Lisa's Biking Blog

The First Ride

2011-03-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

I had an epiphany today. Well, "epiphany" might be an overstatement, but it was still an unexpected insight into the inner workings of my subconscious.

I was talking with a co-worker about biking. He's totally into it. I used to be. But now I'm not sure where I stand. He was talking about his ride this weekend - first time out this season and he can't believe how out of shape he is. I mentioned that I don't know when I'll be back out there. In fact, I don't even know if I'll be back out there.

How sad, for something I used to look forward to and love, I'm now saying that I don't know if and when I'll be out there.

Anyway, at that very moment it occurred to me: If I'm to get back out on my bike again, I have to have a first ride of the season. And what happened last year during my first ride of the season? I had a very hard fall. I was lucky and have recovered well, but I still can't shake the memory.

Even though I just passed the one year "anniversary" of that day, my recovery has been prolonged by two recent root canals in teeth damaged by the accident. And next month, the plastic surgeon will remove what she believes is a piece of lingering gravel in my top lip.

To everyone else, thankfully, I look the same. But it's been hard work to get there - over 2,000 hours of wearing a steroid tape (which looks like scotch tape) on my upper lip and over 50 hours (in 10 minute increments) of lip massage, both to prevent and minimize scarring. I'm really pleased with the results, but it's still not my old face.

So there it is: the first ride is my block. I just need to figure out if and when I can get past it.

Digging Deep

2010-08-05T22:06:00.001-04:00

Okay, it's almost show time. The PMC is just 34 hours away. I'm trying to stay calm and just breathe.

I know - well, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure - that I won't have another freak bike accident sending me face first into the pavement like I did in March. But the impending weekend just stirs it all up again for me.

That pavement hurt. My face, though relatively unchanged to most people (or so they say) is still in the midst of healing. To me, my face isn't what it was, but I'm still staying hopeful as I wait to see what the next several months will bring.

Am I ready - both physically and mentally - to ride the 163 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown this weekend? Yes, I think I'm ready. I'm not in perfect form, but I'm in good enough form and I will do just fine. Not an easy admission from a lifelong perfectionist, but it is what it is. I'll do just fine.

I'm thankful to the PMC for getting me back out on my bike after my accident. It's been my primary driver and reason for riding the last several months. My participation last year taught me that not much can compete with the high of riding the PMC. The cause, the crowds along the route, the camaraderie on the road, and the knowledge that for two full days, I'm part of something big, part of the solution. It's almost overwhelming.

We ride the PMC for a higher purpose: To help fund life saving cancer treatment. I've tried to keep that in the front of my mind as I faced the fear of getting back on my bike to train. The day of my accident, I was lucky in that what happened to me could be fixed. I ride the PMC with the hope and the goal that those with cancer can also be fixed.

So as the weekend approaches, I'm trying to dig deep and just breathe. The reward of participation will make it all worth it.

Back in the Saddle

2010-06-04T22:08:00.003-04:00

So, quietly and without a lot of fanfare, I've gotten back on my bike and begun doing training rides again. Riding is still scary for me, but I'm trying to put that aside as best I can and begin enjoying the ride again.

It's interesting to look back and see how I made this progression. After my accident, I couldn't even look at my bike, let alone touch it or clean it off. Eventually, I was able to take that step and then get my bike into my car and to the repair shop.

After it was fixed, I drove around with it in my car for a few weeks. I didn't even realize I was doing this until my daughter asked why it was still in the car. It sounds funny, but I responded that I was keeping it in the car so my bike and I could be near each other. I needed to learn how to trust it again and maybe if I drove around with it in my car for a few weeks, that would help.

In fact, it did help. I then was able to get back on for a biking "light" ride with my son, as documented in my previous post.

The next challenge, which I've been told is in typical Lisa fashion, was for me to face the fear head on. So one morning when I was feeling brave, I got on my bike wearing the same clothes I had on the day of my accident and rode the route I should have finished on that unlucky day.

I had visions of what my reaction would be when I passed over "the scene". Would I stop, get off the bike and quietly remember or would I bike right over with my fist shaking in anger?

Oddly enough, a car passed by me at the exact minute I came upon "the scene", almost knocking me off the road. I just hung on and kept riding. Maybe that was for the best. I've been told I'm an overthinker and maybe I've done enough thinking about my crash.

I've been out for several more rides since, both riding alone and in groups. It's been fun and scary. It's made me anxious and calm. I'm sure my riding will be filled with conflicting emotions for a long time, maybe forever.

But for now, I'm just trying to take it one mile at a time and one ride at a time, and hoping that it will get easier.

Back On: Biking "Light"

2010-05-02T21:57:00.004-04:00

I should have mentioned this earlier, but about two weeks ago I actually got back on my bike for the first time since my accident. I knew I would need some hand holding and my 12 year old son was offering to do it.

During school vacation week, we decided to take a trip down to Lexington Center and bike along the Minuteman Bikeway, as we had done on the first day of summer vacation almost two years ago. We had a great mom and son ride that time so I thought that repeating that experience would be a nice way to ease back into the saddle. And I was right.

But before I could get back on my bike, I had to get back in my bike clothes, which I hadn't touched since my accident. This, it turned out, was just as emotional as getting back on my bike. I realized that the last time I put these clothes on I was so naive. I had no idea how hard the pavement could be. And seeing that my nice new bike jacket suffered some road rash, too, made my stomach twinge.

The act of getting back on my bike was filled with different emotions, though I couldn't wallow in them too much given I had my son along for the ride. Being back on felt familiar but scary, natural and unnatural.

It also felt a little anti-climatic, like this big huge monster fear that had been living in the back of my mind actually wasn't going to come out and strike me face first to the pavement again. Maybe it felt this way, though, because in my mind this wasn't "real" biking - it was biking "light", like going for a nice stroll through a garden. Maybe the real demons won't come out until I'm back on the road doing training rides.

But it was a step. A good step. And the first of many baby steps.

Here is a shot my son took of me during a pit stop. The shadows hide the remaining road rash and the healing scar on my face. The doctor said that I will get my old face back but it will take some time.

We picked a beautiful day and had a great mom and son ride. We took in some nice views, had a leisurely ride and had some great conversations. Thanks for getting me back in the saddle, buddy!

Repair Work: The Rider (Part II)

2010-04-19T20:54:00.002-04:00

Here it is six weeks after my accident and I'm still working on the emotional repair. It would be so much easier if my wounds hadn't been so visible.

I know I'm healing extremely well but I'm tired of feeling "marred". I look in the mirror constantly and see a face that is marred. That's all I see and I can't get past it. Flawed. Imperfect. Injured. Marred.

My upper lip and chin are still discolored, though at least they've faded to the pink hues. Although my lip still feels split to some extent, I have regained most of my lip line. But the texture on my upper lip looks suspect and I'm starting to worry the skin there will never be smooth again.

Family and friends have been so supportive through all of this and I'm so thankful for that. Most have commented on my amazing healing abilities and tell me I barely look any different than before. But I still worry. I pray I'll get my old face back exactly as it was.

Did I appreciate it enough back then? I'm sure I didn't. But I know I'll appreciate it fully if I ever get it back again.

Repair Work: The Rider (Part I)

2010-04-01T21:54:00.002-04:00

If only the repair of the rider was as simple and as painless as the repair of the bike.

But unfortunately, that's not the case. Rider recovery - both physical and emotional - has been and will continue to be a process.

Speaking purely of my physical recovery, by all accounts I'm doing extremely well. The plastic surgeon has commented on this several times. My husband has even referred to me as a "time lapse photograph": every time he looks at me, I look better and better and more like my old self. Even I, my worst critic, can see significant improvement and a light at the end of the tunnel.

I started out in pretty rough shape. As I detailed in my "Hard Fall" post, I landed face first on pavement with absolutely no warning while biking 15 mph. For my own reference, here's an inventory of the damage done in that split second:

I split my upper lip vertically all the way through, halfway up to my nose.
Four of my previously perfect top teeth were lost or chipped: I lost a top front tooth, root and all. I also chipped three more and knocked one out of place.
I had significant road rash and cuts on my chin and upper lip. More road rash also appeared on my right cheek, with cuts on my nose and neck.
My neck and jaw were stiff and painful. A few days later this pain extended itself to every bone and muscle in my body.
The swelling in my jaw joints prevented me from being able to open my mouth. It later led to painful earaches.
My right wrist and the knuckles on my right hand were swollen and blue.
I had bruises and road burns through my riding pants on the left side of both knees.

Well that's a sucky list. But again, I know it could be much, much worse. Plus, the body has amazing healing abilities and I'm doing so much better now.

My repair work began at Lawrence General Hospital, where I found myself in the capable hands of Dr. Drew Remignanti. Although there was no plastic surgeon on hand that night, he had consulted with one by phone and stitched me up with the skill and perfection that you would only find with an ER doctor who has been doing this for 30 years. I'm seeing a top Boston plastic surgeon and he has told me I got very lucky getting this ER doctor that night and I that I should write him and thank him. (That has always been my plan but I'm waiting until I have a good "after" picture to send him.)

Two oddities exist with me being paired with Dr. Drew that night: First off, his name. The only other adult "Drew" I know is also my favorite riding buddy. Second, I later learned that this doctor also graduated from my alma mater, Dartmouth College, ten years earlier. Little did I know at the time that a fellow member of the Dartmouth family had come to my aid. What a fortuitous paring.

More repair work was done by our dentist and good friend, Peter Eliopoulos. Peter actually drove up to the ER to see me, prompting Dr. Drew to remark that he's never seen a dentist ever come to the ER in his 30 years practicing. Although Peter couldn't do any treatment there, he was able to review my X rays and my jaw and let me know that fortunately, I was still in occlusion (this is a good thing). My jaw was still aligned and he could fix everything else.

Peter's presence had a huge calming effect on me and I can't thank him enough. My dental repair will be a process but I'm in very capable hands and know I will wind up with more perfect looking teeth than I had before my accident. Here's a link to Peter's office if you live in the Boston area and are ever looking for a good dentist.

All other repair work has been accomplished by the passage of time. My aches and pains are gone. My scrapes and burns have been healing My stitches are out with no evidence yet of a scar. The only thing that remains are two red and sore patches on my face - one over my lip and one on my chin. They still occasionally burn and sting, like today, so it's been a process. I've been told the redness should be gone in the next several weeks. I want my old face back but I know I have to be patient and let time heal me.

People have asked me about the pain I've experienced. It's hard to describe. I know I have an extremely high tolerance for physical pain, based on past experiences. But I also have to say that in instances of serious trauma, the body seems to have a way of capping how much pain you can feel at any one time. It also seems to slow down your mind, so that when you have multiple injuries, as I did, your attention is only able to focus on one thing at a time, prioritizing the rest in some predetermined or innate order. This really helped prevent me from having a complete breakdown when I first saw my face in a mirror at the ER.

I have such a new appreciation for the human body - my body - after this event. I'm blessed with unbreakable bones in my face and neck and wrist. And the skin I inherited from my Polish and Canadian ancestors has wonderful healing properties.

This, I'm very thankful for. I just want my old face back now. But I know I have to be patient and let time heal me.

Repair Work: The Bike

2010-03-29T21:37:00.002-04:00

This is a happy story and involves the repair of my bike.

Immediately following my accident, I had been so focused on my own repair that I forgotten the other victim of that fateful day:
my bike.

As I said earlier, for two weeks my bike sat quietly in the garage - neglected, spattered with blood, immobilized by a rogue stick locked in the front fork. A sad site indeed.

