The beginning and the end, sort of.

My first official sports jersey and rider number ever!

Whoop, there it is! This was the view at the starting line at 7 a.m. this morning. The throng was ready to ride! This was actually the view of the third of three waves of riders that were heading out...the coolest people were in the back. My dear friend Ann and her b'friend Peter were there to help with the send off and volunteer their time to help handing out snacks.

The temps started out in the mid-60s, which are perfect riding temps in my humble opinion, but the sky was pregnant with rain that didn't wait too long to start falling. The joy of riding in the rain is that you can only get so wet and then you can't get any wetter. Once my socks and shoes were thoroughly saturated I was at maximum water retention. I was wishing for a pair of those Elton John glasses from the 70s that had windshield wipers on them however. I now truly understand why riders wear man-made fibers and what that wicking thing is all about. We got a good dose of rain before it finally stopped.

 

Here is the elevation profile for the La Crosse ride. I didn't make it to that mountainous looking region in the middle, which is okay as it probably would have been my demise. The rest stops were about 14 miles apart and were staffed by enthusiastic volunteers who were leading you to food and drink at every opportunity. This is also where the porta-potties could be found. I was making sure to follow the three 'P's and was drinking enough liquid to warrant stopping. The chunk of the ride between rest stop one and two was hillier than the first section. The second rest stop was in Iowa.

(Hard to see in the small version, but that sign is the "Welcome to Iowa" sign) I wanted to film a lot more of the ride but it became too challenging to ride and film and not get hit by a car all at the same time. My original plan this morning was to ride a "metric century" which equates to about 62 miles, which means I would have had to ride about three miles past the second rest stop and then turn around and head back. But after all of the hills that I had just conquered, I wasn't sure that I could make it that far. I overheard a young women saying that she was going to head back and one of the coaches said he'd ride back with her so she wasn't alone. I recognized this woman as I had spent some time riding behind her earlier and knew that we went about the same pace. At that point I trashed the idea of riding out three miles more and pretended to be an extrovert, went over and introduced myself and said I'd ride back with her. This turned out to be a good thing for both of us as it was much better to ride with someone than alone. Katelin was riding for her 19 year old brother and hadn't trained, other than riding eight miles yesterday. Gulp! We battled our way back over the hills which seemed to be only upwards on the way back and made it back to the finish line together.

Hooray! I'm happy to be done with the ride for this year. It is still the most uncharacteristic thing I've ever done, but I have a personal investment in doing what I can to help raise funds so type one diabetes can be cured. All the MN riders had motivational bike-ware to keep them going and remind them what all this pedaling was about.

These are the reasons we ride...there is Annika on the bottom row, third one over from the left. There is my medal that I just might have to wear around the rest of the day. Now it is time for a celebratory margarita with friends!

Countdown...

Eek! Where has the time gone? The ride is tomorrow morning at 7a.m. Looks like there is a good chance that there will be rain to go along with the start. There are almost 400 riders in tomorrow's ride and together we raised just over one million dollars!!!! One dude raised over $100,000 himself! Guess the bar has been raised. There is still plenty of opportunity for people to donate and help me beat out that guy...how about $150,000?  Go to http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?px=1210912&fr_id=1472&pg=personal and throw some money in the kitty and help get me there. Eighty percent of the funds raised go directly to research to find a cure for type one diabetes.

Many people here have said this ride is a life-changing event and there will be many "goose bump moments." I have been teary-eyed more than once since arriving so tomorrow I may be a blithering mess. It is amazing and inspiring to see all of the people that dedicate so much of their time, effort and money to help JDRF find a cure. My friend Ann from Madison is here with her friend Peter and they decided to volunteer to hand out drinks and snacks at the start/finish line...and to yell really loudly for me when I start and finish.

I am fully carb-loaded and sloshy with hydration and now must get some sleep so I can function at 5a.m. To my family...this one's for you.

16 Days to Go!

It's been a long time since I last posted and here is the reason why: After the long ride with my brother on that evil-hot day (see previous post) I vowed not to ride in conditions like that again, and since that whole week turned out to be brutal weather-wise, that was the only ride of the week. Call me a wuss but I know my limits. In some ways it was a blessing as it was the last week of summer session and I was able to focus on my students and get done what needed to be done instead.

During the second half of that hot week Hubby and the kids were at my in-laws in Albert Lea while I stayed in Mankato. Somewhere on the journey to Albert Lea Hubby realized that there was not any insulin in the "pink bag" (which is our constant companion whenever we go out as it holds all of Annika's on-the-go supplies). The insulin was needed as it was the day to change Annika's infusion site and reload her insulin pump (which we do every three days). Hubby called me in Mankato just after 9pm to let me know there was no insulin for reloading...eek! The short version of the story is that my dad, who lives across the street from us, went digging in our fridge to get the perscription refill number, I called it in to Walgreen's in Albert Lea, which was closing in 45 minutes and whose automated refill system said it wouldn't be ready until the next day, I cursed, Hubby arrived at Walgreen's with 15 minutes to spare and had no problem getting the necessary insulin. Whew! Situations like that bring thoughts to my head about all sorts of bad "what if" scenarios...but thankfully, oh so thankfully, it was easily remedied this time.

This past Sunday, my brother Mark, his friend Shaun and I rode on the Dakota Rails Trail from trailhead to trailhead. We racked up 44 miles on smooth asphalt. Aaah. The only little snafu was when Shaun, who has a fancy bike with super skinny, low-profile tires, drove off the trail while observing the lovely corn fields and rolled his tire. Thankfully he was prepared with a new inner tube and Mark had a pump, albeit a non-functioning pump. The day was saved by another biker, who was the long-lost twin of my cousin Doug, as he had a pump that worked and a tool that helps get your tire on and off. It was educational to watch as I don't know how to change a bike tire, which is probably something I should know. (Side note: I learned how to change a car tire at 3:00 a.m. with my friend Chris when we were about 18 years old. We were determined not to call our fathers in to save us. You're welcome, Dad!) The early start we got on the trail that day was a blessing. By the time we were headed back to our point of origin there was quite a bit of traffic headed out on the trail. Shaun and Mark were able to travel at a faster rate than I towards the end of the ride (even though I had a high protein breakfast this time before riding...makes a BIG difference), so I rode at my own pace for the last couple miles and met up with them back in the trail parking lot.

