- Feb - Tundra Time Trial
- March - Top View Classic Road Race (Winder or Dacula), this race got snowed out this year.
- April - Athens Twilight Amateur Crit -OR- Historic Roswell Crit (don't know if there's a category for me for this one) - as badly as I want to do these races, they may not happen. They're on the same weekend and they fall at the end of my daughter's spring break. We're taking the girls to Jekyll Island again for the week so I don't know if they will be possible.
- May - Tree Fest Tri, with my sister again. I'll have to see how this race goes to see if I qualify for USAT Nat'ls again
- June - Iron Girl Tri. This is a big maybe.
- June - Cycle for Parkinsons RR, maybe.
- July - Gwinnett Bike Fest. Another big maybe.
- August - Grant Park Crit or maybe GA Vets again or Acworth Women's race.
- September - AG Nat'ls (if I qualify) if not, I don't know.
- October - Lake Lanier Tri. I really enjoyed this race so I definitely want to do it again.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Races
I've thought about my schedule for next year and here are some races I'm thinking about. I'm posting them here because I haven't fully decided yet and I'm not quite ready to post them anywhere else, yet.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Updates
I had a whole post planned out in my head with a story about how I was snubbed at the grocery store yesterday by a mom I recognized from my daughter's former Daisy troop... and about how I didn't really care and was surprised because I used to.... so, instead you got the short version.
As far as training, I haven't made any decisions or plans, yet. I go back and forth. I want to keep focusing on triathlon because this was my most successful season yet and I'd like to build on that but I also want to do bike races and that requires more time on the bike. (while sacrificing the other 2 sports) I have definitely reconsidered going long next year and in 2011. I just don't think my heart is in the training enough to commit to any race longer than Olympic distance. I'm not even sure about Oly training, either. I know, I'm wishy-washy.
I do know I need to get off my ass and do some real training - the rest period is over. I was able to ride twice in 3 days over the weekend! Hooray! Riding makes me happy. Although, I'm unhappy about the big dip in speed on the bike - it's almost embarrassing. I chose to go the shorter shop ride on Saturday for 2 reasons: I had to get back to the shop so I could work and I knew I couldn't hang with the front group and I didn't want them to know. Awful, huh? I know. That Humble Pie doesn't taste so good. ;) I know it'll come back, I just don't want them to know it's disappeared. It's a competitive streak I try to ignore but can't.
Anyway.... enough about that business. I could go on and on about my training and my thought process in trying to make a decision but I don't think anyone really cares that much.
On a totally different topic, I am currently in search of a cheap Halloween costume. I wasn't going to dress up but we got invited to a party in the neighborhood and I feel obligated to dress up. I like dressing up, I just don't like having to come up with an idea. I have a couple of possibilities that I'm trying to figure out wardrobe. Originally, I was going to dress as Pat Benetar (think mid-80's "Love is a Battlefield") but don't know what to wear. I even tried to spike my hair before I got in the shower this morning... it was quite humorous. I had more gel in my hair then I think I ever have and it still wouldn't stay up. I think I need more gel and some hairspray. Other options include a scarecrow, a nerd, a punk, Miss America (not sure I have the hair for this one) or wear my old stand-by of an 80's chick. (I've worn that one 2 or 3 times)
I went by Goodwill this morning hoping to be inspired but didn't find anything. On the way to the store I had an idea: Pee-Wee Herman! Great, that'll be easy! Nope. Didn't find a grey suit light enough, in my size, that would work. I have another thrift store in town that I need to check but this option is probably at the bottom of the list. (although it's probably my best idea!) I'll try to update when I make a decision. At least my kids have their costumes. My oldest is a pirate and my younger daughter is going to be Ariel, with the wig and all. Wish me luck!
As far as training, I haven't made any decisions or plans, yet. I go back and forth. I want to keep focusing on triathlon because this was my most successful season yet and I'd like to build on that but I also want to do bike races and that requires more time on the bike. (while sacrificing the other 2 sports) I have definitely reconsidered going long next year and in 2011. I just don't think my heart is in the training enough to commit to any race longer than Olympic distance. I'm not even sure about Oly training, either. I know, I'm wishy-washy.
I do know I need to get off my ass and do some real training - the rest period is over. I was able to ride twice in 3 days over the weekend! Hooray! Riding makes me happy. Although, I'm unhappy about the big dip in speed on the bike - it's almost embarrassing. I chose to go the shorter shop ride on Saturday for 2 reasons: I had to get back to the shop so I could work and I knew I couldn't hang with the front group and I didn't want them to know. Awful, huh? I know. That Humble Pie doesn't taste so good. ;) I know it'll come back, I just don't want them to know it's disappeared. It's a competitive streak I try to ignore but can't.
Anyway.... enough about that business. I could go on and on about my training and my thought process in trying to make a decision but I don't think anyone really cares that much.