But immediately after I wiped it down and loaded into my van, I drove it to my favorite bike shop, Cycle Loft in Burlington. Although I didn't buy my bike there, I've been to the service department a few times at the recommendation of my friend Drew and always found them extremely helpful and friendly. My plan was to tell the guys briefly what happened, leave the bike there to be repaired and then go back several days later to pick it up.

Instead what happened was this: I was greeted right away by an experienced mechanic. He took my bike, put it up on the rack and began to check it out. He asked what happened. He cringed and expressed sympathy. I showed him my stitches and the teeth I lost. He pointed to the teeth he had lost in an accident. I told him I wanted to get back on but didn't know how or when. He talked about the emotions of falling, what it takes to get back on and his sense that I was the kind of rider that would get back on. He took the time and made a connection.

We talked about ten minutes as he worked. When he was finished, he introduced himself as Sean (I believe), asked me my name, shook my hand and gave me back my bike. No charge for the repair. (Fortunately - and I guess I have my face to thank for this - my bike didn't suffer too much damage in the fall). I left the shop inspired and smiling. Up until that point since my accident, I really hadn't smiled much.

Bike repair and rider therapy - exactly what my bike and I needed.

The Blood

2010-03-25T22:16:00.008-04:00

This may sound a bit morbid, but for some reason I'm still having trouble getting past the image of all the blood. My blood.

It seemed like it was everywhere after my accident: all over my riding jacket and pants, in the road, covering my sunglasses and on my bike.

Who knew facial injuries could generate so much blood?

I guess it makes sense when you think about it, though. The face is so vascular. It is also so vulnerable and so unprotected. But thankfully, probably due to how vascular it is, the face (or at least my face) heals quickly.

But back to the blood. Why can't I shake the image?

I guess part of it for me was the novelty of it all. I mean, how often do you actually see your own blood scattered about on so many different things?

And then to leave it there, staining the road, for others to see or bike past or drive over. It's such a personal thing. A life force that was inside my body is now outside my body and on display. How odd is that?

Actually, I'll admit that the blood in the road did come in handy the day immediately after my accident. We were told by the ER trauma nurse that if you lose a tooth whole, as I did, that it can often be reinserted back into place if done quickly. We didn't have the tooth and were wondering later if we had missed an opportunity.

So the next day, my husband, Ted, drove over to "the scene," as I now refer to it, followed the blood and looked for the tooth. Alas, no whole tooth, so no missed opportunity. However, he did find pieces of my teeth (here I go being morbid again) which he collected and handed to me when he returned home. This might sound odd but it was actually one of the nicest things Ted could have done for me at the time. I could see the relief on his face as he told me he couldn't stand to have parts of his wife still scattered on the streets of North Andover. In fact, that was his real motivation for going over there.

But back to the blood.

My bloody clothes were whisked off as soon as I returned home from the hospital, soaked in cold water and all evidence was washed out thoroughly. So facing them later wasn't an issue.

The blood in the road was something I knew I had to see again to help make sense of it all. Ted and I went back to "the scene" a few days later. I stood in the road and stared at the blood for several minutes. Then we got back in the car and went home. The next day it was washed away by heavy rain showers.

My sunglasses were another thing. They sat tucked away in a corner, still covered in dried blood, for almost a week before I could muster up the courage to touch them. Once I did, I quickly ran them under hot water, wiped them clean and bent them back into shape. They now await my face if I'm ever ready to use them again.

The blood on the bike was the hardest to face. Ted offered but I knew I had to do it. A full two weeks passed before I was mentally able to pull my bike out of the garage and wipe it clean. (Oddly, I found the most blood was located under my seat.) After I removed any evidence of DNA, I loaded my bike into my van and brought to the repair shop (more on that later).

So now, all evidence of my insides has been washed away or finally cleaned up. I'm hoping it won't make an appearance again any time soon.

I think I'm ready to put this image behind me now.

What If...

2010-03-20T20:36:00.004-04:00

These two words can be really powerful. They are equally capable of leading one down the path to a very dark place or to a very enlightened place.

A paradox. Much like the statement I made in my last post when I said that I was profoundly unlucky and profoundly lucky in less than an instant.

So what if? What if what?

Well, what if the worst happened?

Define worst.

Dying, brain damage, broken neck, paralyzed all come to mind. Next up would be broken jaw, crushed face bones, and nerve damage.

Okay, this is depressing. I don't like this path.

There are other what ifs, though. What if I didn't go biking that day? What if I left my house a split second sooner or later? What if I didn't stop to take the picture of the swamp? What if the car didn't pass me? What if I had ridden with a friend instead of alone? Would the stick still have been kicked up into my front fork in that very instant anyway?

And what if it didn't happen? Was I meant to fall face first on pavement at this point of my riding career to help protect me from an even worse biking accident in the future? Had I already been pushing my luck by being accident free for my first 3,450 miles? Did my accident happen so something far worse wouldn't happen when I converged on the road with the passing car and the boy on the bike at that instant in time?

I know I'm thinking too much here. Someone even told me the other day to quit thinking about it and just put it behind me. Let it go.

Yet it's only been 14 days. I still have stitches in my face and I'm still in the midst of dental repair. My neck and wrist still ache. My voice is still shaky at times. I want my old face back.

And if there were ever a time for introspection in life, wouldn't that time be now??

A small enlightened voice in my head has been asking me this:
Even though this was a freak accident, what if this was really supposed to happen to me?

What if it happened so I would realize how many wonderful people I have in my life? What if it happened so I would hear loud and clear from those wonderful people how much I really mean to them? What if it happened so that I would recognize that I have more important work left to do in life before my time is over? What if it happened so I would truly and fully appreciate all the wonderful blessings in my life, today and every day?

Those are the good what ifs. And those are the ones that I hope will stay with me long after my wounds are healed.

A Hard Fall

2010-03-16T21:57:00.010-04:00

This is one of those occasions when a picture is worth a thousand words.

I was totally taken down by a stick. Out of the blue. On a beautiful day. On my first day out for the 2010 riding season.

I had a really hard fall. Flat on my face. On very hard pavement.

Even though the picture says it all, I'm going to write those thousand words anyway. I don't care if this is too detailed, too self pitying or too self indulgent. I write this for me since I don't think I can get past this thing without writing about it. So here goes.

In less than an instant, I was profoundly unlucky and profoundly lucky.

How can that happen? I can still barely get my head around it.

Here's what I know: Saturday, March 6, was a beautiful, sunny day. I'd been looking forward to dusting off my bike and getting out there for the first time since Thanksgiving morning. My husband brought up my bike from the basement, then I spent the next hour getting myself and my bike ready. It took longer than I expected to get out of my driveway. Equipment and gear needed to be found, tires needed to be pumped, chain needed to be oiled and odometer needed to be reset for the year. And who can ever remember how to do that?

I consciously reminded myself to be on the lookout for potholes, sand and sticks given the wild weather we've had this wet winter season. Then I was off for an easy 11 mile loop.

I was feeling surprisingly strong despite being off my bike for exactly 100 days. The roads were unexpectedly clear of debris. I even stopped to take a picture of my favorite roadside image: a swamp.

I was less than two miles from home and going up the long, gradual hill that always challenges me at the end of my rides. A boy was biking up the same road as me on the opposite side. He was biking against traffic, I was biking with traffic and an oncoming car was approaching. Given the timing, I thought it would be best to speed up and pass the boy so that the oncoming car wouldn't have to drive between two adjacent bikers on a relatively narrow and windy road. Murphy's Law always seems to play out in these instances, where the road is completely clear. then traffic of all sorts comes out of nowhere and passes at exactly the same time.

So there I was. Clipped in, feeling strong, speeding up, facing forward in climb position.

The car approached. As the car passed, I heard a split second cracking noise. My front tire locked instantly. I went straight over the handlebars. And in less than a second I was down.

It's hard to describe exactly how it felt to land face first on pavement while going 15 mph with absolutely no warning.

To say that it hurt is such a profound understatement, it's almost laughable. It was one of the most violent experiences I think anyone could ever encounter without dying.

I landed on my chin and mouth. My top jaw went to the right; my bottom jaw went to the left. There were missing and broken teeth, torn skin and blood. Lots of it. In the road, on my bike, on my florescent yellow riding jacket, on my unbroken sunglasses. The pain was excruciating. I felt like the bottom half of my face was crushed in.

I rolled off my face and sat up in the road, stunned and disoriented. The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. I felt like I was in some alternate reality. Then I looked over and saw the shocked boy stopped, staring at me, not sure whether to come over or flee.

Miraculously, I was able to stand up. I dragged my bike out of the road, found my phone and manged to call my husband. I remember screaming into the phone but he tells me I was relatively calm, coherent and provided all the necessary details.

I sat by the side of the road and waited for him to drive the 1.5 miles to get me. Blood was still pouring off my face. The boy came over and handed me my thrown water bottle. A car drove by as if nothing happened. Another car stopped and asked if I was okay. The woman driver turned into a side street to stay near me until my husband came. The boy stood next to me looking like he was going into deeper shock with each passing second. I remember thanking him for his help, assuring him that my accident had nothing to do with him and then telling him he could head home.

My husband appeared and rushed over. I could barely speak but he said all the right things: We can fix this. You'll be okay. We're going to take you to the hospital. We'll take care of you.

I didn't even see the stick in my front fork until he put the bike in the car. Until that point I had no idea how I landed in the street.

We went to Lawrence General Hospital. I was seen right away. Examined, X rayed, stitched up and sent home four hours later to recover. Shockingly, I broke no bones. Not my neck, not my jaw, not any of the bones in my right cheek, not even my bruised and swollen right wrist. I was profoundly lucky.

Driving home I remember wondering if my life would be forever changed from this. Did this happen at the exact halfway point of my life, now to send me off in a different direction than I would have ever gone before? I guess I can save the philosophizing for another post.

So I've shared the picture and written the thousand words. Maybe now that it's down in print I can finally put the details of my accident behind me and focus on my recovery. Or more accurately, my recoveries - both physically and mentally.

So here it is.... 2 months later...

2009-12-28T15:06:00.005-05:00

I've been a total blog slacker. Here it is in late December, over two months since my last post.

What's my excuse for not writing? I guess the only honest answer is that I just didn't feel like it. For some reason, I couldn't get myself to write. I didn't think I had anything worthy to write about. And I'm questioning the whole blog thing - is it too self indulgent? Is it something I can seriously maintain with some regularity?

Such questions. But alas. One truth remains: I like to write.

Who says I always have to write on a regular schedule? Who says I always have to make it interesting? Who says I always have to be articulate? Who says - on some subconscious level - that I need to prove my Ivy League education by creating frequent, creative and insightful missives?

Who says? Well, I guess that would be me. I really need to stop this over-thinking about my under-writing. It's just total brain clutter. And it's not good for my writing.

Enough rambling. Here's some news:

I met my 2000 mile biking goal this season! I barely squeaked in the last 28 miles on Thanksgiving Day and my bike is now safely tucked away for the season.

In the interim, my 13 year old daughter and I joined a gym for the next few months to build our strength before my next biking and her soccer and lacrosse seasons start. So far, it's been really fun mother/daughter time. I've been feeling that good sore when you've really pushed the weight machines.

And surprisingly - and I can't believe I'm saying this out loud - I don't miss my bike at all. Sometimes, you just need a break. Just as I did, apparently, with my writing.

Fall Splendor

2009-10-27T06:59:00.005-04:00

This is what it's all about. The leaves have been spectacular this year, most likely due in part to such a rainy June.

I love biking through a canopy of fall leaves when I'm out there on the road. The color, the feel, the smell - I love everything about it. Being out on the road helps ensure I enjoy this fleeting season before the leaves fall away.

What I've Been Doing on My Blog Vacation

2009-10-18T12:01:00.001-04:00

Well I guess I dropped off the blog scene for 2 months. No updates, no pictures, no nothing. How did that happen?