This morning I put in 24 miles and zipped around a couple of the lakes before heading home. I would have liked to go farther but the dewpoint in the early a.m. was tropical and, much like the icky ride with my brother, I had a hard time cooling down. Tonight my cousin Jenny and I are heading north to Alexandria for the weekend. Our bikes are coming with us and we'll be trying out the Lake Wobegon Trail that runs through central Minnesota. More on that in the next episode!

The Ride in La Crosse is a little more than two weeks away. There is plenty of room for more donations to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which is the reason for all of this pedaling and sweating. Go to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl to make your donation!

What is the Sound of One Brain Frying?

It is truly summer in Minnesota and like all good Minnesotans I like to talk about the weather. My brother Mark and I talked about the brutal weather conditions for this morning's ride and still we hopped on our bikes. Trust me, I checked the local and regional radar, twice, hoping that there were some incoming storms that would prevent us from pedaling. No such luck. When we hit the trail at 6:30 a.m. it was already 78ºF, the dew point a sticky 75, and the humidity was 93%. The air was thick with moisture and all was hazy. In that kind of heat it is easy to break out in a sweat with no effort.

We rode on the crushed gravel L.R.T. trail which had many wet areas due to last week's generous rains. Riding on wet gravel is like riding through melted butter, a bit slippery and sluggish. Whose idea was it to ride on that trail today? Besides the damp trail our biggest battle was the overbearing heat and humidity. It felt like we were riding in New Orleans not Minnetonka. It was tough going. We made it out to Victoria before turning around and had to stop for more liquids in Excelsior. The poor woman that was working in the little gas station there looked worse off than we did. The air conditioner wasn't working and she was miserable. She suggested that we not touch any of the candy bars as they were no longer solid. Mark kept pouring water through our helmets to try to cool us down. I was pretty sure my brain was frying. We had to walk our bikes a couple of times on the return trip as it was just too hard to pedal any longer, but we made it 31.25 miles.

At the end of the ride, Mark made it up the last two hills and flopped to the ground in the front yard. By the time I rounded the bend and was heading up the final hill the neighbor across the street was asking Mark if he was okay or needed help. It must have been a dramatic flop to cause the neighbor to be concerned. I told him we were just going to turn the hose on and everything would be okay. Hose water never felt so good!

It's a good thing that misery loves company and that Mark will do just about anything to get out of studying for his biochemistry exam. Dear God, please don't let it be nearly this hot on August 13th in La Crosse. How about 60º instead and tailwinds both ways?

If you would like to donate to the cause, please go to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl to make a donation in any amount.

Overcoming the Obstacles...or just Complaining?

I have much guilt about only getting one ride in last week so decided to go for a long one today. Today's trek took me down the Sakatah Trail from Madison Lake to Morristown. I wasn't sure if the trail was going to be open through the Sakatah Lake State Park, due to the state government shutdown, but it was. There were barricades up however on the roads that went through the park. And if I was a mischievous teenager I'd probably find a reason to go hang out in the park with no one around.

My friend Ann (member of the Lactic Acid Gang) sent some official padded biking shorts to me and they took their maiden voyage today. I must say that they really are not meant as "walking around" wear as the pad feels like the world's largest maxi-pad with butt wings. However, when you ride your bike with them on they are squeezing and wicking and padding one's parts, so that is all good.

Today's ride was more like an obstacle course as there was need to dodge and swerve around miles and miles of downed tree branches. Not big tree branches but smaller ones that are still capable of getting jammed in your spokes. I'm sure this detritus is also thanks to the state gov't shutdown as there are no state employees receiving paychecks to come and clean them up. (Do not the rest of us have to make compromises every day?)

On the return trip I ran out of water and stopped at the Alley Scoops Ice Cream and Other Treats shop in Elysian. The kind lady filled my empty water bottle and sold me the world's biggest popsicle. It was about ten inches long (hugely phallic in construction) and Jolly Rancher flavored. It was not as good as a root beer or banana popsicle but it was tasty enough at the time.

The last eight miles of the 44.5 were tough as I had entered the discomfort zone. Pretty much everything hurt by that point and I questioned why people do this to themselves. Is there joy in the pain? Is it just seeing if you can survive and reach your goal? It reminds me of childbirth where there is a lot of pain and discomfort involved (and some really good drugs), but you get a baby (or two, or three) at the end of it all. I didn't get a baby at the end of this ride (thankfully!) so I'll have to settle for just feeling good about reaching my goal...surviving a long ride. I look forward to being able to walk up and down steps without saying "ouch" on each one and having the full feeling restored to my pinkie by tomorrow, hopefully.

Still working on reaching my fund raising goal. Check out my progress at: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Ups and Downs

Dawn cracks early and I was up to see it. Hubby was almost up to see it too as he was up checking Annika's blood glucose during the night. She had had a day of super high glucose readings (which is bad) and didn't start leveling out until I got her infusion site changed before bedtime.
(The infusion site is the location where her insulin pump connects to her body. The picture to the left is not her, as she chooses to use her butt as the infusion site location, but you get the general idea.)  This connection site has to be changed every three days and is about an hour long process as Annika prefers to have numbing cream on the new site area first. She doesn't like to feel the poke of the needle that goes into her skin and quickly retracts, but it sets a cannula (like a tiny straw) under her tissue for the insulin to travel through. The cannula is attached to tubing that runs back to her insulin pump. The pump has a cartridge that we fill with enough insulin to get her through three days. When Hubby checked her at 3:00 a.m. she was experiencing a low blood glucose of 58 (optimal range for her is 80-110) so he had to wake her up to drink some juice. (A really low blood glucose can lead to a diabetic coma...don't ever want to go there!) After giving her the juice he waited for anther 20 minutes and checked her blood glucose again and she was slowly climbing up at 93. He left me a note to check her in the a.m., which I did at 5:30 and she was at 139. Since she was a little out of range I gave her a small insulin bolus to bring her glucose down a bit. When she woke up at 8:30 she was feeling shaky, a sure sign of low blood glucose for her, and she was back down to 63. She had some more juice. Such is the wacky world of type one diabetes.

When I hit the trail today it was on a borrowed set of wheels. Amy, my cousin's wife, let me try out her bike for my 20 mile ride this morning. I have been riding my hubby's bike which is a hybrid (something in between a mountain and a road bike). Amy's bike is also a hybrid but is a women's frame so it doesn't have that potentially hazardous bar that runs between the seat and handlebars. The last bike I rode that was made for females was my lavender Mod Girl bike made by Iverson in the 60s or 70s.

