FLASH-POINT BLOG ARCHIVE: Jan 2008

One of the nice things about living in Los Angeles is that it's pretty easy to ride year round. You might have to throw on some extra layers for warmth, but you don't have to worry about following a snow plow to get your ride in. And if there is a rare rainy Saturday, you can usually wait 24 hours and go out on a sunny Sunday.

Unfortunately I'm training for an Ironman triathlon this year, and am on a pretty strict schedule. I can't simply push a ride back a day, because I may already have a long run scheduled. And we've been having some bad weather lately. I've tried to make up some workouts by using the stationery bike in my condo workout room, but it literally faces a blank wall and my iPod can only keep my mind occupied for so long. I can only go about 30 minuted before I start going crazy. And let's face it: a stationery bike is no substitute for your real ride.

A friend of mine let me borrow her Bike Trainer so I could put in some extra indoor miles. I was skeptical, but I gave it a try. I set it up in living room, turned on the TV and started pedaling. I was surprised how quickly I worked up a pretty good sweat. Originally I planned on doing 30 minutes just to see what it was like, but I extended it to the full hour. I'm hooked. I'd still much rather be outside on the road, but until we start getting more daylight hours I'll be doing regular workouts on the trainer.

(One odd thing I miss though: since I never stop pedaling, I don't get to hear that unique clicking sound of the Flash-Point wheels. I'll be back on the road soon enough.)

It's that time of year when the weather isn't conducive for anything outdoors. So while I'm spinning on rollers going nowhere, with headphones blaring in my ears to disrupt the boredom, I share with you random thoughts on this mindless journey.

I did reach my goal of 5,000 miles for 2007. Actually, I rode 5,035 miles. It was nice to get one more ride in before the year ended. When I finished the 27 mile ride, it rained.

It's time to get motivated to lose some weight. Yah, I know. Typical New Year's Eve resolution, but this time I'm sticking to it. The family and I have planned a Disney World vacation at the end of February. I want to lose enough weight to fit back into my shorts for the trip. So far, it's paying off. I've lost over 16 lbs. the last three weeks by cutting out processed sugar and reducing portion sizes. 20 more lbs. to go....

For 2008, I'm off to a great start. I have almost 100 miles in until the artic freeze hit. Usually, I don't get out and start riding until late February. After being subjected to 0 degree temperatures with negative wind chills, 40 degrees doesn't seem so bad.

The FP60s are still rolling great. I've had no problems, since putting them on last July. I'm looking forward to putting more miles on them this year. Stay tuned.

Well it's been just a half hour on the rollers and that's all I can stand. Now that my blood flow is up, I won't be freezing when I go to bed. Stay warm!

This has been a frustrating weekend.

After noticing a few "quirks" with my bike on last weekend's ride, I dropped it off at the shop on Monday for a general tune-up, cleaning, etc. (I live in a highrise condo and it's difficult for me to do a lot of my own work.) I was told the bike would be ready on Friday, in time for the 3-day weekend.

The shop is less than a mile from my job which is normally pretty convenient. We were sent home a little early on Friday because of the holiday so I called the shop around 3:30. They said the bike wasn't ready but it should be "in a few hours". I didn't want to hang around work waiting for my bike, so I just went home.

i had an "all-day" appointment for my cable guy on Saturday. He showed up at 5:30 pm. I sat at home the entire day. The bike shop closed at 5:00; I couldn't get my bike.

The shop is closed Sundays.

I drove out to the shop today (Monday) to pick up my bike. It's not ready. They asked if they could give me "a few hours". I don't want to start a long bike ride at 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

So I had a 3-day weekend with no bicycle. The one thing I'm looking for is that they are going to give me a DOOZY of a discount when I go to pick up bike tomorrow and start ranting about all the riding i couldn't do this weekend.

I've been sick this week and debated whether or not I should go on our weekend ride. I figured the fresh air would do me good, so I headed out Saturday morning. It was a brisk start, 54 degrees, but I was dressed warmly enough.

It was a 40-mile ride and we were going at a pretty slow pace. Yet for some reason I kept on lagging behind. I just assumed my body wasn't recovered enough from being sick. We had to stop for a flat after 15 miles, and as I was taking a break and walking around, someone asked me "what's that squeaking noise?" Turns out my rear brakes were rubbing slightly against my wheel, which explained why I was struggling during the ride. It was a dumb oversight on my part, but the ride was obviously much easier after I fixed my brakes.