On a totally different topic, I am currently in search of a cheap Halloween costume. I wasn't going to dress up but we got invited to a party in the neighborhood and I feel obligated to dress up. I like dressing up, I just don't like having to come up with an idea. I have a couple of possibilities that I'm trying to figure out wardrobe. Originally, I was going to dress as Pat Benetar (think mid-80's "Love is a Battlefield") but don't know what to wear. I even tried to spike my hair before I got in the shower this morning... it was quite humorous. I had more gel in my hair then I think I ever have and it still wouldn't stay up. I think I need more gel and some hairspray. Other options include a scarecrow, a nerd, a punk, Miss America (not sure I have the hair for this one) or wear my old stand-by of an 80's chick. (I've worn that one 2 or 3 times)
I went by Goodwill this morning hoping to be inspired but didn't find anything. On the way to the store I had an idea: Pee-Wee Herman! Great, that'll be easy! Nope. Didn't find a grey suit light enough, in my size, that would work. I have another thrift store in town that I need to check but this option is probably at the bottom of the list. (although it's probably my best idea!) I'll try to update when I make a decision. At least my kids have their costumes. My oldest is a pirate and my younger daughter is going to be Ariel, with the wig and all. Wish me luck!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Riding
I miss my bikes. Well, technically, I miss riding my bikes but you know what I mean. Every time I pull in the garage I see my pretty road bike and want to ride. It's like a feeling in my bones that I want to ride but can't. I could ride the trainer but that's not what I want; I want the road (or trail), and sun and the breeze. I don't want this cold, rainy shit we've had lately.
And working is a mixed blessing. I love working at the shop, I really, really do, but it's messing with my riding. Those 9 hours that my 4 year old is at school are pretty much the only hours I have totally free all week.
I need to ride to clear my head and get rid of the cobwebs that have taken residence.
I need to ride to keep my fitness from disappearing.
I need to figure out something.
We're really slow at the shop right now so maybe I'll just work one day during the week and one day on the weekend. I don't know what I'm going to do because the extra money is definitely appreciated. Last year at this time, I was still using daycare for the little one because I was working more and could ride before work. I miss those days. I guess I've just been a little (okay, maybe more than a little) crabby lately.
And working is a mixed blessing. I love working at the shop, I really, really do, but it's messing with my riding. Those 9 hours that my 4 year old is at school are pretty much the only hours I have totally free all week.
I need to ride to clear my head and get rid of the cobwebs that have taken residence.
I need to ride to keep my fitness from disappearing.
I need to figure out something.
We're really slow at the shop right now so maybe I'll just work one day during the week and one day on the weekend. I don't know what I'm going to do because the extra money is definitely appreciated. Last year at this time, I was still using daycare for the little one because I was working more and could ride before work. I miss those days. I guess I've just been a little (okay, maybe more than a little) crabby lately.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Is it greener?
I often wonder if the grass is, in fact, greener on the other side? I'd like to find out but hesitate every time. I'm comfortable but stare longingly at the other side wondering what it's like over there. It's too bad there isn't a way to test it out without making a huge, life-changing decision.
In this occasion I'm talking about moving. My husband is unhappy at his current job and would love to find a new job and if that meant moving then I think we could handle it. We have a short list of possible locations but the job market sucks right now so he's stuck being less than happy but satisfied that he's still employed. There is definitely fine line between being grateful and totally miserable.
I am undecided about how I'd feel about moving. It would be major because it would probably be out of state; still in the south, but out of Georgia. I'm torn, I've lived almost my whole life in Georgia. It'll probably never happen, the job market in the Southeast is definitely centered around Atlanta.
The short list includes: Knoxville, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Raleigh, and Ashville. Knoxville is definitely at the top of the list and it's only about 3 hours from where our parents live.
Why did I bring this up now? I don't know.... after a certain amount of time somewhere I get antsy. We've lived here for 8 years and while it's hard to imagine living anywhere else, I also can't see myself living here until my girls get out of school, either. I guess I've had a restless mind lately.
In this occasion I'm talking about moving. My husband is unhappy at his current job and would love to find a new job and if that meant moving then I think we could handle it. We have a short list of possible locations but the job market sucks right now so he's stuck being less than happy but satisfied that he's still employed. There is definitely fine line between being grateful and totally miserable.
I am undecided about how I'd feel about moving. It would be major because it would probably be out of state; still in the south, but out of Georgia. I'm torn, I've lived almost my whole life in Georgia. It'll probably never happen, the job market in the Southeast is definitely centered around Atlanta.
The short list includes: Knoxville, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Raleigh, and Ashville. Knoxville is definitely at the top of the list and it's only about 3 hours from where our parents live.