It looks quite similar to this one, but has a rainbow banana seat and chrome fenders instead. Just this week it was unhooked from the ceiling of my dad's garage where it has been stored for the last 30 years. It is in the process of being polished and prepped by Hubby for our girls to ride. They have not mastered bike riding yet but I'm hoping they'll be enamored by chopper-style handlebars and think it is about time to learn.

Some of the likable features of Amy's bike include: the lightweight aluminum frame, the fairly smooth grip shifting, the shock absorber on the front wheel and compression seat post (makes hitting the bumps much less jarring), and a seat that makes it easy to sit on your sit bones and thus not make one's feet go numb. I am not sure yet if I enjoyed sitting more upright, as this bike requires, and was in need of more than one cage to hold beverage containers. One of the perks of getting to try out this bike is that it gives me the opportunity to test drive a bike and see what features would be preferable or necessary on any future bike purchase.

Today's ride went fairly well and I'm starting to get a little jazzed about the upcoming La Crosse event. There are almost 400 riders registered so I won't be riding alone on August 13th. Some of the riders have type one diabetes and some are like me and are riding because they know someone with type one. Before the Ride I think I am going to put a photo of Annika and Johanna on the handlebars to help keep me focused when the pedaling gets tough. Only 37 days away!
 http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Gettin' By with a Little Help from my Friends (and Brother)

When it rains it pours and so it happened that three people, Chris, Ann & Mark, offered to accompany me on my Saturday ride. My friend Chris (who did some training rides with me in April & May, and used to ride to the Dairy Queen with me back in the day) thought it was going to be a short ride, and it wasn't. Ann, my friend from Madison (who is much more athletic than I) was in town with her bike and thought the ride would start "later" at 7 a.m., but instead the start time was bumped to 6 a.m. And Mark (my non-licensed practicing Chiropractor brother) had his knees adjusted at chiropractic school the day before and just wanted to see if he could ride any distance (his knees were wrecked by endless riding a decade ago). What a joyous surprise to have a posse to go on the journey!

Everyone was dressed in some form of wicking material, myself included, as Mark had bought a pumpkin orange riding shirt for me at REI the day before. Thus my risk of being shot by hunters decreased immensely, and ability to be seen from great distances increased immensely.

The route we took was almost the same one I rode last week that goes by all of the major bodies of water in the Minneapolis city limits. There was an additional four miles added as we started from my house this time around, making our journey 39.9 miles (but we're calling it 40)...and we all lived to tell. When we could, we rode two-by-two as conversing was easier that way, and conversation on a long bike ride makes it seem much shorter. That is why the originally planned short ride of 20 miles just kept going to 40 as everyone seemed so invigorated and hadn't run out of things to talk about. As I was leading the gang along the route Chris said the song "Leader of the Pack" kept coming to her mind. I am thankful it was not "Baby Got Back."  Three out of four of us were wearing bandannas so it was decided that we should form our own gang, tough asses that we were. No official name was decided upon but I am partial to the Lactic Acid Gang. Feel the burn. Put that on some wicking biking shirts!

We did ride by a Dairy Queen by Minnehaha Falls but it was only 8:30 a.m. at that point and it wouldn't be opened for another couple hours. Ann was disappointed as it is never too early for a little ice cream treat. (I'm with you, Ann!)

How wonderful to have such supportive friends and family to go along on this JDRF journey! The La Crosse Ride is 41 days away and many people have donated money and time to help me meet this challenge and raise money to help find the cure for type one diabetes. I am at 71% of my fund raising goal and would appreciate more help spreading the word about the opportunity to contribute. Please direct folks to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl to make an online contribution. Repost the link to your Facebook page or Twitter feed please. 


Ann headed back to Madison and we probably won't be able to ride together again before the August 13th La Crosse Ride. The Saturday ride was the longest one she has ever been on, and she did great! Mark and Chris live much closer and may be willing to try another ride at some point (cross fingers here). After so much solitary training it was really fabulous to have people so willing to ride. They all still scratch their heads at me for doing this but are very encouraging.


See the sweaty Lactic Acid Gang below:

Does This Helmet Make My Head Look Fat?

Oh wait, it's not the helmet doing that, it's all of the new brain cells I've been growing since starting this biking adventure. I've been listening to a book on CD that is all about brain health and things that help your gray matter improve. One of the best things you can do for your brain, according to the author, is exercise. This makes new brain cells grow! And heaven only knows how many were burned up during my college career so there is probably room to squeeze in a few hundred thousand new ones. This gift of growing new brain cells will be added to the list of benefits to remember when the biking gets tough.

My short rides were done in the early morning hours this week on Monday and today (Thursday). Both rides were 20.5 miles. Monday's ride took me west, deeper into the 'burbs and seemed to take a long time to accomplish, although it was about two hours, just like the ride today, which took me east to the city and seemed to go by quickly. Go figure. As challenging as it is to get up before the sun, there are some perks to hitting the trails at that time of day. Trail traffic is certainly less than later in the day, and the light in the wee hours of the morning is quite nice. There are many locations I noted on Monday that would be great spots in which to photograph. Of course, I had no camera or willing model with me but now I know of their existence, which is the first step.

With dewpoints up into the tropical range today, I decided to do a short ride in the morning instead of a long one on the Sakatah Trail this afternoon. (I get dehydrated just thinking about it). Things as sweet as me melt in heat like this, and there is no fabric on earth that can wick all of the sweat away. Although, maybe I could fashion a biking outfit out of chamois towels that includes a cowl to wick away the sweat that is dripping in my eyes. Chamois towels can't be any less comfortable than polyester to wear, can they?

My dear daddio shared an article with me this week that he found about the crushing of the family jewels on bike seats: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/science/28tier.html?_r=1&emc=eta1. It's good to know I'm not the only one that can't seem to levitate on her sit bones while riding. There will be some further investigation into acquiring a seat that doesn't have the horn or nose on it. This may get me out of having to spend any moola on a pair of padded lycra riding pants and make riding long distances, especially on bumpy trails, more comfortable.

See, I'm smarter already.

City of Lakes

Dopamine must have been working today as riding was not as difficult as a couple days ago. It was another early morning ride and I think I rode by every major body of water in the city of Minneapolis, starting with Cedar Lake, then Lake of the Isles, the Mississippi River, Minnehaha Creek, Lake Nokomis, Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun. Part of my trek was on the Grand Rounds and it was quite nice...love the smooth pavement to ride on!

