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.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
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
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
Friday, June 10, 2011
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.)
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.)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
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
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
Sunday, June 5, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)