Why did I bring this up now? I don't know.... after a certain amount of time somewhere I get antsy. We've lived here for 8 years and while it's hard to imagine living anywhere else, I also can't see myself living here until my girls get out of school, either. I guess I've had a restless mind lately.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Off-season eating
I need to stop eating like I'm going in to hibernation. At the very least stop eating like I'm still training 5 or 6 days a week; 'cause I'm so not. I need to get back in control. We've been busy and I was pretending it wasn't an issue but I see some areas getting softer that weren't before. If I can't (or don't) workout then I need to keep control of my diet.
I've been playing a game with myself in my head: the muscle you have built up is burning more calories so of course you can have that extra cookie or that second glass of Merlot... All the while I knew in the back of my mind that I shouldn't.
It's not an issue for most of the year but it's a challenge to make that transition back to "normal" eating and not "season" eating. Seriously, when I'm in regular training mode I don't have to watch so carefully. I am conscious of what I eat (food is fuel kind of mentality) but I'm not super careful, either.
Starting next week, I have a plan of action in my head:
-I am going to make an effort to move away from processed (boxed) food again. We don't usually eat a lot but the ones we've added I know I can take out and replace with a good substitute. It's just going to take better planning; like the bag of rice that takes 45 minutes instead of the boxed kind that takes 15.
-We used to eat fish and/or seafood two or three times a week and we need to continue. There was a time when I had to be very careful of my grocery budget and I couldn't afford fish and shrimp in the same week but I need to budget better so we can get back to this kind of eating. I can look at frozen as an affordable alternative. (again, takes more planning)
-No more alcohol during the week. I usually don't have more than two glasses of wine or two beers but those empty calories are not necessary.
-No eating out or grabbing fast-food more than two times a week. Those two times will probably include one lunch and one dinner. We don't eat out often but I am guilty of grabbing something at the drive-thru for my daughter and I when we're out running errands.
-Work on an off-season training plan. I don't need an intensive training plan but I definitely need something. All my season fitness is slipping away and getting back to regular training will be more difficult if I don't.
That's what I have so far - nothing too complicated but it needs to be done. I am unhappy with how I feel right now so I think this will help. I need a challenge to keep things interesting and I think this will be enough of a challenge for now.
I've been playing a game with myself in my head: the muscle you have built up is burning more calories so of course you can have that extra cookie or that second glass of Merlot... All the while I knew in the back of my mind that I shouldn't.
It's not an issue for most of the year but it's a challenge to make that transition back to "normal" eating and not "season" eating. Seriously, when I'm in regular training mode I don't have to watch so carefully. I am conscious of what I eat (food is fuel kind of mentality) but I'm not super careful, either.
Starting next week, I have a plan of action in my head:
-I am going to make an effort to move away from processed (boxed) food again. We don't usually eat a lot but the ones we've added I know I can take out and replace with a good substitute. It's just going to take better planning; like the bag of rice that takes 45 minutes instead of the boxed kind that takes 15.
-We used to eat fish and/or seafood two or three times a week and we need to continue. There was a time when I had to be very careful of my grocery budget and I couldn't afford fish and shrimp in the same week but I need to budget better so we can get back to this kind of eating. I can look at frozen as an affordable alternative. (again, takes more planning)
-No more alcohol during the week. I usually don't have more than two glasses of wine or two beers but those empty calories are not necessary.
-No eating out or grabbing fast-food more than two times a week. Those two times will probably include one lunch and one dinner. We don't eat out often but I am guilty of grabbing something at the drive-thru for my daughter and I when we're out running errands.
-Work on an off-season training plan. I don't need an intensive training plan but I definitely need something. All my season fitness is slipping away and getting back to regular training will be more difficult if I don't.
That's what I have so far - nothing too complicated but it needs to be done. I am unhappy with how I feel right now so I think this will help. I need a challenge to keep things interesting and I think this will be enough of a challenge for now.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Men
Why don't men understand that any kind of family activity is often a photographic event? Like a trip to the pumpkin patch, a family hike or to cut down our Christmas tree? I bring the camera for the girls and usually end up in one or two photos so I don't want to look like I just rolled out of bed for eternity. Am I the crazy one or is it just a girl thing?
For example: today we were planning to go to a mountain bike festival at a local park in the morning and the pumpkin patch in the afternoon. My husband and I were going to take turns riding the trails with our older daughter while the other one stayed with the little one. Fine. Great. It's like 45 degrees so I'm going to wear what I normally wear to ride when it's cold. Well, we get in the car and it's drizzling. We decide to drive over to the park and if it's raining then we'll have to skip it. Well, it's raining so we turn around and my husband says that we'll just go straight to the pumpkin patch. Um, no way Jose. I am wearing some slightly mismatched cycling gear and there's no way I'm walking around the pumpkin patch in my bike shorts and tights. It never occurred to him that it would be an issue - and you should have seen what he was wearing. Haha.