It must be said that Minnesotans seem to fully utilize the offerings that the Park and Rec Board have made possible. There was some sort of organized walk going on, a run, a canoe/kayak race, a giant tent was being assembled by Minnehaha Falls for an event, sand volleyball was being played at Lake Calhoun, and this was all before 10 a.m. There were numerous other bikers, walkers and joggers using the trails too. My new pet peeve is joggers that use the bike trail instead of the well-marked pedestrian trail. Honestly people! They don't move as fast as bike traffic so become obstacles along the way.

My route ended up being 35.5 miles today. I think I am at the point where my legs could take me farther but other parts are too uncomfortable to continue on, such as numb hands and feet, sore neck and crushed tenders. Perhaps those will be less of a factor as I continue to ride but for now they make going the long distances a challenge. Maybe if I took a pain reliever before I started it would help. I guess a little balance between the naturally produced dopamine and some man-made drugs might make long distances a reality.

Since the ride is now out of the way for the day it is time to go enjoy the rest of my Saturday.

No Mo' Mojo

My ride began tonight on the Sakatah Trail under a thick blanket of dark clouds. It sort of matched my mood as I was not looking forward to riding. I put in 20 miles on Monday at dawn and was going to try for 45-50 today but I didn't have it in me. I talked with my friend AJ beforehand and she helped me rationalize and get me back on track and I settled on going at least another 20 tonight. She's good like that. There was an author on Fresh Air with Terry Gross tonight talking about how exercise is one of the things that makes us feel pleasure due to the dopamine produced in the brain while exercising. I think mine is broken.

The first ten miles I rode faster than usual, at about 14 mph. This was done partially to work on cardio endurance and partially to get the ride done faster. I have discovered that my legs have the ability to go for longer rides at a faster pace than my lungs. Leisurely riding at 10mph without many hills has made this possible. This is a good thing, however, there will be some elevation changes on the Ride in La Crosse and I will need more than just leg power to get me through. Hubby was telling me about the sprint training that was done when he was in track to help build cardio and it made me think that some type of interval training would probably be helpful. Again, my lack of experience with athletic endeavors makes the learning curve steeper. Riding at faster speeds also tends to make me nauseous and not want to drink water, so I have to find the balance between speed and barfing. Perhaps due to the ominous looking clouds, I only came across five people, four dogs, two frogs, one bunny, and one other bike rider who would have benefited from some dental care on the trail (he gave me a toothless grin). The end of my ride was celebrated with adult beverages in the form of 90 Schilling beer. They were consumed in the name of re-hydration and thoroughly enjoyed.

When I initially signed up for this ride there was some pleasure derived from finding new accessories that could make biking easier or more convenient. I purchased pedal baskets, a water bottle cage, storage pouches for behind the seat and on the handlebars, and new tires. Then there is the whole issue of biking attire. As mentioned in an earlier post, biking attire is sized for Lilliputians, of which I am not one. It is also all made of lycra, polyester and other highly flammable materials, of which I am not fond. So today I rode wearing my yoga pants with the hole in them, my gifted wicking-material tank top, and my 15-year old tie-dyed Henley (yes, I'm wearing clothing older than my children). I want to challenge myself to do well on this ride but am getting irritated at the additional costs that are mounting as the Ride approaches. Is it necessary to have $100 padded riding pants? How about an $85 riding jersey with pockets in the back? It can be truthfully said that I am a cheap ass in many arenas of life, and I'm staring to think that I may become one when it comes to biking attire. 

This past weekend I was having a discussion with my daddio about the Ride and he suggested that perhaps my time would be better spent organizing a music festival to bring in lots of money instead of riding a bike. He said we could use his backyard. I'm sure the neighbors won't mind. There may be some truth in his suggestion but it would cost me more money than buying some damn biking pants to get that set up. Help save me from planning Woodstock 2011 and direct everyone you know and don't know to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl to keep my donations going up. Last year we held a Pan-creative Pancreas Party and sold art and hand-knit items and had Tae Kwon Do students break bricks and boards for donations. It was quite successful and raised $1300 in three hours. It's success hinged on the goodwill of a friend loaning us her studio space and another friend sharing his Tae Kwon Do students for the event.

This year, however, I'm just going to try riding my bike. Why? Why not? It is a new and uncharacteristic personal challenge. And everyone needs one of those every now and then. One big thing that this process has made me realize is that, if I choose to make the time, there is time for a concentrated effort like this. When this ride is done, I am going to turn that time into making art. In the past I have been full of excuses as to why there is not enough time for art...laundry, feeding children, playing with children, family time, a few moments to speak with Hubby at the end of the day, laundry, gardening, feeding children again, and a million other distractions and necessities. But if I have carved out even six to eight hours of time to ride a bike, I can do that to make art too. I have personal investments in both of these endeavors. 

I'm hopeful that my mojo will return this weekend so I can do the long ride and have all sorts of dopamine being produced so it even feels pleasurable.

Upping the Crazy Ante

Today was a big day. This was the day for the long ride of the week which takes much more time to complete. It worked best to try it on Thursday (weather permitting) as I stay overnight with friends who live near Mankato (where I teach daily). That means I am free of the responsibility of parenthood for one evening...well, at least the direct hands-on type of responsibility (thank you, Honey!).

I tried my best to be prepared to attempt a 40 mile ride: two water bottles filled with half water and half Vitamin Water (need the electrolytes), two protein bars, sunscreen applied, official bike riding tank top made of polyester supplied by friend Ann S. as part of a bike riding care package, cotton t-shirt on top of aforementioned tank top 'cause that's how I roll, cell phone, sunglasses, and $10...just in case. 

I rode on the Sakatah Trail again but started at Madison Lake to avoid the killer goose bridge. After being slapped and beaten by a Canada Goose I have decided that they are like the flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz. I fear that they are just waiting to swoop down and give me the scarecrow treatment...hence the skipping of the goose bridge of the last assault. From Madison Lake the trail runs through Elysian, Waterville, the Sakatah State Park, and Morristown, which is where I stopped and turned around. Although it was a warm day there are many parts of the trail that are shaded and the wind was pretty light, which is a rarity for this neck of the woods.