Since this is southern California in January, things warmed up a bit. It was 78 degrees when we finished. The warm weather brought an unexpected problem for us: bees.They were all along the river trail. One of our riders got stung in the back of the neck: not too serious, but it left quite a welt. As for me, I had a bizarre bee encounter: I was riding along and a bee flew into one of the vent in my helmet and smacked me in the head. Then somehow he got tangled up in my hair or got stuck under my helmet and couldn't get out. I'm not sure what it would feel like to get stung on the scalp, but I didn't want to agitate the bee and find out. I very quickly (and as calmly as possible) stopped my bike, took the hemet off and freed the bee. One of our riders is allergic to bee stings; we'll be making sure he carries his bee sting EpiPen from now on.

So today on my tempo run (which was fabulous, by the way), I got to thinking. I've been wanting a new, hawt, sexy tri bike for a while now.

But why? I dunno. I guess because it just seems like a natural progression or something. You know...start running, do a few sprint tris on mountain bikes, get an entry-level road bike, run a marathon, do an MS 150, think maybe an Ironman's not so crazy after all, spend a few seasons getting ready for it, finish Ironman. Want a new sexy hawt tri bike.

Now that I'm realizing how much child care costs (seriously...second mortgage, anyone?) and just signing up for races in general (for real, dawgs...does Steelhead REALLY need all $200? Would they also like my soul?), I'm thinking it's just not going to happen.

But I think that is OK.

See, I really have no business going out and getting a hawt sexy tri bike. Not just because I can't afford it. Because I'm not really even cool enough to ride it.

Seriously. I have no business on one of those things. Who am I kidding?

Growing up, my parents THANKFULLY did not allow me to succumb too much to the ridonkuluss-ness of the dreaded Middle School Years. Where most girls are mean girls, and where you tried your hardest to look like everyone else. Where you buy that purple ESPRIT sweatshirt...marked up $50 because it has the word "ESPRIT" on it and at age 11 you're not even really sure what that means but you MUST. HAVE. IT. because so-and-so has it and made fun of your outfit from Sears.

I really didn't have much ESPRIT stuff. Except for one purple sweatshirt.

But one thing I did have was a Coca Cola shirt.

It was red, because it had to be. And I wore it on the first day of 6th grade with my denim skirt and loafers with the laces tied in some ornate knot that I had to do because everyone else was doing it.

I loved that Coca Cola shirt. It was the one piece of clothing I had that I really allowed myself to "buy into the hype" and feel all cool and stuff and do what everyone else was doing.

And then a few years later...and even now...I look at this thing and go, HUH?

THAT'S the fugly thing that I wanted to wear? Because everyone else said so?

Hmmm.

Since when have I cared what I'm riding? Honestly. Sheesh. I am currently driving the only car I've ever owned... a '99 Chevy Cavalier (total base model--no power locks or windows) with 92,000 miles on it. The heater and AC has two levels: high and off. The cupholder blows. There's some weird stains on the seats. It came with just a RADIO. Not even a tape deck. I splurged and spent $125 on a CD player, lest I succumb to the idiocy of Cleveland radio stations. The rust spot on my trunk is covered up with an Ironman Wisconsin magnet.

It is NOT a HAWT SEXY CAR at all.

I drive it to school and sometimes my students make fun of my car. SERIOUSLY. My students, many of whom have brand new or leased cars that are wayyyyyyyyyyy cooler than mine.

THEY'RE SIXTEEN.

Last year there was an H3 in the student parking lot.

I wish I was kidding.

I am always quick to defend my car. It's been hella more reliable than many of my friends cars. I gotta give Chewy some love. (that's her name) In fact, I sort of pride myself a bit on having a car that I paid off in 2002 still, that doesn't have any bells or whistles, and that I have money to spend on other things. Like a backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon, or whitewater rafting in the New River with friends.

(Or, lately, diapers and wipes.)

So I think I'm going to embrace my bike. Love the bike. It's a 2002 Trek 1200. I bought it with no experience whatsoever, and it took me on my first MS 150 that August. It allowed me to think, "Hey...maybe that Ironman thing...maybe it's not too crazy, since I just rode 150 miles...?" And it took me to Ironman Wisconsin. And it got me to the finish line.

She's not very sexy. But she's a workhorse.

This year, I'm going to put my FP60s on this very ordinary, very entry-level, very non-hawt bike. These FP60s, which are WAYYYYYYYY cooler and hawter than my bike, or really me for that matter. And I'm going to see how far they take me. And how far my bike takes me. But really, I'm going to see how far ME takes me.

Maybe the transition area at Steelhead will remind me of my high school's parking lot. I'm used to driving the oldest car there and it doesn't affect my work performance at all.

Perhaps ol' Chewy is trying to tell me something.