I guess I am the crazy one because when I type it out it sounds silly but it was a big deal at the time. Oh well. It's been one of those days. :)
For example: today we were planning to go to a mountain bike festival at a local park in the morning and the pumpkin patch in the afternoon. My husband and I were going to take turns riding the trails with our older daughter while the other one stayed with the little one. Fine. Great. It's like 45 degrees so I'm going to wear what I normally wear to ride when it's cold. Well, we get in the car and it's drizzling. We decide to drive over to the park and if it's raining then we'll have to skip it. Well, it's raining so we turn around and my husband says that we'll just go straight to the pumpkin patch. Um, no way Jose. I am wearing some slightly mismatched cycling gear and there's no way I'm walking around the pumpkin patch in my bike shorts and tights. It never occurred to him that it would be an issue - and you should have seen what he was wearing. Haha.
I guess I am the crazy one because when I type it out it sounds silly but it was a big deal at the time. Oh well. It's been one of those days. :)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
My Birthday
Today is my 34th birthday. And yes, I really am that young... or, um, old... whichever way you want to look at it. ;)
It's a funny thing this getting older as an adult. I don't "feel" like I'm 34. Just like I didn't magically feel different when I turned the big 3-0, either. When I was a kid there was always an aura of a birthday and there was often something in my mind that made me feel older. Especially when I got in to the double-digits. Oh yeah, 10 was a big deal; I got my ears pierced and my first baseball glove on the same birthday.
Now, birthdays just aren't that big of a deal. It's just another day. Okay, it's a little different in that I get to pick where we go for dinner (we're going to Mexican, thankyouverymuch) but other than that it's not a big deal.
And, as if you needed further proof that cyclists are a strange crowd.... I was actually looking forward to taking on the challenge of 3 Gaps in the North Georgia mountains on Sunday as a celebratory ride. But it's Octoberfest and Gold Rush Days in the mountains so we changed our minds and chose not to fight the crowds and traffic. It'll be just another weekend around here.
It's a funny thing this getting older as an adult. I don't "feel" like I'm 34. Just like I didn't magically feel different when I turned the big 3-0, either. When I was a kid there was always an aura of a birthday and there was often something in my mind that made me feel older. Especially when I got in to the double-digits. Oh yeah, 10 was a big deal; I got my ears pierced and my first baseball glove on the same birthday.
Now, birthdays just aren't that big of a deal. It's just another day. Okay, it's a little different in that I get to pick where we go for dinner (we're going to Mexican, thankyouverymuch) but other than that it's not a big deal.
And, as if you needed further proof that cyclists are a strange crowd.... I was actually looking forward to taking on the challenge of 3 Gaps in the North Georgia mountains on Sunday as a celebratory ride. But it's Octoberfest and Gold Rush Days in the mountains so we changed our minds and chose not to fight the crowds and traffic. It'll be just another weekend around here.
Monday, October 12, 2009
'09 Season Review
I figured it was a good time to reflect and review my season now that it's officially over. (for real this time) As I hoped, the bike was definitely my strength. I sometimes paid for it on the run but I am pleased with my progress on the bike. Riding with Roadies week-in and week-out has definitely helped. I am still the fastest woman on the shop rides. :)
My training started slowly as I debated in January if I wanted to do triathlons this year. My formal training didn't start until the 3rd week of January and went well. Once I started looking at races, I decided I wanted to stick to sprints this year because the training is less involved and I could do 6 days of training (2x each sport) fairly easily.
The season played out like this:
I don't know what happened with the swim. In the pool, I got my previous speed back (and then some) but it never translated to open water. I think I put in decent yardage for someone training for sprints, my longest race swim was only 880 yards. I am 100% self-coached (didn't swim on a team as a child) and I think I've taken my swim as far as I can by myself. I can't afford a Master's program so for the moment I'll have to be satisfied with mediocrity on the swim. I guess it's not too bad as long as I have the stroke and stamina to finish a swim MOP with plenty left in the tank for the bike and run. My only hang-up with the swim is that if I want to go to AG Nat'ls next year, the mediocrity ain't gonna cut it.
So, there you have it. My 2009 triathlon season in nutshell. There were definitely ups and downs with lots of room for improvement. Now I just need to figure out if I want to focus on triathlons next season with just a dabble in bike racing OR focus on bike racing with triathlons as cross-training and a way to break up the season.
My training started slowly as I debated in January if I wanted to do triathlons this year. My formal training didn't start until the 3rd week of January and went well. Once I started looking at races, I decided I wanted to stick to sprints this year because the training is less involved and I could do 6 days of training (2x each sport) fairly easily.
The season played out like this:
- Lifetime Fitness Indoor Triathlon: this was really just a fancy training day and it went pretty well. I had one of the highest lap counts in the pool, I ran late for the bike so that cost me and the run went well for me. I finished 15/50 women, 38/83 overall.