All I can say is that sometimes life gets so busy that you neglect to do the things that keep you healthy and sane, like sleeping enough, eating right, exercising, connecting with friends and for me, blogging. Actually, other than biking 430 miles since my last blog post, I've done very little of the above in the last several weeks.

So what have I done since August 17?

I actually did get up at 6 a.m. the day after my last blog post and rode my old morning route. I had forgotten what a great way to start the day that is.
I rode the Seacoast Century again this year. The day was as fun and beautiful as last year.
I've been doing the family thing - spent a week in Chatham, celebrated my 15th wedding anniversary, and helped get the kids settled in school and sports schedules.
And finally, I've been grinding it out at work, putting in more hours than I should as I try to transition into yet another new role with my company.

My big push for biking right now is to log in 2000 miles this season. I have 240 more miles to go to get there. And although the finish line to this goal isn't too far away, my ability to fit in rides longer than 20 miles at a time is dwindling as we make our way through fall.

I'm going to get there, though. Because this goal - in addition to riding my very first Pan Mass Challenge - has been the main motivator to my riding this season.

Morning Inspiration

2009-08-17T21:27:00.005-04:00

When in a lull - and, sadly, I AM in a lull - I've found it's always helpful to post a picture to inspire me.

This is at the midway point of an 18 mile morning ride I used to do regularly last summer before work. Maybe this view will motivate me to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, get out on my bike and start the day off right.

Post PMC Blues...

2009-08-13T20:46:00.005-04:00

A funny thing has happened to me since the PMC.

I've been in a bit of a slump with my riding. My energy is low, my speed is not what it should be and my focus is a bit off.

I guess that's only natural in the days following what I would categorize as one of the top 10 most rewarding events of my life to date.

The transition back to the real world after the PMC was interesting. I was on a total high coming off the boat from Provincetown - full of memories, excitement, emotion, pride and physical exhaustion from the event.

That translated the next day to total bike brain fog. I was a complete space shot, unable to concentrate or multitask. That happens when you are in the zone with your riding, though. All that is important is the next 10 feet in front of you.

It took a full 24 hours for the fog to clear and I started feeling back to normal. I had no real physical issues to recover from, only the initial pain of getting the lactic acid out of my legs on my first ride back on my bike.

It was really just the mental recovery that I had to deal with. And that's what's slumping my riding, I'm quite sure.

I'll get my groove back soon, I'm certain. In fact, my husband just told me he was so inspired by my PMC experience that he wants to buy a bike, train with me and do the PMC next year. Now there's motivation!

Living the PMC

2009-08-04T06:38:00.022-04:00

What can I say about my very first Pan-Mass Challenge? How can I actually describe one of the most inspirational, emotional and physically challenging experiences I've ever had?

The only thing that comes to mind is to list the thoughts and images that will stick in my mind for years to come.

163 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown. Two days. 10.5 hours of ride time.
Riding with PMC veteran and friend, Sue, who helped make this experience so special.
Sharing the road with 5000+ fellow riders and new friends, like second day riding buddy, Laurie, in the biggest athletic fundraiser in the country.
Feeling like a hero for the weekend, with thousands and thousands of cancer survivors, family members and supporters cheering us on alongside the road.
Seeing signs saying, "Thank you for saving my life!"
Riding alongside pictures of the PMC Pedal Partners, children who are receiving advanced treatment at the Jimmy Fund Clinic.
Seeing the best in humanity - people so polite and thankful, riders and bystanders looking out for each other.
Passing a group of supporters at the wee hour of 5:30 a.m., cheering us on as we came off the Bourne bridge.
Hearing my name yelled out while going by (forgetting that my bike was tagged with my name)
Young and old saying, "Thank you so much for riding. Thank you so much for doing what you are doing."
Riding with tears in my eyes and so full of emotion
Having my daughter, her friend and her friend's mom come cheer me on.
Hearing the cheers and shouts from what seemed like a few hundred teens from the camp in Brewster.
Seeing the pictures on the back of riding shirts of children, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, and other loved ones who are battling cancer or who have battled and lost.
Getting goosebumps from the multiple bag pipe players serenading us on both days
Feeling like Lance Armstrong in the pelaton, zooming down a hill pushing 30 mph with dozens of other riders.
Struggling up the sweltering big hills in the dunes of Provincetown, knowing the finish line was only a few miles away.
Hanging with my friend Drew, who inspired me to ride this event, and my former college classmate, John, who helped motivate me to actually do it.
Running into other friends and those I didn't know I'd see.
The fun and celebration of the party boat home - a frat party like no other with 900 new found friends
And most importantly, the $30M (hopefully - the final numbers still aren't in yet) for cancer research and treatment.

Taking pictures of the actual ride itself was next to impossible given the dynamics of group riding. But here are some highlights at various stops along the way.

The 7:00 a.m. Wellesley start.

Me and riding buddy and 10 year PMC veteran, Sue.

With good friend Drew, a 17 year PMC veteran.

Sue checking out the ice bag chairs on day two.

Me and my daughter Erin, who actually got up early on a summer day to cheer on her mom!Friend and former classmate, John, who unknowingly sat down next to me at lunch the first day amidst 2000 riders.
Billy Starr, PMC founder and master of ceremonies, welcoming us aboard the party boat home from Ptown to Boston.The band totally rocked the boat for the three hour trip.

Getting a hero's welcome entering Boston Harbor.

Thank you so much for all who sponsored me. I couldn't have done it without you and your support!

It was such an honor and a privilege to ride and be part of something so important. It was a profound experience and the memories will live on in my mind for years to come.

In Memory and In Honor

2009-07-30T05:29:00.000-04:00

Why am I riding in the Pan-Mass Challenge for the first time this year? What's my motivation?

I ride in memory and in honor of the following family and friends:

This is my Aunt Doris, whose life was cut short by ovarian cancer in 2005. Although we lived many miles apart, she was always my favorite aunt - so warm, loving and generous. She lives on in our hearts and memories.

I also ride in memory of friend and fellow mom Carol, who was taken too young from her family in 2007. She was a loving wife and mother and a gentle soul. Through her death, Carol taught us all about life.

Finally, I ride in honor of my friend Tim. His is a survival story. Diagnosed last year with stage III colon cancer, he is now cancer-free due to early detection and targeted treatment. His battle taught me all about resilience in the face of life's unexpected and unfair turns.

Riding the PMC is my way of supporting the fight against cancer. The challenge of riding 165 miles pales in comparison to the battle these three and so many others have faced.

But hopefully, every mile will take us closer to a cure for cancer.

Pre-PMC Stats

2009-07-28T18:55:00.002-04:00

I like numbers. Almost too much, some would say. Here are my stats so far this season:

Total number of miles ridden: 1110

Longest ride: 70

Hours of ride time : 72+

Typical average speed: 15-16 mph

Fastest speed: 32 mph (I'm a wimp!)

Number of rides: 55

Number of dropped water bottles: 1

Number of close calls with clueless drivers: 2

Number of times I've inadvertently given myself a flat tire: 3

I hope to ride at least 900 more miles before the season ends this year, so I'm more than halfway there. Either way though, I feel physically strong and mentally ready for the PMC this weekend.

Final Push

2009-07-27T18:26:00.007-04:00

Yesterday I did my last big training ride before the PMC. I rode in the Cycle for Shelter which supports Emmaus, Inc, a non-profit organization providing housing and services to the homeless in Haverhill. I rode in this event last year and really enjoyed it.

My initial plan was to ride the 100 mile course with a friend. But ultimately, given a variety of circumstances, I wound up solo riding "just" 62 miles, or a 100 km.

It was a beautiful course up into NH and along the coast of Hampton, Rye and inland towards Exeter. Here's one shot I took along Rt. 1A in North Hampton, which I was rode on just a few short weeks ago.

Initially, I thought I'd be dealing with thunderstorms given the forecast. Thankfully, the course successfully dodged them but it turned out to be an absolutely sweltering day as you can see from the haze.

I had a great ride but came to the realization that any solo ride over 60-70 miles is too long. I like company for these big efforts! Thankfully, I'll have plenty of company to look forward to this coming weekend at the PMC.

Hitting 1000

2009-07-21T06:00:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I passed the 1000 mile mark. That was my mileage goal to get to the PMC and I'm happy to report I met it 2 weeks early.

My plan is to reach 2000 by the end of the season. Hopefully continued motivation, strong legs and good weather will help pull me through.

Swamped

2009-07-19T22:18:00.002-04:00

What can I say? I just like swamps.

Solo 70 Miler along the Coast

2009-07-15T05:08:00.017-04:00

In keeping with the ocean theme I have going, yesterday I did something totally fun. I took the day off from work and instead of sleeping late, relaxing and puttering around the house, I went for a 70 mile bike ride up and down the New Hampshire and Maine coastline under glorious blue skies all by myself.

I thought I might have had a riding buddy or two but when that didn't pan out, I started teetering about if I should go or not. I mean really, what was I thinking? But thankfully, I got myself up and out the door by 7:00 a.m. before I could fully talk myself out of it.

Basically my ride was this: I parked at Hampton Beach, hopped on my bike and rode up the coast 35 miles and back to the beautiful Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach, Maine. This particular route was a leg of the Seacoast Century I did last September and I was looking forward to trying it again.

The route took me through Hampton, North Hampton, Rye, Portsmouth, Kittery, ME, and York. And although it was generally a flat route, it still had its share of challenges: dodging open car doors and pedestrians near the beaches, crossing metal grated bridges, navigating (and getting slightly lost on) the streets of downtown Portsmouth, and some strong cross and head winds to contend with on the way back. There was even a roundabout thrown in for good measure and multiple open ice cream stands, which I successfully managed to bypass (though I would have been SO there if the lines weren't so long).

Overall, it was a beautiful ride on a beautiful day and I'm so glad I pushed myself out the door to do it. Here are a few more pictures from the route. The above shot is from York Beach looking out at Nubble Lighthouse in the distance.

Total ride time: just over 4.5 hours. I'll be doing this route again during the century in September and I'm looking forward to having some company - and maybe some ice cream - next time.

Oceanside Eye Candy

2009-07-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

This image I spotted in Newburyport while biking made me stop and turn around. Ahh...the sites and smells of the ocean.

PMC - 3 Weeks and Counting....

2009-07-11T20:30:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it. Just three weeks from today I will be in Bourne celebrating after riding the first day of the PMC.

Time has really flown by this biking season though I'm not sure why. The weather has been the pits - long stretches of rain and the coldest temperatures recorded in 103 years. But that hasn't stopped me from getting out there on my bike to train! Well, actually it has at times, but I am making good progress. And just in the past two weeks alone I've managed to get in over 230 miles.

Just back from a 57 mile solo ride up to Newburyport today. Had a quick visit with a friend and made a pit stop at Plum Island to check out the beach. What a gorgeous day.

Somehow on my way home I missed the turn I wanted to take so this added a few extra miles. Getting lost seems to be a theme for me this year. More on that later.

For now, I'm going to put up my weary feet and settle in for a nice glass of wine.

PMC - 58 Days and Counting...

2009-06-04T21:06:00.007-04:00

I've been really lax about updating my blog lately. I just can't seem to fit in in.

Thankfully, though, I've been out on my bike training for the PMC, which is the most important thing. Especially given that it's just 58 short days away.

To date this season, I've ridden 515 miles over 29 rides. My average ride is under 20 miles - shorter than last season but at least I'm getting out on my bike more frequently.

Some short term goals:

Pick up the pace in terms of mileage and do at least 60-80 miles per week going forward
Do a few significant back to back rides so that getting up and out on my bike at 5:30 a.m. for a second 80 mile day won't be a total shock to my body
Learn some basic bike maintenance so I won't feel so inept if my tire goes flat or my chain continues to squeak
And one last one just for grins.... my perpetual goal to lose just 5 more pounds.....

