word. I remember a few years back, when I was still living in Mexico, I googled Ironman. What EXACTLY is Ironman? For some reason, swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112, and running 26.2 didn't seem that hard to me. "I can TOTALLY do it if I train a little." Yeah, right...

For starters I had never run a mile. I'd ran MANY kilometers, but running in miles is different. Kilometers go by super fast (even if it's more of them, it's easier for my brain to process). I had never been on a road bike... so, hmm. And ok, I was a swimmer, so that was not intimidating at all. At the time, I was runnning, swimming or spinning every day of the week. So, yep, I can totally do this.

When I moved to Boulder, I became more of a runner. I was in great shape and running every day. I signed up for my first full marathon. Finished. But it was a death march after mile 17. Reality Check #1: Ok, maybe running 26 miles isn't so easy. The Ironman idea seemed to fade... so I stuck to marathon running. But one day, I can't even remember how, I decided to give triathlons a shot.

I signed up for my first triathlon, a half Ironman distance... but as a relay. Of course, I was the runner. Reality Check #2: Starting to run a half marathon at noon is PAINFUL. Not proud of that run. That had been my slowest half marathon of all times. "Well, maybe I need to train harder". When you do a triathlon, especially the long ones, your run will most likely be during the hottest part of the day. I apparently don't do so well in the heat.

The following spring, I signed up for my second triathlon. One that I'd do all by myself. An olympic distance. It was a hard course out in California, but to be honest, it was not the course that seemed challenging to me. It was again, a lack of training. Reality Check #3: Swimming in open water is painful. Maybe underestimating the swim isn't such a good idea either. So I started training in open water.

After a few other triathlons, I had my half Ironman debut in my own backyard. Ironman Boulder 70.3. The same race I did a year prior as a relay before it officially became an Ironman-branded event. And again, painful. Reality Check #4: I have to eat some more food and fuel my body DURING my race. That was the most painful run of my life. And yet again, this was the setting of my slowest half marathon distance run.

After the Boulder race in 2010, I did many other races and triathlons and I'm slowly getting better. I could ramble on about many other reality checks over the years and races, but it's an endless list. I truly believe, I'm still not done learning. But while I skipped this amazing half Ironman in 2011, I'm back to racing it in 2012. I registered last night and while I don't expect to win it, I expect a big improvement. After all, I am now an Ironman.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

A night class...

AMS - Acute Mountain Sickness... scary stuff, I tell ya!

Last night, the CMC (Colorado Mountain Club) was offering a free class about AMS. Some probably know that I had quite the scare mid-december when climbing Mt. Sherman. We left the house EARLY on a Sunday to go climb, I was exhausted... VERY tired. I had even thought of bailing and just staying in bed.

Once at the trailhead, I gave it yet another thought: "Maybe you guys go... I'll curl up in the sleeping bag and wait for y'all here". But 5 minutes later I managed to get out of the car, into my skis and start skinning up the road.

I was tired. I wish I remembered how many times I suggested I go back but with not too much effort I kept getting talked into going a lil higher up. So I kept putting a foot in front of the other. I remember taking a break at the hut slightly below 13,000' and then pushing for the ridge... after that, it's like I fell asleep and woke up in the car back down in Golden... at approx 5,500'.

What happened between 11:00am and 6:00pm? How did I get down from 13k to 5k? Well, all I know is based on what the man-friend and Josh have shared with me: "you were confused, you didn't know where your house was, you didn't know what year it was..." Painful to hear if you ask me. It's a few hours of my life, that up until now, I still do not remember.

The class? Well, the guy spoke a bit about WHAT IS AMS? Symptoms? How to treat it? At times, I was holding tears back. Truth is, it's scary. People die of this. And I honestly have not dealt with it. I have not been back on a mountain since then, I have avoided alcoholic beverages as much as I can since then, I've been focused on sleeping more and have it in the back of my head most of the time. Maybe writing about it is dealing with it? I'm not sure, but truth is, it was hard to hear what could have happened to me if the man-friend had not acted the way he did and reassured that taking these classes are good to be reminded that yes, the mountains are indeed bigger than us and we do need to be careful.

While I don't remember what happened that day, I have the stories that I've heard about it and of course, what is left is to learn from this scary experience. This being my 3rd failed attempt on Sherman I can only think that this mountain is there to teach me a couple lessons. Maybe I'll be back in the summer... "You can never conquer the mountain. You can only conquer yourself." -James Whittaker

PS- The picture on my blog (the one with the title on) is taken from Mt. Sherman. From the hut. You can see the hut on the left with the views to the north and east.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The calm before the storm

It is a gorgeous day today... as it always is the day before a storm out here in good ol' Boulder, CO. We are expecting a snow storm to come in tomorrow afternoon that will last all day Friday and into Saturday morning.

While I understand it is winter, I don't understand why these storms happen on a weekend. I was looking forward to a nice 40ish mile ride on Saturday which will now be sabotaged by weather.

Oh well, I guess my trainer and I will become really good friends on Saturday! Any good movies I should be watching while pedaling? I'm open to suggestions!