- Xterra Fort Yargo: Ugh, I had planned for this race to go so much better. This was actually my first A race so I could take revenge on the course after the first time I did this race. Those that have read my race report know all the details. The swim was mediocre, TWO flats right out of transition (of course it was the back wheel. Nooooo, it's never the "easy" front wheel) and an okay run. I finished very BOP but I finished, even with the two flats. I felt deflated after this race because I thought I could place better but something out of my control threw it all out of whack. Thankfully, that wasn't the story for the rest of the season.
- Tree Fest Triathlon: My sister and I traveled to Baxley to do this race. I was going to support her as she got back in racing and decided to race too. While I felt my swim went just okay I still finished 1/5 in my AG, the bike went very well (2nd woman O/A, 1st AG), and the run was a PR for the 5K distance. I got 1st in my AG and was very pleased with my performance. At this race I qualified for AG Nationals but didn't know it at the time. DUH! I was relaxed (but focused) and had one of my best race performances.
- Iron Girl at Lake Lanier: This was the longest race I did this year and my second A race. The swim was (again) an okay performance for me. The bike went well where I placed 15/155 for AG, 67/915 Overall, but then the wheels fell off. I lost about 12 spots on the run, running the 5K a full three minutes slower than the Tree Fest tri. I pushed it hard on the bike and fell apart on the run. I still finished a respectable 32/155 in my Age group but I should have placed better.
- Georgia Veterans Triathlon: My sister and I drove down to Cordele but this time I was the only one racing. Going in to this race I felt confident I could place in the top 3 in my AG if I had a similar performance to my Baxley race - the conditions and courses were similar because they were pretty flat - and my training had been going pretty well. My swim was okay (see a trend?) and the bike went okay as well. I had a good split but it didn't go as planned because I had to fight a couple waves of nausea in the middle of the bike and then eeked out a craptastic run. I finished 6/9 in my AG but I know I should have done better, before the run I was in 2nd. I beat myself up over a few details that could have made a difference. After this race I thought my season was over but life had other plans.
- Lake Lanier Sprint: A week before this race I scored a number transfer but started having second thoughts as soon as I accepted the number. I had not been doing any serious training in about SIX weeks (over those 6 weeks I think I had only 2 or 3 swims, a handful of runs and 1 or 2 bikes a week) so going in to this race I decided to stay relaxed and try to have fun. My other races were sort of like controlled suckfests and I didn't want to finish the season that way. My swim went as well (or better) than expected, my bike went well (6/74) and my run went better than expected. Overall, I am happy with the results of this race, especially considering how much training time I put in over the 7 weeks prior. The training volume I put in the rest of the year allowed me to enjoy this race and finish a decent 16/74 AG and 388/821 Overall.
I don't know what happened with the swim. In the pool, I got my previous speed back (and then some) but it never translated to open water. I think I put in decent yardage for someone training for sprints, my longest race swim was only 880 yards. I am 100% self-coached (didn't swim on a team as a child) and I think I've taken my swim as far as I can by myself. I can't afford a Master's program so for the moment I'll have to be satisfied with mediocrity on the swim. I guess it's not too bad as long as I have the stroke and stamina to finish a swim MOP with plenty left in the tank for the bike and run. My only hang-up with the swim is that if I want to go to AG Nat'ls next year, the mediocrity ain't gonna cut it.
So, there you have it. My 2009 triathlon season in nutshell. There were definitely ups and downs with lots of room for improvement. Now I just need to figure out if I want to focus on triathlons next season with just a dabble in bike racing OR focus on bike racing with triathlons as cross-training and a way to break up the season.
Friday, October 9, 2009
My blog
Didja notice that I've added pictures of myself? And there weren't any before? I decided it's stupid to pretend that those that stumble across this blog don't already know who I am. If anyone saw my posts on Facebook or beginnertriathlete.com, they could probably figure it out. It's no secret that I am the "cycling chick" among the triathletes I know.
Part of the reason for my "anonymity" was because of the depression I found myself in a couple of times. This blog has helped air some problems I've had but many that read it do know me and have met me in person. I was embarrassed by it but at the same time needed to get it out there. I'm still not gonna go around announcing it but I'll include a pic or two to make a post more interesting.
As of right now, I am not gonna be ashamed of the depression. It is part of who I am and what makes me, me. While it's not a part of me I'm crazy about, I wouldn't be the same person without it. I actually feel it helps me appreciate the good times that much better because my memory is good enough to remember the "bad" times. And I try to learn from life - if I get laid off again then my ego might take another blow but will try NOT to let it affect other aspects of my life. I am in a stable state of mind and that makes life so much easier. It's always a journey of ups and downs but the peaks and valleys are smaller - no Grand Canyon or Mount Everest to traverse. (was that cliche? whatever, it still works ;) )
While my posts might not be profound, I'm going to try to get back in the habit of doing it on a regular basis again. It helps clear my mind. The worst part is I always seem to come up with good topics while I'm driving - definitely NOT conducive to blogging. Okay, I'll stop rambling. :)
Part of the reason for my "anonymity" was because of the depression I found myself in a couple of times. This blog has helped air some problems I've had but many that read it do know me and have met me in person. I was embarrassed by it but at the same time needed to get it out there. I'm still not gonna go around announcing it but I'll include a pic or two to make a post more interesting.