Capture the Moment

2009-05-09T10:48:00.004-04:00

So you might be asking... why do you have a picture of dead daffodils on your blog page?

It's actually quite clear. Sometimes the simplest of images convey the most powerful of truths.

These are the same flowers as those pictured in my preceding post, but just one week later. Beautiful flowers one day, dead flowers just 7 days later. I was so glad I had actually paid attention enough to stop and enjoy them in all their beauty the first time I went by, since only a week later they were gone.

This happens a lot in life. Every day we are presented with opportunities to enjoy the beauty of nature, a connection with someone, a chance to learn something new or to see things differently. Sometimes these opportunities are obvious, sometimes they are subtle.

But if you pay attention, if you stop and pause, if you take that chance and say what's in your heart, if you turn back to take the picture, you'll capture that moment. And a day, a week, a month, a year later, you might just be glad you did.

Spring into Summer

2009-05-01T20:15:00.005-04:00

Well, for all the complaining I did about how long the winter was, last weekend we seemed to bypass spring altogether and jump right into summer. Temps were in the 80s - perfect training weather for the PMC, which is smack dab in the middle of the high heat of summer. I love it.

Here's evidence that the winter has finally left us. Now the roadside view gets more interesting and colorful.

100 Days and Counting....

2009-04-24T05:05:00.001-04:00

The Pan Mass Challenge is exactly 100 days away!!

And speaking of 100, I finished the second 100 miles in my training. Thankfully, it was easier than the first.

Kickin' Butt

2009-04-22T05:45:00.000-04:00

My butt, that is... This past weekend I got out for two back to back power rides - 40 miles on Saturday and just under 30 on Sunday.

I had my first of the season wind-free day on Saturday, taking a nice rural route through North Andover, Boxford, Topsfield, Hamilton, Ipswich and back. What a pleasure. Here's a picture of the church in Topsfield Center.

On Sunday I went out and back to Byfield to watch my son's lacrosse game. The route back takes me up one of the biggest monster hills in the area. It almost sucked the life out of me as I tried to maintain a speed of at least 5 mph so I wouldn't fall off my bike. Thankfully, I made it and was rewarded with a 31 mph sprint down the backside. But clearly I need more uphill work.

I hope to eventually work up to 7 - 9 hours per week as the spring progresses and we move into summer. This weekend I was on the bike almost 5 hours, so I'll be in good shape if I can repeat this formula in addition to some lighter weekday rides.

PMC Freshman Orientation

2009-04-20T21:04:00.004-04:00

Last week I attended the Pan Mass Challenge "Freshman Orientation". This event was planned for newbies like me to learn all about the PMC.

Founder Billy Starr kicked off the presentation and was followed by enthusiastic speakers on things like fundraising, training, safety, nutrition, logistics, and anything else you'd want to know if you were doing this event for the first time. It was very informative and I'm so glad I went.

The highlight of the night for me was seeing the videos about why the PMC was started, why people do it, and the impact it has made in people's lives. I'm not embarrassed to say that I was openly weeping during certain clips.

I knew I was in for a big physical challenge when I signed up for this. I also knew I was supporting a great cause.

But I had no idea of how being a part of something this big - this huge - might affect me. I think I got a glimpse of it as I was watching the videos, wiping my eyes. Now I can't wait to live it.

A Swamp Thing

2009-04-11T21:52:00.006-04:00

Ah, another swamp picture.

I never really had a thing for swamps before I started riding. But I sure seem to take a lot of pictures of them.

I don't know why that is. Maybe I just happen to pass a lot of swamps on my rides. Or maybe there are just a lot of swamps out there.

Whatever the reason, they always catch my eye and give me a few moments of quiet tranquility.

The First 100

2009-04-07T18:49:00.002-04:00

I've got the first 100 miles of training under my belt and all I have to say is this: Boy, was I out of shape!

These initial miles have felt so hard. I'd like to say it is because I've chosen hilly routes on excessively raw and windy days (which I think I have). But unfortunately, I think it's simply because I'm out of biking shape.

Why is it that it takes so long to build, but then falls off so fast? That's just not right. Plus, it seems that being in shape in other ways, like through running or walking regularly, doesn't really do much in the bike shape department.

All I know is this can't have anything to do with getting older, right?

The only choice here, though, is to get my butt back out there regulary and keep pushing forward. And just maybe, the second 100 won't be as hard as the first.

The Memory of Winter

2009-04-04T21:20:00.001-04:00

I complained a lot about the cold this winter. But occassionally I did stop to appreciate its quiet serenity, like this roadside scene from my first ride of the season last month.

My blog as a "word cloud"

2009-03-31T06:30:00.001-04:00

I saw this on my friend John's blog and thought it was so cool. Wordle is a free service that automatically creates "word clouds" from words in a list, a web page or a blog. The words that are bigger are those that occur more frequently in the list or blog.

Here is a Wordle of my blog.

Check it out larger by clicking here.

The 2009 Training Season has Begun!

2009-03-29T14:21:00.005-04:00

Okay, enough dilly dallying and lollygagging. It's finally bike season!

It can't come soon enough for me. This winter was long, cold, icy and pretty depressing at times. But all that is behind us now and we finally have clear roads and the promise of sunny skies, warmer temps and flowering trees to look forward to.

I've been out four times this season so far - 10, 11, 20 and 32.5 miles respectively. The latter I did yesterday and I actually woke up at 4:30 a.m. with very sore leg muscles, from my ankles to my butt. I think I may have been a little overly ambitious but that kind of sore is a good thing and I actually welcome the pain. It's time to shed that winter layer!

The plan for me this year is to ride at least 2000 miles (which is roughly 60 miles per week). I'm also committed to three organized rides this summer:

Pan Mass Challenge (163 miles)
Cycle for Shelter (100 miles)
Seacoast Century (100 miles - a repeat of my first century from last year)

I've also decided I'm just going to focus on getting the miles in, whether that be in several little bursts (like lunchtime) or longer stretches on weekends. I'm also not going to harp on my speed (or lack thereof). I'm just going to get out there and ride.

So stay tuned! More biking adventures to follow...

PMC - I'm In!

2009-01-20T22:02:00.006-05:00

Okay, here's some news. Today I signed up to ride the Pan Mass Challenge in August!

I'll be riding the two day course from Wellesley to Provincetown with my friend Sue. I wasn't sure about doing this ride last month, as I mentioned in a previous post. But the pull to do it was too strong to resist.

So now I'm committed. I can't wait to be part of this special event to support such a great cause.

Dry Spell

2009-01-17T16:09:00.006-05:00

Okay, I think it's obvious I'm going through a little dry spell here.

Not much blog material of late since there's been no biking, no running, no concerts and no exciting adventures to write about. I think I've also got an unintentional winter hibernation thing going during these icy, cold, dark January days.

When I've got something fun or interesting to share, I'll be sure to write about it. Until then, bring on spring!!

Winter Undying

2009-01-11T10:13:00.004-05:00

Here it is the day after yet another big snowstorm in New England.

This peaceful view is from our back porch overlooking our small pet cemetery where Reggie the cat, Rosie the hamster and Bubbles the cockatiel have all been laid to rest. Quite a serene spot, especially in the winter.

New Year Vision

2009-01-06T22:24:00.005-05:00

Because I read too many Oprah magazines during my vacation .... and because I had too much time on my hands.... and because I recently stumbled upon the quote, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there," I decided to take my goal setting very seriously for the new year.

So seriously, in fact, that over vacation I actually created a poster size visual depiction of my goals with themes and pictures and it's now framed and located above the computer I'm typing from right now.

I know. At some level this is laughable. But I love this kind of stuff. It appeals to my undeniable need for order and organization in my life. And it also gives me the illusion of control.

So here I have my 2009 "vision board", a work of art (to use the phrase loosely) depicting my hopes and dreams for 2009.

The themes of my goals are relatively generic and simple and shared by most. The thing that is so powerful, though, is seeing a visual depiction - rather than a written list - of those goals. It's really quite empowering, actually.

Fitness is one of my main themes, not suprisingly, and I'm planning some big things in 2009 to take my biking to the next level.

One of which is a 2000 mile goal for the year. I rode 1430 in 2008, but I started a bit late in mid May and it took a while to build up my weekly mileage. Maybe since I stated this goal out loud, it will now be as achievable as my first century.

It remains to be seen whether my vision board will be effective or not. But I'm hoping that by seeing a graphical depiction of my goals on a regular basis, it will help make my vision for my life a reality in 2009.

Speaking of vacations...

2009-01-04T21:05:00.005-05:00

I mentioned in my last post that one of the things I did during my "staycation" was to book the next real family vacation for April. We were excited to head back to the Florida Keys to the beautiful Cheeca Lodge, where we enjoyed several days last April. I posted a few pictures from the area here last month.

Well how freaky is this? The day after I booked our vacation I found out the Cheeca had a major fire on New Year's Eve - the worst on the Keys in 20 years. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the hotel is closed indefinitely for repairs, which are estimated to be in the millions. How scary. And what a huge bummer.

So on to plan B, which we are still formulating. One radical idea floating in our family is to forgo the family vacation altogether this year and buy a used bass boat so our son can continue his obsession and passion for fishing.

This would be a funny turn of events given that for years, my husband and I always said we'd never buy a boat. Never say never, as I said before. Or at least, not yet.

My Wonderful "Staycation"

2009-01-01T20:01:00.016-05:00

I've made several references to the word "vacation" during my recent blog posts. December has been a stressful month. Well, more like Q4 has been a stressful quarter. Thankfully, though, a relaxing vacation is what I finally got.

For the price of just 4 vacation days, I hit the jackpot with almost two full weeks off from work. From the time I walked out of the office on December 23 until the time I walk in on January 5, my work life has gone on temporary shutdown. How great is that?

So where did I go on my vacation? Here's the best part - nowhere. I had a "staycation", which Urban Dictonary defines as "A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." And enjoy I did.

After a hectic but fun Christmas holiday, I segued into one of the most productive, relaxing and enjoyable periods of time this year.

I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but here is some of the fun I had during my staycation:

Slept almost every day until 10:00
Had the best dreams just about every night
Hung with my family and hung with some friends
Ran and walked our dog several times
Cleaned the entire house top to bottom
Created a full year budget for 2009
Booked our family's next real vacation in April
Put away all the Christmas decorations and updated my Christmas binder for next year
Drank some great vodka - Zyr and Imperia (both Vegas finds)
Watched football, hockey and my new personal finance fave, Dave Ramsey
Watched 5 episodes of Lost (in an effort to catch up before Season 5 starts)
Finally finished 13 back issues of the Oprah magazine. (I think the weight of these equals the 40 pounds Oprah confessed to gaining in her latest issue)
Made a personal "vision board" for 2009. (I know this sounds hokey, but I love this stuff. More on this in a future blog post.)
Organized all my digital photos for 2008
Got a new home computer, loaded all my programs and reorganized all my data files
Sold some furniture on Craigslist we've been meaning to sell all year
Signed up on Facebook (not really sure why...)
Made a home cooked meal for my immediate family (I don't like to admit this, but I typically only cook for company).
Smiled every day

I know this all doesn't sound like it was a fun time but this was one of the best vacations I've had in a while. And it's not over yet - I still have 3 days left!

Clearing all the crap off my to do list and decluttering my mind and home goes a very long way in reducing my stress level.

Just what the doctor ordered. And just how I want to start 2009.

Another pet picture

2008-12-28T20:17:00.005-05:00

Here's our cat Joey getting in the holiday spirit.