Coach Terri told me to just relax and have a good time while riding so I tried to take her words to heart and just let the ride happen. That was easiest for the first 25 miles. After that I had to call on the words of encouragement people have bestowed on me and repeat my mantra "every rotation is a gift" to help keep me going. The physical discomfort started to increase around this point too and my hands decided to fall asleep, as well as my toes (although if I curl and uncurl them that seems to help get rid of the numbness), and my "sit bones" didn't want to be sat upon anymore, and my back was sore from either the riding or hitting all of the bumps on the not-so-smooth trail. I had to get off and walk the bike a couple of times to give my body a break. But I am pleased to report that I made it 41.1 miles today and it took about four hours to complete. That is the farthest I have ever ridden in my life in a day.  Now I am sore, but I learned that polyester does indeed wick moisture even though it feels like a weird fabric to be wearing (latent polyester-phobia).

Have I gone from sloth to athlete yet? Not sure about that, and don't know if this venture will turn me into an avid biker or dissuade me from ever going near a bike again. Time will tell. For now, I'm just taking a walk on the wild side.

Again, the reason for this insanity is to raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Please help in any amount that you can and let your friends and family have an opportunity to help out too...share this link with them: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Oodles of Gifts

Oh, what a challenge to get up this morning when the alarm went off.  Being nine weeks away from the Ride in La Crosse, Coach Terri suggests two 15-20 mile rides per week and one long ride, about 40 miles to keep in the training groove. I have yet to make that long one but did squeeze a 15.36 mile ride this morning. Juggling the schedules of Hubby and children and myself and trying to find time to be together as a family as well as take care of chores and somehow have multiple hour blocks of time to ride a bike remains a challenge.

I hit the trail nearest to my house and was so pleased to discover that the gnats have had  plenty of time to mature to a robust size. We must need more bats to take care of those buggers. A biking helmet needs to be designed that has a retractable mosquito/gnat netting that you can pull over your face when riding through the swarms. I contemplated buying one of these oh-so-attractive mosquito/gnat net head covers from the camping section of the sporting goods store a couple weeks ago to throw over my helmet. The friend accompanying me laughed and said she would ride with me if I would wear it. Never one to be within the bounds or even near the edges of fashion, I just might do it. Perhaps I'll start a trend!

The problem of the numbing toes continues. Although my non-licensed, practicing chiropractor younger brother told me it is because the (insert latin sounding word here) nerve is being squeezed by the gluteus maximus and (insert another fancy latin word here) muscle. That must mean I have buns of steel! The remedy, or perhaps only the treatment, is to have a whole lot of pressure put on the gap between those butt muscles to release them and hence release their grip on the aforementioned nerve. Or so that is what I heard him say. Chiropractor-in-training Brother taught Hubby how and where to push and how to pull the opposing leg across the back of the other leg...and the gist of it is, it hurts. Chiropractor-in-training Brother assures me that's how you know you've found the spot.

Even though today was a relatively short ride down the gravel trail, I was struggling to keep focused and to enjoy the ride. The word "enjoy" and strenuous physical exertion are just getting to know each other in my world, and they are still in the awkward blind date sort of stage. But a couple of things came to mind to help turn things around. I acknowledged that every rotation of the pedals is a gift. Being physically well enough to get on a bike and just ride is a beautiful thing. There is a freedom there that is often only appreciated once it is gone. I am trying to not be a totally ungrateful putz. So each revolution of my pedals was a gift, a gift, a gift...and they just kept piling up. That made it easier to ride. The other thought was that had we been living 100 year ago, diabetes would have claimed the life of Annika at five-years old. Before 1922, there were wards of children dying from diabetic ketoacidosis and there was nothing that could be done. Many would be comatose and then eventually die with their grieving families beside them. There was no treatment. And there still is no cure. However, the gift of insulin was discovered and suddenly there was hope. That is why I continue to pedal.

Annika is a gift that I am glad to have. She is so courageous and brave with all that she has been through dealing with type one diabetes. Her twin sister, Johanna (another gift) always has ideas on how to raise funds for JDRF, and if you happen through the neighborhood at the right time you may have the chance to purchase hand-painted acorns, pinecones and rocks. She raised $4 the other week selling her wares from the little blue table at the end of the driveway. She is gifted with a big, sensitive heart.


So as the week continues and I spend time on that bike saddle, I will be holding these piles of gifts in my mind. Thankfully they are lightweight but fill the soul. Now I must go be a teacher again...oh, look another gift!

To donate to JDRF and support my ride efforts, go to:
http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Pusillanimous Peddler...I think not!

Mother Nature brought rain this morning thus sparing me from any guilty feelings of not getting up for an extra-early ride. And I didn't have to make the long commute drive today as my class agreed to use today as a work day so I could be home to help my two dancing children attend their morning dance rehearsal in full regalia, which included putting their hair in a bun around a bun form. My hubby is talented in many areas but bun formation is not one of them. It is not exactly one of my fortes either but with enough bobby pins, hair nets, rubber bands and hair spray, anything is possible.

Thankfully the temperature today was cool so an afternoon ride was not a problem. I decided to try a new trail and started off on the North Cedar Lake Regional Trail, which heads a bit north and runs parallel to the trail I was on for my last ride. I discovered that I could, in theory, ride my bike to Target! The major problem being that I would have to have luggage racks to hold my purchases. Anyway, the trail has a few more rises and falls than the other local trails I've been on but flattens out once you get within a couple miles of downtown. It was my plan to hook up with a trail that heads south but I missed the connection and ended up backtracking a bit. Unlike many of the other trails which are built on old train beds, this one runs alongside the still used tracks. As I was backtracking a train was heading west out of Minneapolis. For a while it was ahead of me, but soon I was pedaling fast enough to pass it. My kids were impressed when I told them I rode faster than a train (see my cape flying out behind me?!). True, the train was probably only going 10 m.p.h. but, hey, it sounds good.

Once I got myself reoriented and heading south I found my way to Lake of the Isles. Riding there is enjoyable as there are all sorts of carefully tended and lovely gardens in the yards of the spacious houses that surround the lake. It fills my head with grand ideas of how to transform my yard. And truth be told, I toyed with the idea of sneaking back under the cover of darkness to steal chunks of some of the funkier hostas to replant in my yard. But I have too much pusillanimity to actually follow through with that crazy notion. Although my courage was tested when I came to a section of trail that was surrounded by my biking arch nemesis, Canada Geese. I almost drove off the curb and into the road in order to avoid running the goose gauntlet but thought that would not be the wisest option.  Instead I sallied on, pedaling a little faster so as not to give them much chance to attack and wishing I could momentarily turn invisible. Perhaps they had filled their quota of attacks for the day by the time I rode by because (thankfully, oh so thankfully) they let me pass unscathed.