As of right now, I am not gonna be ashamed of the depression. It is part of who I am and what makes me, me. While it's not a part of me I'm crazy about, I wouldn't be the same person without it. I actually feel it helps me appreciate the good times that much better because my memory is good enough to remember the "bad" times. And I try to learn from life - if I get laid off again then my ego might take another blow but will try NOT to let it affect other aspects of my life. I am in a stable state of mind and that makes life so much easier. It's always a journey of ups and downs but the peaks and valleys are smaller - no Grand Canyon or Mount Everest to traverse. (was that cliche? whatever, it still works ;) )
While my posts might not be profound, I'm going to try to get back in the habit of doing it on a regular basis again. It helps clear my mind. The worst part is I always seem to come up with good topics while I'm driving - definitely NOT conducive to blogging. Okay, I'll stop rambling. :)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wine experiment, part 1
An idea struck me as I was making dinner for my kids. My husband and I should try as many of the $5.99 bottles of wine at Publix that we can handle. This idea came to me as I was pouring a glass of Merlot while making my very extravagant dinner. What else would you have with grilled cheese and soup besides a $5.99 bottle of red wine? Doesn't everyone? ;)
This is actually our second bottle this week. I have standards when it comes to picking wine: it has to have an appealing label (painted on not necessary) and a certain price point. (sometimes it's $9.99 but more often it's cheaper) Everybody has to have standards, it just so happens to really have nothing to do with the wine itself.
Anyhew... this week's selections are two 2007 Merlots from California. The first one was Bohemian highway and the second was King Fish. I like them both. I could pretend to actually have a wine palate but I've already admitted I know very little about wine so I won't pretend to be able to taste the subtleties of a blackberry flavor or something else that I'm "supposed" to taste. It's good enough for me if it has a full flavor and it isn't dry. See? Not picky. Oh, but I don't like any wine that has a metallic bite to it - I think it's something about the tannins. If you're interested in all the "real" terms, you can read all about it on this site.
I will try to update this as we try more. I know I have been kinda slack about a regular kind of topic ("Cheap Stuff" comes to mind) but it wasn't entirely my fault. We stopped getting the paper on Sunday and we're not regular paper readers to actually pay for it. Stay tuned for more editions coming soon.
This is actually our second bottle this week. I have standards when it comes to picking wine: it has to have an appealing label (painted on not necessary) and a certain price point. (sometimes it's $9.99 but more often it's cheaper) Everybody has to have standards, it just so happens to really have nothing to do with the wine itself.
Anyhew... this week's selections are two 2007 Merlots from California. The first one was Bohemian highway and the second was King Fish. I like them both. I could pretend to actually have a wine palate but I've already admitted I know very little about wine so I won't pretend to be able to taste the subtleties of a blackberry flavor or something else that I'm "supposed" to taste. It's good enough for me if it has a full flavor and it isn't dry. See? Not picky. Oh, but I don't like any wine that has a metallic bite to it - I think it's something about the tannins. If you're interested in all the "real" terms, you can read all about it on this site.
I will try to update this as we try more. I know I have been kinda slack about a regular kind of topic ("Cheap Stuff" comes to mind) but it wasn't entirely my fault. We stopped getting the paper on Sunday and we're not regular paper readers to actually pay for it. Stay tuned for more editions coming soon.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
MS 150 '09
I realized Friday that I haven't done a recap of my MS 150 experience this year.
My goal was to raise the minimum $250 again and a week before the event I was short. I was starting to sweat it but then two friends came through and bumped me over. Phew. I thought I might get charged for that last little bit. I love doing this ride but I am not a huge fan of the fund-raising - mostly because I'm lazy about it and hope I get enough donations by sending email alone. I squeaked by this year. If we decide to do it again next year, we're really gonna have to get on the ball earlier and actually plan an event.
Anyway, back to the ride..... my husband and I drove down on Friday and met our best friend in Pine Mountain. We stayed in a cabin at the nearby state park again which is nice because we have a living rooom, kitchen and full size refrigerator. The cabin has 2 bedrooms but only one bath so that's a drawback but not a deal-breaker. Here's a picture of the living room.
We checked in and met up with our friend. We decided to head down to the street festival for the ride to see if there was anything interesting... there wasn't. Maybe if there was something we'd forgotten or if we were meeting up with the team then we'd hang out but as soon as we saw there was nothing going on we left. The challenge with this festival is that most people drive down from Atlanta on Friday afternoon and traffic is always a nightmare. We were there about 4:00 and it was empty.