Okay, clearly I'm running out of material... I'm crossing my fingers for an epiphany before year end.

Let It Snow...

2008-12-21T18:31:00.006-05:00

Cassi is wondering ...what happened to my doghouse? And when is it going to stop snowing?

Though I guess it is appropriate weather for the first official day of winter...

Mid Week Eye Candy

2008-12-17T23:55:00.007-05:00

This has been one of those weeks where every waking hour has been spent on work. Big time bummer. So, as far as material for my blog goes, I got nothin'.

I'm learning, though, that when you've got nothin', it's time for a picture. And here's a good one. This is a shot of the beautiful hand blown glass flowers hanging in the ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel lobby in Las Vegas. I took it during a recent mini vacation as we strolled down the strip.

See, there's that word, "vacation", again...

And Another

2008-12-12T05:56:00.000-05:00

Here's another "wish I were there" shot from the same area.
~ sigh~
Is it time for vacation yet?

Random Picture Day

2008-12-10T19:36:00.006-05:00

Just digging through my digital photo album from 2008 in search of the perfect Christmas card picture and stumbled upon this. I took this while sipping cocktails in Islamorada, FL, during April vacation - just a few short weeks before I began my biking endeavor.

I don't know about you but I want to be here right now - especially as we approach the first snow/icy mix event of the season.

Calling it a Season

2008-12-08T05:45:00.001-05:00

Since I like beginnings, middles and ends, I've decided I need to call an official end to my biking season for 2008.

I haven't been on my bike in 5 weeks (since November 2) for a variety of reasons - some legitimate, some not. So this weekend, my husband packed my bike safely away for the winter and I'm calling it a season.

Total miles for 2008: 1,430

It would have been nice to make it to 1,500 miles or more but I was a newbie and I didn't start until mid May. Maybe that can be one of my goals for next year.

Here's my end of season picture in the cool racing jacket that I got as a gift from our friend, Doug. I wanted to get a pic of me wearing it while I was actually biking, but it just didn't happen. Maybe next year....Until then, I'm officially switching to running for the winter. Depending on the weather and my motivation level, we'll see how it goes...

To PMC or Not To PMC

2008-12-05T06:55:00.001-05:00

I'm referring, of course, to the Pan Mass Challenge, the massive bike riding fundraiser for the Jimmy Fund. Should I go for it next August or not?

I said in a previous post that I am a PMC rider wannabe. Sign ups are in mid January for the limited openings for first time riders. If I'm lucky and on the ball, I'll get a spot for the very popular two day ride from Wellesley to Provincetown with my friend Sue, who has ridden it several times in the past.

Biking two long rides back to back will be a challenge. But the bigger challenge, unfortunately, is the $4,200 minimum fundraising requirement. That's pretty steep, especially in this economy. And if I can't raise that amount, the balance goes on my credit card. Ouch.

Something to think about during the next month. But if I don't go for it, at least I know there are plenty of other great riding opportunities awaiting me in 2009.

Never Say Never Wish List

2008-12-03T06:25:00.004-05:00

As a follow up to my Never Say Never post, I thought I would make another list. These are the nevers I have been known to say but are not yet proven evidence of the "never say never" principle. That is, they unfortunately still ring true.

I find this annoying. Sometimes I'd prefer if the "never say never" principle was applied uniformly and did not discriminate against certain nevers.

Perhaps the mere act of putting them in writing will stir the powers that be to invoke the "never say never" principle to my list below:

I will never accomplish all the things on my to do list
I will never look totally hot in a bikini
I will never make too much money
I will never do absolutely nothing for one whole day
I will never watch all the shows I've recorded on my DVR
I will never have to dye my hair again
I will never write a book
I will never finish reading all the books on my nightstand
I will never be up to date with all of my photo albums

And here are a few thrown in for the benefit of my husband:

I will never stop back seat driving
I will never learn how to operate the power tractor
I will never stop being right

There. I've said them out loud. Keep your fingers crossed. With any luck, I'll be able to report back soon with further proof that you should "never say never."

Never Say Never

2008-12-01T05:50:00.003-05:00

File this under things I think about when I'm biking (or running or listening to music or doing nothing in particular):

The expression - "Never say Never" - has tripped me up a few times in my life. Sometimes for the good, sometimes for the not so good. But I think I'm getting wiser as the years go by. That is, I'm learning to never say never. Or at least when I do, I catch myself and try to rephrase.

Because often, you see, "never" isn't really never. As proof of my theory, here is a smattering of things I've said "never" to that really weren't never:

I'll never drive a minivan - I've been driving one for 8 years now. Despite adding a few personal touches (as those who have seen it know), the fact remains that I still drive a minivan.
I'll never get a dog - We've had a great golden retriever named Cassi in our family for the past 6+ years. Despite a very scary close call at age 9 with an unleashed, poorly trained attack dog, I actually agreed to get a dog and now go so far as to describe myself as a "dog person".
I'll never go back to work full time until my kids go to college - My three year anniversary of full time employment was two days ago.
I'll never be a morning person - Here's evidence to the contrary.
I'll never be able to bike 100 miles in one day - More evidence to the contrary.
I'll never eat sushi - One of my favorite restaurants is Sushi Inaka.
I'll never be friends with my ex-boyfriend - I now consider him one of my oldest friends.
I'll never understand statistics - I can now explain the difference between R squared and R squared adjusted in the unlikely event that anyone is interested.
I'll never listen to KISS 108 - Not by choice, but this is one unfortunate reality of having 12 year old daughter.

These are the some of the nevers I'll admit to publicly that have taught me to never say never. Of course, there is a whole host of nevers that I'll never admit to here. Wait, let me rephase that...

Feaster Five Miler

2008-11-28T12:06:00.017-05:00

On Thanksgiving Day, I decided to brave a crowd of over 8000 people and run the Feaster Five in Andover. I'm not really sure why I decided to do this. The idea just sort of popped into my head. Shortly thereafter, I found myself driving over to register, signing up and getting a number. Then on Thanksgiving morning, I found myself at the starting line in my running shoes in the cold with 8000 other people.

Wondering ... why did I decide to do this again?

But, you know, sometimes you have to just do these things without giving them too much thought.

No surprise, but it was a really fun time and I am so glad I did it. The people cheering on the sidelines were great and I really appreciated the few small brass bands strategically placed along the course. The event was also well organized and everyone was in a friendly and happy mood. Plus, it was an excellent workout before a big Thanksgiving meal.

I've actually done the Feaster Five before back in 1999 and 2001 - both times running the 5K. After 2001, though, I decided I wouldn't do it again (I think because of the crowds, cold and huge traffic jams).
But I'm glad I gave it another try this year. And I'm glad I went for the 5 mile route instead of the 5K. It gave me the opportunity to accomplish another "first" this year, since I've never run further than 3.2 miles in any type of organized race. It probably would have helped my time significantly had I actually trained for this event, but my pace wasn't bad for me and given the crowds.

The Feaster Five was a great way to start my Thanksgiving Day this year. Plus, the 5 mile run turned out to be a cake walk compared to the 10 hour cooking and cleaning marathon that soon followed...

Endurance Carryover

2008-11-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a nice thing I just discovered. I think the endurance I gained from biking long distances has now carried over to running.

I tested this theory on Sunday by going out and trying to run the same route I did in my Forrest Gump Moment post. I had thought that run was a total fluke because at about 6 miles, it is 3 times longer than I typically run at any given time. (In fact, for the last few years, my "runs" could more accurately be described as a "run/walks.")

But today I ran the same exact route again without stopping. I even shaved a few minutes off my last time. And I didn't even have anything to run from like I did last weekend (a boatload of work). Granted, I only have two data points to prove this theory but it's looking pretty promising.

Biking and running use such different muscles but it's nice to know that the endurance may have carried over. One more thing for me to add to the growing list of the side benefits of biking.

Walk in The Woods

2008-11-23T18:30:00.000-05:00

Today I went out in the woods with Cassi, our six year old golden and one of my favorite exercise companions. Let me just start out by saying it was totally freezing out (20 degrees with strong winds) and as usual I was under dressed (no hat, no gloves, not enough layers). But I needed to get Cassi out for some exercise off lead today, regardless of the weather. And the conservation land in my town is the perfect spot.

Cassi, who has always been a total ball of energy, full of life dog, is going through the hard work of recovering from an unexplained spinal infection that began in September. It started with excessive paw licking, progressed to total lameness of one paw, and ultimately resulted in an inability to walk more than a few steps without staggering. Rock bottom was when she fell down the stairs one morning after waking up.

After an MRI, spinal tap and numerous tests with specialists - I can't even say out loud how much we spent on her - the conclusion is that she has/had some type of spinal cord disease. Why she got it has never been determined, but I have a sinking feeling that she may have contracted it from something in the woods during our annual summer camping trip this past August. That would be very sad indeed since it's her absolute favorite place on earth.

Fortunately, she has made major improvements in the last three months and is steadily improving. She's now back to some of her usual antics - barking at people, sniffing out squirrels, trotting through the woods. But she doesn't have the get up and go she used to. And she's not quite the "sassy Cassi" that we've known and loved for the past six years.

The doctor is not sure if she will ever fully recover but we're hoping and praying that with a steady diet of love, exercise and medicine, we'll get our crazy dog back in all her glory at some point very soon.

Still Philosophizing...

2008-11-20T23:30:00.004-05:00

Okay, I went deep with my last post so I'm going deeper.

Claudia mentioned in her comment that how you define "good music" might help bridge the gap between the two outlooks on life that I debated on Tuesday.

Let's start with "great music". To me, that's all about passion, energy, connection, endorphins, and being in sync with your heart's desire. "Good music" is a step down - all the same things but not as intense. "Bad music" sounds bad, feels bad and is bad. By it's very nature, it often demands to be turned off. So to me, no music is better than bad music.

Hopefully, "doing your duty" goes hand in hand with listening to great music (thereby squashing the whole "never mind your happiness" part of Drucker's quote).

My friend AJ, who is a life coach, philosopher and writer, replied to my post via email. I think he sums it up well in the below quote:

"In my view, the "art" of balance is to recognize that doing your "duty" is not in competition with your passion/love for music. Doing you "duty" does not need to be hard, or work, or a struggle. If doing your "duty" is rooted in joy and passion for others (rather than obligation to others) then it is a source of energy and vitality. By making good music a means for establishing and strengthening your connection with your children, friends and community - you can be doing your duty while embracing music. If your love for music weakens your ties with the same people, then the balance is lost." (Thanks for the insight, AJ.)

Bottom line for me: a responsible life filled with great - or at least good - music is a very happy life indeed. And if your playlist just isn't doing it for you anymore, it may be time to discover new music, rediscover old faves, shuffle the songs and get the good tunes rolling again.

Philosophizing

2008-11-18T22:10:00.013-05:00

I think a lot when I bike. Biking long distances is very meditative and, depending on the route, offers some good quality think time. Even though I haven't been logging many miles on my bike lately, I have been thinking a lot (since I am, after all, a classic overthinker, as I've confessed before).

Well then. Here is what I've been pondering lately - and I warn you, this may sound "out there".

This past week, I've been trying to rectify these two perspectives on life:

1) "Life is too short to waste time listening to bad music," said by yours truly; and
2) "Never mind your happiness; do your duty," said by Peter Drucker, renowned management guru.

I know it may be a stretch to call Number 1 a perspective on life. But think about it conceptually. Why waste time listening to bad music when there is so much good music out there? Substitute the analogy to music with any number of things and you get the picture.

This really has to do with the whole 'life is short' mentality. You never know how much time you have so you better have fun, take chances, do the things you love and really live your life. I've been learning to embrace this philosophy more and more the older I get and the more good music I listen to.