My goal today was to surpass the max distance I've ridden, so after the lake I easily found the connector to the Midtown Greenway and rode that until Hiawatha Avenue, when I turned and headed for home, enjoying the tailwind. Now for some unknown reason while riding my toes fall asleep. One would think with your heart beating harder that the blood would be flowing all over your body and there wouldn't be parts falling asleep. But they do, and it is annoying. The longer the ride, the harder it is to keep them "awake". To alleviate this I hang one foot at a time off the pedal and shake it to encourage the blood to relocate the seemingly forgotten arteries and veins.This works for a short while and then must be repeated off and on for the duration of the ride.

As I neared home and my favorite two hills (cough, cough), it was necessary to get off and walk my bike for a couple hundred yards to get the blood flow going again so I could pedal that last amount. I remounted, headed up the hills and was quickly shifting into the "grannies"...some bike term that Terri used for those gears that you pedal like crazy but only move a tiny amount. But it worked and I made it to the top again gasping for air and uttering expletives, which really seems to help, a lot. Today was a 27.13 mile ride and my knees and some little muscles in the arches of my feet are still reminiscing about the trek. Perhaps tomorrow the memory will be a little sweeter for them and the soreness will subside.

It's just over two months until the La Crosse ride, which will hopefully occur on a heavily overcast, sixty degree day in August (what are the chances?). Funds are still needed to help meet my minimum goal of $2000. Please let friends, family and people you don't know that they can donate to a worthy cause by directing them to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl where they can give any amount, big or small to help find a cure for type one diabetes. My family thanks you, my knees thank you, my sore foot muscles thank you, and the rest of me thanks you too.


(I've been listening to Don Quixote on my commute to work the past four weeks and Miguel de Cervantes uses a lot of fun-to-say 'p' words in his writing. Pusillanimous, peregrination and profundity are my three favorites.)

Biking Before Breakfast

It was very tempting to turn off the alarm that went off a little after 5:00 a.m. I didn't want to get up. The motivating thought however, was that Annika, and all the other kids (and adults) with type one diabetes probably didn't want to wake up and still have diabetes either. That worked as impetus enough to push me up and out the door, albeit a little groggy and sleep deprived and with a deadline to get back in time to get ready for work.

Today I decided to head back to one of the trails where my training started about six weeks ago (and I didn't drive there either). And not that this is new news but as I studied the bike map to plot my route it really became apparent that I live in a hub of bike trails. Yeah, tax dollars! From the LRT trail by my house I rode through Hopkins and caught the Cedar Lake LRT trail which heads east through the 'burbs and into south Minneapolis. The Cedar Lake LRT trail is asphalt and the rhythmic cracks that run perpendicular to my bike tires compelled me to fine tune my seating position and locate the posterior sit bones in a hurry as they are able to take the bumps, lessening the need for all the wincing.

The plan was to zip around a lake or two and then head home. However, there is bridge construction going on on the trail and I unintentionally rode past the turn off to the lakes as its usual landmarks were obscured by orange pylons and fencing. Going straight on the trail quickly hooked me into the Midtown Greenway portion of the path, which was new territory. The Midtown Greenway runs through Minneapolis down a former railroad corridor. It is pretty cool as you ride at a subterranean level.  This path is well-used, even in the early hours of the morning, and a lot of bikers with fancy clothes and bikes whip by at high speeds, never once saying "on your left". (I only heard that once today by a fellow cotton shirt-wearer. Although, truth be told, all the other cotton shirt-wearers didn't say it either.) The Midtown Greenway, if taken due east, leads to the Mississippi. I got awfully close to that today but had to turn around as time was not on my side. However, riding today felt almost easy. I zoomed (for me) into Minneapolis, helped by a tailwind that I discovered upon my return trip. But even then it felt as if I was a well-oiled machine...although my knees could still use a little more oil. Whatever the circumstances that led to that feeling, I hope they repeat themselves for each bike ride. True, I was back on turf that didn't have hills, just gentle rises and falls, but everything was working well, more or less.

This past weekend Terri, the coach, had talked about figuring out a riding cadence and which gears to be in to maintain that cadence. Today's ride may have been improved as that notion of a riding cadence was starting to sink in and the gear placement was matching, and the lungs were working, and the legs were pumping. And not to be undone by a hill, as I had made it to the top of that dastardly bridge in St. Paul during the weekend training ride, I made it up both hills at the end of today's ride that lead to my house. It wasn't pretty, and I was almost undone by a giant pinecone that tried to throw me off balance, and my lungs were about to burst, but I made it...24.0 miles.

All of this craziness is being done in the name of raising funds for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), in which I have a vested personal interest in the form of an eight-year old, as they work towards the cure for type one diabetes. The La Crosse Ride is August 13th and my minimum fund raising goal is $2000. If you or anyone you know cares to donate any amount that you are able to help JDRF please go to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Keep on Pedalin'

Today's post is brought to you by the letter 'H' (highway, hand signals, hydration, helmet, heat, humidity, hills, home handyman special) and by the letter 'S' (sunshine, sunburn, sunscreen, sweat).

Today I gathered my courage, put on my extrovert hat, and joined a group of JDRF Minnesota riders, known as the Loon-a-tics, for the weekly group training ride. My fear was that they would all be experienced riders (which they were), with all the right riding gear (which they had), and all the right riding attire (which they wore), and were all ogres (which they weren't). There were five experienced athletes and me, the burgeoning athlete in her cotton shorts and t-shirt. Amongst the riders was Terri, the coach, whom I had emailed but never met. Terri tells me that cotton is the least comfortable fabric to ride in...no wicking action. She introduced me to her husband Jim and the other riders, Christine, Matt and Josh. Terri and Jim's youngest son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2004 and this is their seventh year riding. Christine was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 32 and has been participating in JDRF rides for the last eight years with her husband Matt. Josh's four-year old son was just diagnosed in February and this is his first ride, although he trained as a runner previously. Terri, Jim, Matt and Christine participate in more than one JDRF Ride per year and have ridden in Vermont, Lake Tahoe, Tucson, and Death Valley as well as La Crosse.