So, instead, we headed to the local Piggly Wiggly to pick up some supplies. I love small, local grocery stores. We always try to stop when we go up to the cabin or backpacking. They always have interesting characters and items that you just can't find at your local Publix or Kroger. This time it was deep-fried, cajun peanuts and they're exactly what you think they are. The package said you could eat 'em, shell and all - okay, I'll give it a shot. They were crunchy and a bit stringy from the shell. They had decent flavor but I wasn't crazy about the shell and had visions of my insides being drug out from the roughage of the shells and the day before a big ride is NOT the time for that to happen so I stopped eating
them. At the Piggly Wiggly I think we also found the biggest steaks in Harris County. They were HUGE. I had to take a picture because they were that big, they dwarfed Jim's steak. (although, it's kind of hard to tell from this pic)
We made dinner, prepped the bikes, hung out and headed for bed. Early the next morning we were up and all getting ready to go. I had a terrible night of sleep and my tummy was unhappy so I was less than excited about riding. We had two of my husband's coworkers also staying with us so the 5 of us got ready to ride. Getting to the start-line and in line were uneventful and we waited to start. By this time I felt better but I've decided my body does not function well on a poor night's sleep - it throws me all out of whack. (this has happened a couple times before races this year)
The big sponsors' teams, Cox and Coca-Cola, get to go first so we had to wait awhile so they could stagger everyone. I was planning to ride the 62 mile route, our friend was riding the 31 mile route and the other 4 members of our team were riding the century. I had been giving our friend a hard time trying to "encourage" him to do the 62 mile route with me. He convinced me he hadn't ridden enough so I let it go. This is the fly-over we had before the start. Yep, they're crop-dusters; gotta love Georgia. :) Actually, it was pretty cool even if they weren't jets.
Once we started, our team was (mostly) able to stay together until the 2nd break point at mile 25. We lost Jim and figured he'd stopped at the first break point and turned to the 31 mile route. Right as we were leaving he pulled in and we were excited for him! Hooray Jim! He joked that he didn't have anything else to do that day and the 31 miles is almost too short. (you wouldn't have heard that out of his mouth a year ago!) The team reached the turn off for my route and I was sad to see them go. My husband tried to convince me to do the century but I knew I didn't have the legs for it this year. That was about mile 32 or so and I was solo for the rest of the ride. I was definitely missing my paceline after that point because I knew the last 15 miles would be challenging.
After I left them, my ride was fairly uneventful. I stopped for "lunch" around 10 or 10:30 and I probably wouldn't have but wasn't sure there would be food back at the start when I got there. The last 10 miles I actually caught some of the stragglers for the 31 route and I couldn't believe it; I was at mile 50 and they were at mile 20. Wow. I knew some of them were struggling so I tried to give them encouragement as I passed, many of those hills are killer. (if you've ridden down there, you know what I'm talking about) I finally made the turn back in to Pine Mountain and the rest was downhill - Hooray, I'm finished! I had some left in the tank but was definitely happy to be done.
The rest of the team was out on the course for a couple more hours and I hung out by the team tents and at the van, waiting. My husband finally rolled in (I was starting to get worried!) and he was hurting. He said he started cramping around mile 80 and it didn't let up. He was bound and determined to finish the century this year but it put a hurtin' on him. He looked like shit when I found him; he could barely walk, he was dehydrated, and exhausted. The cramping took it's toll and it took him several days to recover and he felt back to "normal."
After the ride we headed back to the cabin, cleaned up, grilled out and hung out with our friend. We decided we weren't going to stress about getting to the ride the second day. I felt kinda guilty but I did my part and raised my money so the guilt didn't hang around long. ;) We don't get to see our friend often and it's even rarer to hang out without the girls so that was fun. We decided (well, mostly me because I did have some guilt) that if we woke up in time then we might ride on Sunday but we didn't. After the rough night on Friday night, having the good rest was wonderful.
We packed our stuff, said our good-byes and headed back to Atlanta. It was a good weekend and I'm glad we decided to do it again this year. Next year is definitely up in the air but it's not off the table. Now our friend wants to get a sponsor so we can order new jerseys and form a new team. We'll see how that pans out and then we'll make our decision about the 2010 ride.
Go Team Turnils! :)
My goal was to raise the minimum $250 again and a week before the event I was short. I was starting to sweat it but then two friends came through and bumped me over. Phew. I thought I might get charged for that last little bit. I love doing this ride but I am not a huge fan of the fund-raising - mostly because I'm lazy about it and hope I get enough donations by sending email alone. I squeaked by this year. If we decide to do it again next year, we're really gonna have to get on the ball earlier and actually plan an event.