On to Number 2, which I first read last weekend when I was searching for quotes by Peter Drucker (long story). Anyway, when I stumbled on this one - "Never mind your happiness; do your duty," - it literally felt like someone threw cold water on my face. How stark. And where's the fun in that?

But you know the really annoying thing? After I thought about it I realized he is right to a large extent. Sometimes you just have to turn off the music and do what's required. And when you have that mentality, some decisions are really easy to make.

Both philosophies can have their downfalls if taken to the extreme. So the question I've been trying to answer now is how you do both. Hopefully, if you can strike a good balance between the two, you'll be able to do your duty while wasting as little time as possible listening to bad music. Or ideally, you'll be listening to good music while doing your duty.

So that's what I've been thinking about during my small windows of free time lately. Told you it was out there.

A Forrest Gump Moment

2008-11-15T14:00:00.008-05:00

This morning it was pouring rain outside and I needed some exercise. Having always been a fan of running in the rain - and deciding it was safer than biking - I laced up my running shoes and headed out the door. Once I made it out the driveway, I started my usual 2 mile loop.

And then I had what I'm calling my "Forrest Gump moment. " Instead of continuing my loop at the halfway point, I turned left. Then I kept running and running and running. Straight towards the edge of town. It was so weird. I couldn't seem to stop myself.

Thankfully, aided by the increasing weight of my wet running clothes, I snapped to my senses and eventually turned back.

I didn't quite make it past the town line, into the next county and beyond like Forrest. But out of the blue I did one of my longest runs in a decade or two - 65 minutes of straight running covering just under 6 miles in the pouring rain. Not long or fast by runners' standards but I got in some serious cross training. I just hope I'll be able to walk tomorrow.

And that's all I have to say about that.

What I've been doing instead of biking - Part II

2008-11-11T21:44:00.006-05:00

On Halloween night, we had the pleasure of seeing guitar god Warren Haynes play with his band, Gov't Mule in Boston. What does this have to do with biking, you might ask? Well, this would fall into the category of what I've been doing instead of biking. And although I wouldn't normally be out biking in the dark on Halloween night, seeing this unbelievable, almost 4 hour show into the wee hours of the morning did prevent me from getting out on my bike the next day...

As my friends know, I'm a HUGE Warren Haynes fan and think he is one of the best living guitarists out there. I've also had the pleasure and privilege of seeing him 6 times in the past 18 months. Every show is different and Warren and the band never disappoint.

The Boston Orpheum appearance was their second show on their Kinder Revolution fall tour and featured new bassist, Jorgen Carlsson. This particular show was a special treat. The Mule played 26 songs in total and the entire second set was all Pink Floyd covers, complete with light show and sound effects. This was a first ever for the band. They also performed an unbelievable jam of St. Stephen that even the most non-Grateful Dead fan would love.

It takes stamina to watch a show like this - let alone perform it. That's why the next day was spent sleeping late and reveling in the memory of the night before.

Another autumn view

2008-11-09T21:04:00.007-05:00

Here's another roadside view of the fall colors from my ride last weekend. The colors are at the tail end, but at least there is still some color.

Well, I hate to admit it, but this week I didn't get out on my bike as I had hoped. Rain, work, lots of slippery leaves on the road, tickets to the Patriots game today. All good excuses.....

I did get out for a nice hike through the woods and one run, though. Not terribly strenuous. But my legs are sore so I think I can get away with calling it cross training. More on that later.

Two weeks later...

2008-11-02T18:50:00.005-05:00

Would you look at this. This is the same shot from my Stop and Pause post below but it's two weeks later and all the leaves are gone. How fast they come and go. Glad I took a moment to enjoy while the color was in full glory.

Today I got out for a 19 mile loop through North Andover, Boxford, Groveland and Haverhill. It felt great to be back out there, though I did feel a bit of pain after having been off my bike for a full two weeks. I was slower and couldn't really find my rhythm. The temp was in the 40s and chillier than I'm used to but I don't think I can really use that as an excuse. This week looks warmer so hopefully I'll be able to fit in a few lunchtime rides, get my fitness level back up, and get back in the groove.

What I've been doing instead of biking

2008-10-29T22:30:00.002-04:00

I've been a slacker these past two weeks. My biking has fallen victim to a busy work schedule and a 4 day mini vacation. I'm also using the excuse that I haven't had the time to buy appropriate fall biking garb and I'm going to freeze my butt off if I go out in shorts.

Biking takes a lot of time. So if I haven't been doing that, what have I been doing?

Well, to return to my earlier music reference and love of great guitar, I actually had the pleasure of meeting one of the greats this past Saturday. Sonny Landreth is one of the best slide guitarists in the world, according to one of my favorite guitarists, Warren Haynes. And here I am with him backstage before the final Jimmy Buffett show of the year at MGM Studios in Vegas. The cool thing was that we actually talked briefly of his performances with Warren, who I will be seeing this weekend as he plays with his band, Gov't Mule.

Also, my husband and I managed this photo opp right in front of Jimmy Buffett's guitars. Can't get much closer than this! I hesitate to say this out loud for fear of offending the parrotheads of the world, but Jimmy Buffett's music isn't something I'm passionate about. His shows are a total blast, though, and you can't beat them for prime people watching. Plus, it's great to see someone doing what they love, having loads of fun and making a gazillion dollars. Everyone should go to at least one Jimmy Buffett show in their lives. There's so much to learn.

So that's a bit of what I've been doing instead of biking lately. In the next few days, I hope to get myself to the bike shop and pick up some colder weather gear and quit being a slacker. Unless, of course, I find another excuse.

Stop and Pause

2008-10-18T18:21:00.007-04:00

It doesn't get much better than this. Leaves are peaking in our neck of the woods. And if you don't pay attention, you just might miss it.

Have you done that before? I have. I've love fall and look forward every year to seeing the leaves in all their glory - yellow, orange and red. But then often it seems that the leaves have come, peaked and gone before I've taken the opportunity to really appreciate their beauty.

That could easily be happening to me again this fall, but you see, I have my blog to maintain. I can't just be mindlessly biking along, staring at the road, briefly regarding my surroundings as I ride by. I need to be paying attention and on the lookout for the next photo opportunity for a future blog post. So I look up, pull over and get off my bike when there is something worth appreciating for a few moments.

This has been another unexpected side benefit of my blog and thankfully it is starting to carry over into other aspects of my life. So I try to stop and pause and take a breath. And I'm learning that if I don't pay attention I just might miss my opportunity.

Brain Tunes

2008-10-16T05:51:00.010-04:00

Those who know me well know how important music is to me. I have it playing all the time and go to as many live shows as I can. But there are those times - like biking - when you just can't safely listen to music. So when I can't have have iTunes, I rely on brain tunes.

What are brain tunes? These are tunes that I love and that I've listened to so many times that they are literally seared into my brain, note for note. I can then dial them in and play them in my head whenever the mood strikes.

Some would say I have multiple personalities when it comes to my music taste. Led Zeppelin was how it all started for me and my brother back in high school. Then in college and years beyond, I was a die hard fan of alternative rock. R.E.M. topped the list because they are, after all, the godfathers of alternative rock.

This carried on for a while without much new blood (other than Coldplay) and I eventually got bored with my own taste in music, a victim of overplaying and too narrow a focus.

Thankfully, this all changed one day in August of 2006 when our friend Mark flew out from California and insisted we go to see the Allman Brothers Band with him while he was in town. 7th row seats directly in front of guitar god Warren Haynes had my head spinning faster than Linda Blair's on The Exorcist. That dude can play!! His playing was so unbelievable, in fact, that I thought at times that he (or I) just might spontaneously combust like the drummers on Spinal Tap. Warren plays even better when dueling with slide guitarist Derek Trucks, the second highlight of the show for me. In fact, the Allman Brothers Band could be renamed the Haynes/Trucks band since they are such a powerful presence.

From that day forward, I became a blues/southern rock fan and started listening to everything Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule (Warren Haynes' band). I also expanded into other guitar gods like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn and have hung there for the last few years searching for the next great guitar solo.

Then totally out of left field just a few short weeks ago, more new blood arrived on the scene. I was introduced to Metallica by my friend Jason, a purist when it comes to their music. The band has been around 20+ years without a second glance from me. But they just released a new album in September and I have an open mind so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I love great guitar and Kirk Hammet can do great - in fact, unbelievable - guitar (especially when the lead singer and drummer get out of the way). I'm by no means a thrash and speed metal fan, but I have become an avid fan of their "kinder and gentler" songs.

Here's the short list (with a hyperlink) to the brain tunes I'm playing these days:

Gov't Mule - Beautifully Broken - Great for long rides with a slow steady incline. The guitar work at the end helps get me up and over the top.

Allman Brothers Band - Soulshine - If you're a Brothers fan, you'll know this one is overplayed and I'm really not a huge fan of this song. But nothing can match the dueling guitars of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks during the last third of the song. Seeing it live has been one of my great life experiences and definitely helps motivate me out on the road.

Metallica - Fade to Black - One of their "kinder, gentler" songs with unbelievable guitar work. The whole song makes me strive to fly on the flats and the ending solo gives me the kick in the butt I need if I'm starting to drag.

R.E.M. - Hollow Man - This is good when I'm, as Michael Stipe would say, "lost inside my head," being introspective or overthinking during longer stretches on less traveled roads. The fast chorus is great for downhills.

Music is such a big part of my riding, I'm surprised I haven't mentioned it until now. I rely heavily on brain tunes during all of my rides. Better than iTunes or the radio, brain tunes are always available, I can dial them up or down anytime, and I don't need to take my hands off the handlebars to change the station.

Still Out There

2008-10-13T19:19:00.006-04:00

Even though not much action was happening on my blog this past week, I still managed to get out on my bike and log 68 miles. I'm down to shorter rides on the weekends, mostly due to kids' soccer games, shorter days and other commitments. My other main opportunity to ride is during lunch two days per week, but I have to limit my miles to 12-14 so I'm back and showered within the hour.

This past week my longest ride was only 23 miles. I ventured out to the Topsfield Fair and back during a glorious fall day. But what a total mob scene! I was glad to be on my bike and so I could navigate the traffic jam with relative ease. The ride from my house to Topsfield is beautiful and rural with many photo opps. Here is one from a field that I've taken many wildflower pictures of before.The leaves are awesome right now and this is why I live in New England. I hope to get out for many more rides before the spectacular color of fall has passed.

Ridin' Like the Wind....

2008-10-04T06:00:00.006-04:00

Okay, I know I'm getting redundant here, but this picture was too cool not to post. My dad, Ron, photographer and Photoshop extraordinaire, worked his magic on the shot I shared on Tuesday of me, Drew and Dave biking the Cycle for Shelter. Now we're really flying and ridin' like the wind......

(click for bigger)

Autumn Reds

2008-10-02T20:10:00.001-04:00

Somehow when I wasn't paying attention, the leaves started changing. I swear I was just taking pictures of roadside flowers not long ago. But here's what I stumbled upon during my lunchtime ride today.

I just love fall...the colors, the smells, the crisp air... it's all good. Riding this fall will be a real treat.

Cycle for Shelter Revisted

2008-09-30T18:20:00.005-04:00

Check this out. Today I received a disk of pictures taken by Geoff Hull from the Cycle for Shelter Planning Group. The ride, which was held on Sunday, July 26, 2008, has raised more than $75,000 to date for Emmaus, Inc.

I tagged along in between fellow riders, Drew (on the left) and Dave for my first 62 mile metric century. This was my first experience on an organized ride and it was a fun but tiring day on a beautiful course. Here's photographic proof of me keeping up with them (or perhaps... them slowing down for me...). Looking forward to doing the 100 mile course next year.