The initial goal was to undertake a 35 mile ride today. This concerned me as I was only able to get one ride in this past week as Mother Nature thwarted my chances on Thursday and Friday to keep on pedalin'. However, I am told that I just have to let them know when I've had enough and Terri will ride back with me. As we started out of the JDRF parking lot in Bloomington the hand signals are explained to me because we are going to spend part of this ride on the road. I have become one of those obnoxious bikers that hogs the driving lanes! Most of it is just courtesy stuff, like pointing out potholes and manholes and other potential hazards, as well as signaling your turns. There are the verbal courtesies as well, such as "passing on your left" (as you zoom by other road/trail users), "clear" (when crossing a road), and "bike up" (which means get in single file as there is someone heading toward us on the path and there isn't room for riding side-by-side). Terri also adjusted my helmet so it wouldn't slip back on my head, which I knew it wasn't supposed to do but didn't know how to fix it.

We weren't on the road for too long when we picked up a trail near the airport that runs parallel to 494. Riding next to the highway is not particularly fun as it is loud and dirty. The path started with a nice downhill glide but then turned into a long uphill climb. This was the start of my realization that training on old train routes, which may only have a 5% grade, is a lot different than training on a route that has hills. This was really driven home when, after riding through Mendota, Lilydale and into St. Paul, we rode up a long, steep bridge. Terri and I were bringing up the rear throughout the ride and she was behind me making suggestions about which gears to be in at which point of this challenging ascent. That was helpful, and an iron lung might have been helpful too. But somehow I made it without the need for Josh's EMT training to be put to use on the streets of St. Paul. These weekend training rides are not races and the riders stop every few miles to regroup and drink water and eat some carbs. Being the last one to the regrouping stops made me have the shortest amount of recovery time as well. And, note to self, Fig Newtons in a baggy that have been shoved in the little storage bag under the bike seat, do not make for cool snacking along the way.

The temperature and humidity were the warmest I have ridden in and, although I attempted to be prepared by attaching the additional home handyman special water bottle carrier that Hubby made from wide velcro strips to my bike, it was still not enough water. I did not realize this until the last four miles of the ride when the headache kicked in. Apparently retaining water like a camel isn't enough, one must drink it as well. Before I ride again on a hot day there will be some additional water bottle cages attached so I will have plenty of water handy. 

At about mile 18, I had to decide whether or not it was time to head back or if I could press on for a 35 mile ride. I opted for the heading back as the heat and hills and lack of an additional ride last week had slowed me down. As it turned out, the whole group decided to head back and we ended up with a 23.86 mile ride, which was plenty. The hill that was so easy to glide down at the beginning of the ride was my undoing at the end. I made it across the long part of the bridge but had no more mojo left for getting up the remainder of the slope. Terri and I walked up the last bit and that gave my toes enough time to regain circulation and my quads to uncramp. At the top of the slope we remounted and rode the last half mile or so back to the starting point.

One of the other things I learned today was that when you are riding in the sunshine you will get sunburned if you don't apply sunscreen. Guess who feels all hot and glowy on her arms and cheeks? After the ride was all done and we had said our farewells back in the parking lot where the ride had started, I hopped in  my car and cranked the air conditioning as I was sweaty - not a feeling I enjoy. When I arrived home and saw my face in the mirror there was white scaly gunk all over my face. Had all the salt leached from my body? Was this the look of congealed sweat? Whatever it was it had the power to exfoliate while being washed off to better show off my pink nose and cheeks.

Thanks to Daddio for taking care of the kiddos on a Sunday morning so I could participate in the training ride. It's taking the village (ooooh, some more 'H's'....Heidi's Helpers) to make this JDRF Ride possible for me.

Pre-dawn Pedaling

The sun wasn't up before my wheels hit the trail this morning. It is a challenge to find blocks of time to ride and pre-dawn was the only time I could figure to squeeze in some time behind the handle bars. The perks of that time of day are that the temperature is cooler and the gnats haven't come out in full force. The downside is that it is pre-dawn. Thankfully we are getting into the days of longer amounts of daylight so the trail isn't so dark when I head out. I only have a two hour window of time from the current official sunrise (5:30 a.m.) to the time I need to be home and getting ready for the morning commute, so a pre-dawn departure is necessary if I want to get in more than 20 miles (made it 22.25 today...but who's counting?).

Bike riding seems to force me to live in the present moment, which the Buddhists think is a good thing, but at this point I am still doing a lot of mental complaining about what hurts at the moment. I have room for improvement in this department. Today I did take note of the white caps on Lake Minnetonka and the lovely wind that accompanied them (especially on the way back when it was a tailwind), the red-winged blackbirds, the ominous murder of crows loitering in the trees, the sections of trail so canopied by trees that they had an intriguing darkness to them, the putrid smelling swampy zones, and the Canada Geese that did not attack me today. I also intentionally directed my thoughts to a mom I know whose eight-year old daughter was diagnosed this past weekend with type 1 diabetes. The email she sent out to friends and family explaining what had happened brought back sharp memories of the weekend our family was dealing with the same turn of events. It is overwhelming in so many ways and my heart goes out to her and her family. When Annika was diagnosed in 2008, one of the moms from the Mother's of Multiples club I am part of, contacted me and shared the story of what happened when her daughter was diagnosed the previous year. She was a great resource for me and my family and I hope to be able to pay it forward to the family with the new diagnosis. All of these thoughts were a good reminder to myself of why I was up before the sun and pedaling a bike. The goal is to raise money to help find a cure for type 1 diabetes. These kids have to deal with diabetes 24/7...and all I have to do is bitch and pedal for a couple of hours a few days a week. The bitching I've got down and the pedaling is coming along. It was only six weeks ago when I was patting myself on the back for riding five miles without the need for an ambulance, and today I did four times that distance.

I must go put on my teacher hat now and be present (without any complaints) for my students.

If you or anyone you know cares to donate any amount that you are able to help JDRF find a cure for type 1 diabetes, please go to http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Dakota Rail Trail Maiden Voyage

It was another lovely day for a bike ride. What are the chances that the temperature will not get above seventy degrees all summer? It is possible to get sweaty enough on a sixty-nine degree day like today, and I'm not too fond of being sweaty. Even amidst the eyerolls of darling Hubby I loaded up the bike and went to check out the Dakota Rail Trail http://www.dakotarailtrail.com/ that starts in Wayzata. It is all asphalt, and smooth asphalt at that, making for an extra silky ride. The trail ventures through many communities that surround Lake Minnetonka and you get many a glimpse of how the other half lives. It also makes me a little nostalgic for the days when my dad was co-owner of a 18' Chris Craft that was docked in St. Alban's Bay and he would take me along for some crusin' around the lake. But that boat had a habit of sinking so eventually it was sold. But it was fun while it lasted!