Anyway, back to the ride..... my husband and I drove down on Friday and met our best friend in Pine Mountain. We stayed in a cabin at the nearby state park again which is nice because we have a living rooom, kitchen and full size refrigerator. The cabin has 2 bedrooms but only one bath so that's a drawback but not a deal-breaker. Here's a picture of the living room.
We checked in and met up with our friend. We decided to head down to the street festival for the ride to see if there was anything interesting... there wasn't. Maybe if there was something we'd forgotten or if we were meeting up with the team then we'd hang out but as soon as we saw there was nothing going on we left. The challenge with this festival is that most people drive down from Atlanta on Friday afternoon and traffic is always a nightmare. We were there about 4:00 and it was empty.
So, instead, we headed to the local Piggly Wiggly to pick up some supplies. I love small, local grocery stores. We always try to stop when we go up to the cabin or backpacking. They always have interesting characters and items that you just can't find at your local Publix or Kroger. This time it was deep-fried, cajun peanuts and they're exactly what you think they are. The package said you could eat 'em, shell and all - okay, I'll give it a shot. They were crunchy and a bit stringy from the shell. They had decent flavor but I wasn't crazy about the shell and had visions of my insides being drug out from the roughage of the shells and the day before a big ride is NOT the time for that to happen so I stopped eating
them. At the Piggly Wiggly I think we also found the biggest steaks in Harris County. They were HUGE. I had to take a picture because they were that big, they dwarfed Jim's steak. (although, it's kind of hard to tell from this pic)We made dinner, prepped the bikes, hung out and headed for bed. Early the next morning we were up and all getting ready to go. I had a terrible night of sleep and my tummy was unhappy so I was less than excited about riding. We had two of my husband's coworkers also staying with us so the 5 of us got ready to ride. Getting to the start-line and in line were uneventful and we waited to start. By this time I felt better but I've decided my body does not function well on a poor night's sleep - it throws me all out of whack. (this has happened a couple times before races this year)
The big sponsors' teams, Cox and Coca-Cola, get to go first so we had to wait awhile so they could stagger everyone. I was planning to ride the 62 mile route, our friend was riding the 31 mile route and the other 4 members of our team were riding the century. I had been giving our friend a hard time trying to "encourage" him to do the 62 mile route with me. He convinced me he hadn't ridden enough so I let it go. This is the fly-over we had before the start. Yep, they're crop-dusters; gotta love Georgia. :) Actually, it was pretty cool even if they weren't jets.
Once we started, our team was (mostly) able to stay together until the 2nd break point at mile 25. We lost Jim and figured he'd stopped at the first break point and turned to the 31 mile route. Right as we were leaving he pulled in and we were excited for him! Hooray Jim! He joked that he didn't have anything else to do that day and the 31 miles is almost too short. (you wouldn't have heard that out of his mouth a year ago!) The team reached the turn off for my route and I was sad to see them go. My husband tried to convince me to do the century but I knew I didn't have the legs for it this year. That was about mile 32 or so and I was solo for the rest of the ride. I was definitely missing my paceline after that point because I knew the last 15 miles would be challenging.
After I left them, my ride was fairly uneventful. I stopped for "lunch" around 10 or 10:30 and I probably wouldn't have but wasn't sure there would be food back at the start when I got there. The last 10 miles I actually caught some of the stragglers for the 31 route and I couldn't believe it; I was at mile 50 and they were at mile 20. Wow. I knew some of them were struggling so I tried to give them encouragement as I passed, many of those hills are killer. (if you've ridden down there, you know what I'm talking about) I finally made the turn back in to Pine Mountain and the rest was downhill - Hooray, I'm finished! I had some left in the tank but was definitely happy to be done.
The rest of the team was out on the course for a couple more hours and I hung out by the team tents and at the van, waiting. My husband finally rolled in (I was starting to get worried!) and he was hurting. He said he started cramping around mile 80 and it didn't let up. He was bound and determined to finish the century this year but it put a hurtin' on him. He looked like shit when I found him; he could barely walk, he was dehydrated, and exhausted. The cramping took it's toll and it took him several days to recover and he felt back to "normal."
After the ride we headed back to the cabin, cleaned up, grilled out and hung out with our friend. We decided we weren't going to stress about getting to the ride the second day. I felt kinda guilty but I did my part and raised my money so the guilt didn't hang around long. ;) We don't get to see our friend often and it's even rarer to hang out without the girls so that was fun. We decided (well, mostly me because I did have some guilt) that if we woke up in time then we might ride on Sunday but we didn't. After the rough night on Friday night, having the good rest was wonderful.
We packed our stuff, said our good-byes and headed back to Atlanta. It was a good weekend and I'm glad we decided to do it again this year. Next year is definitely up in the air but it's not off the table. Now our friend wants to get a sponsor so we can order new jerseys and form a new team. We'll see how that pans out and then we'll make our decision about the 2010 ride.
Go Team Turnils! :)
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