(Click to enlarge)

8 Days Later...

2008-09-28T22:18:00.004-04:00

Okay, I'm still here. I just haven't been blogging - or biking, for that matter. In fact, today was the first time I got out on my bike since I completed my first century 8 days ago.

I didn't mean to miss a whole week of riding but I was trapped in a conference room at work for 35 hours last week and then we had a few days of heavy rain. Today, though, I got back out there and did the 18 mile loop I used to do in the morning - but this time it was in the afternoon in light rain. It felt great to be back on my bike and I clocked one of my fastest times, surprisingly.

So...... what to do now.....

I know I'll keep riding as long as I can through the fall. I need it. I really need it. In fact, I felt a bit off my game all last week without riding. Morning rides are out - and have been for some time - since sunrise has gotten later and later. My only option now is to ride during lunchtime and hopefully get a longer ride in on Sundays, since Saturdays are soccer game days.

Later in the year I may even try out my friend Claudia's trainer to set up my bike at home for indoor training. Spin class is an option, too. I guess I'll just have to see how this one plays itself out.

As for my blog.... I've been debating what to do. The whole purpose of it initially was as a training tool to help me complete my first century. Since I've done that - and it was a great tool - do I now retire my blog? But I like to write. And I like to take pictures. And I like to have goals and keep track of my progress. And I like to think I have a fan base of greater than 2.

So I think I'll keep blogging. At least for now. And maybe I'll expand my topics beyond biking. I guess I'll just have to see how this one plays itself out.

In the meantime, though, I'm going to get my butt back out there on the road and mull over ideas for my next major challenge.

Century Accomplished!

2008-09-21T14:00:00.012-04:00

I did it!! 103 miles in 6.5 hours on one of the most gorgeous days of the year. The course was beautiful and featured many spectacular views of the New Hampshire and Maine coastlines. Who could ask for anything better?

The day started off very early at the Hampton State Park. I was there by 6:30 so I'd be ready for the 7:00 registration along with 1600 other riders. It was very cold (mid 40s) and the sun was just coming up.

The course began with a 17 mile southern loop to Newburyport and back. I started my ride solo and pretty much froze my butt (or rather, my finger tips and legs) off the first 3 miles. (Incidentally, it's never helpful to look at the bike odometer after 3 miles when you have 97 more miles to go.....). But the sun was rising, I warmed up fast and the day was looking good.

As I passed the Hampton park entrance again on my way north, I met up with Drew and Dave, who I rode the Cycle for Shelter with, and Dave's wife Mary, who were all just starting for the day. Seeing friendly faces injected new energy into me and the miles started flying by.

The ride up Ocean Boulevard (Rt. 1A) through Hampton, North Hampton, Rye and Wentworth-by-the-Sea offered some of the best coastal views, but picture taking opportunities were limited since I was now part of a well synchronized paceline of riders. Before I knew it, I had ridden 33 miles - the ride was already 1/3 over!

Here are a few shots I was able to catch near Portsmouth:
After a break at a very crowded official water stop, we continued to ride north up into Maine. Dave and Mary were riding the metric century (63 mile) loop so they turned around and headed back. Drew and I continued up Rt. 1 towards York and we stopped briefly to enjoy this view. Although there was a coastal wind going, thankfully, it was manageable and was nothing compared to prior years, as I was told.

The next highlight was the Cape Neddick Lighthouse, also known as the Nubble Lighthouse. Built in 1879 and located in York Beach, this is a classic Maine icon. I was at mile 51 when we stopped for this spectacular view.

Here's a shot of Drew in his Hawaiian biking shirt, which added some comic relief to the ride. As he pedaled, the girl on his shirt actually looked like she was doing the hula!

We continued on a few more miles through and around York center, passing many little shops and candy stores, including The Goldenrod, renowned for their salt water taffy. We also biked by the famous York's Wild Kingdom before the course headed south. No rest for the weary, though, since we still faced a good 45 miles ahead of us.

The next photo opp was back approaching Portsmouth again as we walked our bikes across a grated bridge. The tide was out when we were headed north but in as we headed south.

The route back was similar to the way up but a 10 mile loop was added near Rye to make the course a full 100 miles. This loop took us through many tree lined streets and past the beautiful Abenaqui Country Club.

This loop was actually the hardest part of the ride for me. It felt like we were doing our longest stretch of our fastest riding of the day at this point and we had a new rider latched on drafting me. It was around mile 90 I was starting to fade. Plus, I was in unchartered territory since I'd never ridden more than 83 miles in one stretch.

Thankfully, we soon turned south onto Rt. 1A. I never thought the strip at Hampton Beach would be such a welcome sight!

And then it happened - I passed the 100 mile mark!! The official mileage on the course was actually 100.8, but we took a slight detour down a beautiful coastal road, which brought my total mileage up to 103.23, to be exact. Average speed for the day was exactly 16 mph - fast for me!

Crossing the finish line back at Hampton State Park, with ride volunteers banging bells and cheering, was one of the best feelings I've experienced in a very long time. Quite emotional in fact. I still can't believe it.

When I look back at the ride, I have to say that it was much easier than I thought it would be. Despite the fade at mile 90, I finished strong. In fact, I felt strong throughout most of the ride and enjoyed every minute of it. On such a beautiful day with such spectacular views, it's hard not to ride with a smile on your face much of the time. And today - the day after - I feel great and am looking forward to getting back out on my bike again.

So there I have it. Century accomplished.

Completing a century started as a crazy idea, then became a goal, then became an all-out mission. For me, I proved to myself that I could reach for something I've never imagined before, take it step by step, hold myself accountable, include others so they could hold me accountable and complete the task. My blog has been a key element in realizing this goal.

Thank you to everyone who has supported and cheered me on along the way! And thank you Drew, for sharing 85 miles of the ride with me.

Stay tuned for more biking commentary as I figure out the next chapter in my riding and in my blog.

~ Lisa~

POSTSCRIPT
I rode this century in dedication to Bryce Morrill, my sister-in-law Rosanne's companion and an extended family member of ours for the last 5 years. Last weekend, he passed away unexpectedly as he was biking in preparation for the Hub on Wheels charity bike ride to be held in Boston today. Ride on, Bryce. May you rest in peace.

Pre-Century Metrics

2008-09-19T21:15:00.003-04:00

The address for this blog is Novice2Century. 18 weeks ago, I started as a novice rider. And in less than 10 hours, I will ride the Tri-State Seacoast Century, my first 100 mile ride.

Time to take stock of what I've done to prepare:

Total number of miles ridden: 1,170
Longest ride: 83
Average weekly miles: 65
Hours on the bike: 79
Towns ridden through: 26
Number of rides solo: 40
Number of rides with company: 7
Number of times lost: 4
Number of pounds lost: 8
Number of dropped water bottles: 2
Number of dropped water bottles that I immediately ran over: 1
Number of times I've forgotten my shoes were clipped to my pedals: 4
Number of cows, horses, llamas, and the like passed: >150
Number of near misses with a car: 1

Am I ready to ride 100 miles tomorrow?? You bet I'm ready to ride 100 miles tomorrow! Thank you to everyone who has been cheering me on! See you on the other side.

Pre-Century Random Thoughts

2008-09-17T19:19:00.001-04:00

The century I've been training for the past 18 weeks is only 3 days away!! Thankfully, the weather forecast looks good. Sunny and 66 degrees - perfect biking weather.

The biggest thought that's been looming in the back of my mind - and one I've been in denial about - is this:

What the hell do I do after my century?

And subsequently... what will I blog about?

And further... what comes next? What's the next goal? How much longer can I keep riding into the fall/winter? What do I do to keep in biking shape when the snow and ice come? How will I manage mentally without the meditation and solitude of my solo rides?

I'll have lots to think about during my estimated 7 hour ride on Saturday....

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Ride with the Champions Follow Up

2008-09-14T19:20:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the Ride with the Champions, supporting the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. First off, thank you very much to everyone who sponsored me on my ride! My team, the Keith Crusaders, was the top fund raising team for the event, thanks to leader Doug, who single handedly raised almost a third of the total money for the event. Here he is speaking at the awards ceremony. Way to go, Doug!

Thankfully, the predicted rain held off and we were treated to a sunny day as we biked through scenic areas of the north shore. The ride took us through 7 towns. Starting at the Topsfield Fairgrounds, we rode through Wenham, Hamilton, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex, Ipswich and back to Topsfield.

One of the most beautiful parts of the ride was out to Little Neck in Ipswich. I didn't stop to take too many pictures since this was a group ride and I wanted to keep up, but I did manage these two by the Ipswich Salt Marsh. Quite the view, wouldn't you say?
I was one of only about 35 other riders on the 65 mile course. (About 60 more did either the 20 or 12 mile course.) I lost my team in the first few miles and riders grew few and far between as the course progressed. I was able to catch up to a fellow rider named Fred around mile 12, who rides in support of his niece who has Down's Syndrome. We chatted and took turns leading for the next 28 miles. He helped me with my pace and even prevented me from taking two wrong turns as I zoned out during my time up front, which I'm sure would have resulted in many extra miles. Thanks for keeping me on course, Fred!

Doug and I agreed that the course was quite hilly, so even though I was slower than my last metric century, I was pleased with my performance. I rode 65 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Average speed for the ride: 15.1 mph (my first 25 I averaged over 16 mph.) This ride was excellent training for my century, which happens in less than 6 days!

I enjoyed many of the roads and beautiful scenery during the ride and hope to get out in the same area soon. This was a great ride for a great cause and I hope to do again next year. Thank you again to those who sponsored me for the Special Olympics!

A Miss or Two

2008-09-11T23:50:00.004-04:00

Everyone's entitled to screw up every now and again. And so on Tuesday it was my turn. During my lunchtime ride I made a series of "misses". I mistimed my ride, miscalculated how long it would take, and missed a turn, which resulted in me getting stuck in a torrential downpour and thunderstorm. I guess you could even call the whole ride a mistake but I actually did some of my best and fastest riding during it.

I was trying to squeeze a 17 mile ride in before a big storm. I knew it was coming but checked the radar and thought I was good for at least an hour. So out I went. My ride was relatively dry for the first 10 miles - a few light showers on and off but nothing to turn back over.

But by mile 11 it started coming down harder. I'm one of these people who actually likes being out in the rain. As long as it's not coming down in buckets, I like to walk in the rain, run in the rain and bike in the rain. In fact, one of my best live music experiences was during an outside performance of Gov't Mule in the pouring rain (you really had to be there).

Anyway, I was out, it was raining harder and then the thunder and lightning starts (image courtesy of thelensflare.com). I was doing okay on the fear scale because it was off in the distance. It was only after the horns suddenly went off at the golf course I was passing (which, incidentally, scared the crap out of me) that I started to get a little nervous.

So what did I do? I biked faster. But what happens when you bike faster and faster? You don't pay as much attention and you miss critical turns. And that's what I did.

Right as I realized this, predictably, the heavens opened (I'm talking buckets) and thunder clapped and lightning flashed. Nearby. In a totally HUGE way. And I was three miles off course when I should have been back at my office.

Thankfully, I did made it back safe and sound shortly, after a fast and furious ride. Traffic was light because what fool would be out driving in these conditions?? On the upside, even though I was soaked to the bone when I arrived back, I had successfully navigated a very challenging ride and had clocked one of my best speeds ever for a 20 mile loop. So even though I missed a few things on this ride, maybe it wasn't a total mistake.

Roadside Eye Candy

2008-09-10T19:07:00.006-04:00

I'm stealing the "eye candy" expression here from my friend Claudia. But I think it accurately describes this shot, captured on my way to Cape Ann.Upcoming events:
62 mile Metric Century this Saturday
100 mile Seacoast Century in just 10 days!! Can't believe what I've been training for since May is almost here....