But back to biking...this trail has portions that are very popular and it wasn't wildlife that I had to watch out for but other bikers, roller bladers, strollers, and walkers. Some chose to disregard the rules of the trail and didn't stay to the right but there are no major crashes to report, other than watching a roller blader biff it on a corner, but that was her own doing and I had plenty of time to swerve around her. And no, I didn't just leave her in distress, she had a friend tending to her.

I made it 24.35 miles today, which is my longest ride to date. I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to get to the half-way mark of my ride as that is when I get to turn around and then there is a sense that I just might be able to pull this ride off.  I am almost at the half-way mark of my fund raising goal as well, just $25 shy of it to be exact, so I'm feeling like $2000 is in reach.

When I arrived home and was getting in the shower, Hubby asked if I felt healthy (he used to be a runner and weight lifter so we have had discussions on changes one's body goes through as it gets stronger). Again, another question I had never considered. At that point, I felt sweaty and a little sore. Upon further rumination however healthy is not the word to describe how I feel but thankful is. I am thankful to have a body that functions well enough that I can ride a bike farther than I have since I was sixteen. I am thankful that I seem to be making progress in this burgeoning athleticism. I am thankful my knees and quads, back and elbows recover more quickly than they did a month ago. I am thankful for the support of friends and family. Perhaps I'll get to the point of feeling healthy AND thankful soon as this quest continues. For now, I am satisfied being thankful for having another cool trail close to my house and having completed one more training ride. Now, to go plant the annuals that are calling my name!


http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/gjengdahl

Out of the Zone

This spring I did something a bit impulsive. I signed up to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Ride to Cure Diabetes. This ride takes place in La Crosse, WI in August and is 100 miles long. My family has been dealing with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes since May 10, 2008 when my daughter Annika was diagnosed. The past three years our family has participated in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes and with the love and help from friends, family and people we don't know, we have raised about $5000. Why JDRF? Because it is the largest charitable funder of and advocate for type 1 diabetes research. Their mission is to find a cure. Annika wants a cure, her twin sister Johanna wants a cure, the family wants a cure, and the three million Americans affected by this debilitating disease want a cure.

After clicking the "Register" button this spring on the JDRF site, the gulping and wondering "what have I done?" began. First off, I am no athlete. I can hear my hubby now, groaning and muttering to himself that I need to practice speaking in the affirmative and believe that I am an athlete. Perhaps I'll modify my initial statement to humor him...up to now, I have not been an athlete. The only organized sport I ever participated in was softball when I was about 14 years old. My friend Brenda was joining the team and somehow convinced me to sign up as well. My career only lasted one season and it was a toss up as to who was last in the batting lineup, me or the other Heidi (can I blame it on the namesake?) on the team. Otherwise my time was spent in right field or as catcher. It was not a bad experience but it didn't lead me to want to join anything else either. The things that I enjoyed doing included rollerskating, badminton, neighborhood games of "chase", rollerskating, riding bikes (I probably logged over 100 miles just going around Robin Circle...which is a cul-de-sac that has a grassy knoll in the middle that all the neighborhood kids endlessly circled), walks around Lake of the Isles, rollerskating...stuff like that. None of this required training or specific clothing items.

But if Annika has to deal with diabetes every hour of every day, I thought I could at least push myself way out of my comfort zone and train for the JDRF Ride. My rationalization was, "Hey, I know how to ride a bike. How hard could it be?" Oh, to be so naive. I started out in April, riding Hubby's bike (as mine was purchased from a police bike auction 20+ years ago and is probably not the best choice for this event). We live about a quarter of a mile from the L.R.T. trail that hooks up to miles and miles of trails. We also live on the top of the hill, so getting to the trail is great and getting home after the ride is mostly up hill. Did I mention that I am a fair weather athlete and hills are just not that fun to ride up especially at the end of the journey? That being said, it became imperative to drive to the lakes to ride instead, which Hubby found to be near impossible to understand. Fortunately I had picked up a bike rack at a garage sale last year for $5 and off I went. Since then, I have mixed it up and ridden to and from the lakes solo and with my friend Chris, and have ridden the L.R.T. trails. I just have to walk the bike up half of the first hill on the way home, or else I will die. Progress has been made however and today I completed a 22.28 mile ride.

As I mentioned, I entered this process naively. Thankfully JDRF provides access to a local coach who helps with questions and will go on rides with you if available. I'm too chicken to have Terri, the coach, go on a ride with me but I do assail her with questions. One of my favorite things that she asked me was what my experience was with "endurance sports". Endurance sports, that's funny! I've done a couple of all-night roller skating events (back in the day) and ridden through some hot and humid weather to get to the Dairy Queen but that's about it. However, I have started to learn some things from Terri and through experience and here is a sampling thus far: we have "sit bones" and they can hurt, biking attire can have pads to help cushion the aforementioned "sit bones" and other tender parts...much like riding with a loaf of bread between one's legs (joy!), bikers don't wear underwear, biking attire is sized for tiny people...Lilliputians at best, if you ride with someone there is less time to curse to oneself and wonder what in the bleep you signed up for, geese can be evil, headwinds are no fun but tailwinds rock, bumpy asphalt is worse than gravel to ride on, gnats can enter many orifices and stick to sweat, polyester and Spandex supposedly wick moisture (since when?), there are many accessories for bikes and a bell or bullhorn is going to be my next purchase so I can warn off the geese and deer and other creatures laying in wait for me, and bikes need more cup holders.

The other day, one of the professors at MSUM asked if I was enjoying all the riding. I had to pause and think as it hadn't occurred to me to think about it in that way. At times, yes. At times, no. Why ride? Perhaps it is some type of self-flagellation in the hopes that my "suffering" will hasten the cure for type 1 diabetes so Annika doesn't have to suffer anymore from it. Perhaps it is my burgeoning athleticism that is experiencing growing pains and soon it will be effortless and enjoyable all the time. Perhaps it is just such new territory that it hasn't become a part of my comfort zone yet. In many ways it feels like one of the most uncharacteristic things I've ever voluntarily done.

I'm hoping my springtime impulsiveness, the miles logged, and bugs unwillingly consumed in training will reap rewards that I am too naive to understand just yet.