Ride with the Champions

2008-09-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, September 13th, I am going to Ride with the Champions along Massachusetts' scenic North Shore.

Ride with the Champions is a benefit bike ride for Special Olympics athletes in Massachusetts. Participants will join Special Olympics champions and pedal along one of three courses: 62 miles, 20 miles, or 12 miles on the Family Fun Ride. I've chosen to ride the 62 mile course, also known as a metric century, with team Keith Crusaders.

I am doing this because I feel it is important to support the Athletes of Special Olympics Massachusetts. Special Olympics provides year-round athletic training and competition to athletes in the state with intellectual disabilities. Athletic training not only builds physical fitness, but also builds confidence and improves the quality of life for SOMA athletes. These athletes are truly brave, and with our help they can succeed on and off the playing field.

If you would like to sponsor me in my fundraising efforts, please click on the above Ride with the Champions icon and you will be brought to my personal web donation page. Together, we can make a difference!

p.s. Check back here after the event for ride pictures and commentary.

Past the 1000 mile mark

2008-09-06T07:58:00.003-04:00

Just realized that my long ride around Cape Ann last weekend put me past the 1000 mile mark - 1045 to be exact. That's like biking from Boston to Chicago!

Back Out There - Part II

2008-09-05T20:39:00.002-04:00

[I just realized that due to some type of technical glitch, several of the pictures from my long ride were deleted from my last post. Not sure when that happened but I've just fixed.]

Okay then. More on the ride. As I said, strong head and cross winds tormented me for more than half of the trip. Not sure why this caught me by surprise since I was riding by the ocean, after all, but this day was particularly windy. At one point I saw my bike calculator fall from 19 to 12 mph when the gusts picked up on a long, open stretch of Rt 133 on my way home. I tried to convince myself that the wind challenge was good thing since it's excellent prep for my oceanside century, but other times I found myself yelling out loud about it.

Traffic was a bit nutty, too. Not sure why this caught me by surprise since it was Labor Day weekend, after all, but thankfully, I arrived home unscathed. The hardest part was negotiating the Rt. 128 rotary where the highway ends. It wasn't a problem merging on but it was a challenge getting through the two lanes of traffic coming off. I found the best strategy to be to remain confident, assume your position, make eye contact, signal clearly, thank and smile.

One other lesson learned was that getting food during the ride is critical. By mile 65 I was starving and running low on energy. I made a quick stop to get a cold Gatorade and wound up having the best junior roast beef sandwich ever. I was able to finish my ride and even had energy after I arrived home. A web calculator later told me I burned at total of 3300 calories during almost 6 hours of pedaling. I think this is a stretch and it was more like 2500-2700 but it still highlights the need for food during the ride.

My average speed was 14.5 mph - not my best speed but not bad considering the distance, traffic and wind. It was a great ride to a beautiful area. I hope to make this ride one more time before packing in the bike for the winter.

Back Out There

2008-09-03T06:10:00.008-04:00

Okay, enough talk and introspection for now. Late this past weekend, I finally got back on the saddle (sorry, another cliche) and got my butt out there for my longest and most challenging ride to date. I rode out to Gloucester and around Cape Ann through Rockport and back.

What a ride. 83 miles! Solo! I have to laugh about the solo part; my friend Sue told me she prefers riding with people since she usually can't stand herself after 20 miles. But I like the alone time. I usually have a great tune going in my head (no iPod just brain tunes) and plenty to think about. Plus, I had bigger challenges to deal with - like almost 50 miles of head and cross winds and Labor Day and beach traffic. Thankfully, I was rewarded with beautiful ocean views and blue sky so the ride was well worth it.

Below are shots from the day (and I do mean "day" because my total ride time was just under 6 hours - that's a long time to be pedaling a bike!):

I inadvertently timed my visit perfectly to coincide with the Parade of Sail in Gloucester Harbor. This was one of the many tall ships out for the morning.
This beachfront view is from private Eastern Point Boulevard, where I took a detour to check out the Yacht Club.
And this is along lower Atlantic Road. The mansions were fantastic, too.
I finally made it to Rockport Harbor, took a brief break to rest and filled up my water bottle.
I was dying for a big, juicy burger but it was only 10:30 in the morning and none of the sandwich shops were open. So I continued north up past Pigeon Cove. It was pretty rural up there until I came around a sharp bend to Folly Cove below.Further down was Plum Cove, which also had a beach area for swimmers and scuba divers to enter.
These were the main pictures from my scenic route. More details on the ride, recovery and navigating the Rt. 128 rotary with Labor Day traffic in the next post...

Metaphor of Hill Climbing

2008-09-01T09:40:00.015-04:00

Last week I rode the least number of miles since I bought my road bike in May - only one 17 mile ride. It was also the most stressful week that I've had in a long time. Coincidence? Had I biked more, would I have had a better week? I think I know the answer to that one.

Although I wasn't on my bike much last week, I did think about it a lot and came to the following realization (forgive me if this sounds cliche...):

Sometimes you need to approach life's challenges like you do a big hill: Switch to an easier gear, keep your head up, shoulders back, take a deep breath and focus on the next 10 feet in front of you. If you look all the way to the top, you just might want to get off your bike and walk or worse, give up and coast back down to the bottom. But if you just stay focused on dealing with what is immediately in front of you, you'll eventually get up to the top and be rewarded with an easy ride down the other side and, hopefully, a beautiful view.

Roadside Interest

2008-08-29T06:00:00.003-04:00

Add this to the list of interesting four legged creatures I've seen along my rides - llamas!

Less than Four Weeks till Century Day

2008-08-27T06:00:00.007-04:00

I'm in the home stretch - the Tri-Coast Seacoast Century is less than four weeks away! I like lists so it's time again to take stock of what I've done since I bought my road bike 15 weeks ago:

Total number of miles ridden to date: 940
Longest ride: 62
Average weekly miles: 62
Hours on the bike: 63
Towns ridden through: 17
Number of rides solo: 35
Number of rides with company: 5
Number of near misses with a car: 1
Number of times lost: 3
Number of pounds lost: 8
Other body changes: a lot less wiggle on my lower half, stronger back and arms

Two remaining goals to complete before Century Day:

Total number of training miles: >1,100
Longest ride: >70

My fear for many weeks was that I'd be the last one crossing the finish line on Century Day, but I'm guessing I don't have to worry about that one any more.

Down and Back Along the Merrimack

2008-08-25T22:00:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday I finally got out on my road bike for a much needed long solo ride. I went out along the scenic Merrimack River to Newburyport and back in the late afternoon. Total miles: 47. Total ride time: just over 3 hours.
What a beautiful ride on a beautiful day! My friend Sue had introduced me to the route on the north side of the Merrimack a few weeks ago. And my work colleague, Marie, recently introduced me to the south side. Both offer many miles of scenic river views lined with either trees and wildflowers or beautiful waterfront homes.

This was one of my more meditative rides, and it's easy to see why. Riding on peaceful routes like this helps quiet my mind like nothing else.
I started biking to get in physical shape. But as I started expanding my routes and my understanding of what I'm really doing, I realize it's gone far beyond the physical. Biking the many beautiful areas near my home has literally helped me mentally to get past the everyday stresses and see life more clearly. In fact, lately it seems that I'm just using the biking as an excuse to get to that place of quiet calm that I can only reach when I'm out there on my long solo rides.

Changing Gears Part 2

2008-08-20T06:00:00.003-04:00

Thought I would include some more pictures from my mountain bike ride up north this past weekend. This scenic and secluded spot definitely provided some good blog material!

Here is another view of the dirt road I was on - 9 miles up, 9 miles back.Surprisingly, I spent much of my time dodging butterflies. There were hundreds of them basking in the sun on the road. This was one of the trails I briefly explored during my ride. Even though I had a mountain bike, my days of trail riding are pretty much over so I did this one on foot.
What a great fishing spot this is...Here's one final shot of the river. It's nothing but pure, clear mountain water. Had it been hotter, I would have jumped right in.
That's it for this trip and my mountain bike for now. Back on my road bike tomorrow....

Changing Gears

2008-08-18T19:20:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I changed gears a bit. I dusted off my old mountain bike and headed out for some off road (or more accurately, off paved road) biking.

We were up north for our annual family camping trip. Our favorite spot is a cabin located several hours away in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but a river, the mountains, blue sky and wildlife greet us every year. Just what the doctor ordered after a very stressful week!

Our cabin is located 9 miles down a gated dirt road. As you can see from the shot below, this was a perfect spot to get in some extra training miles.
Much of the ride is flat along the river but it is quite hilly and curvy at times. The potholes were out in full force this summer after all the rain, so fat, knobby mountain bike tires were a must.
Below is the footbridge we need to cross to get to our cabin. Before it was built a few years ago, the only way to get across the river was to drive or wade, depending on the height of the river that week. An unexpected heavy rainstorm could raise the river a few feet, so careful planning was always required. It's a far drop from the bridge to the river so no wobbling on the bike is allowed!
Here's a shot of me at the end of my ride taken by my husband. Although I missed the fit and comfort of my road bike this weekend, I had a great 18 mile adventure along the river and through the woods. During my time out, I also fit in a few off bike hikes to check out unchartered swimming and fishing holes. And as with all my rides so far, I was able to spot some little known treasures that I never would have seen from the car.

Morning Meditation

2008-08-13T21:00:00.002-04:00

Peaceful views like this are what motivate a night owl like me to get up and out on my bike just as the sun is rising. I've found that it is during my busiest and more stressful times that I need and benefit most from the quiet meditation of my morning rides.

Hawk Encounter

2008-08-11T21:45:00.001-04:00

Last month, I wrote a post taking stock of where I was in my training halfway to Century Day. In it I made mention of a near miss with a hawk carrying prey as I was biking. A few of my friends have asked for more details so here we go.

The whole encounter was very brief. I was huffing it up a hill through Newbury in a dense area of forest. I was trying to do my usual routine of not looking more than 10 feet ahead so the hill wouldn't overwhelm me. All of a sudden out of nowhere, a huge hawk dangling some poor creature, flew right into my line of sight. He literally came within 6 feet of hitting me. It was so close, in fact, that I couldn't help thinking he did it deliberately to show off his catch for the day. Then off he went, crossing the road and back into the forest.

I've had so many animal encounters since I've been out riding. Some involve the unpleasantness of passing roadkill. But most involve seeing live birds, rabbits, chipmunks, turtles, cows, horses, and turkeys carrying on with their daily activities (except in one unfortunate instance years ago, I did have an unpleasant and humiliating experience of being chased by wild turkeys while biking...more on that in another post). None, though, have been as unique and memorable as my hawk encounter.

Another roadside view

2008-08-05T21:20:00.000-04:00

I know I've already posted a picture of this field from an early morning ride but here it is in full daylight. These are purple loosestrife according to my father, photographer extraordinaire.

More lessons learned....

2008-08-03T06:00:00.004-04:00

And below are some lessons I learned riding in my very first organized/charity ride....

At the starting line: Clear out your bike calculator, take a few pictures and pay attention to what the announcer is saying. It may be helpful information about the ride!
Know the mile markers of all water stops in advance.
Fill your water bottle up at every water stop. I didn't do this at the first stop since my bottle was still over half full, but then later had no water for 5 miles.
Pay attention to the road markers so you don't miss your turns. Initially, it didn't occur to me to look for them (who knew?), so I missed the first sign. Thankfully, I was riding with others who were paying better attention. This is especially important when you've lost sight of any group and are out there on your own.
Bike through the "official" finish line before heading to your car so you can get the claps and cheers. Make sure you check back in with ride organizers.
Bring flip flops and a clean T shirt to change into. Also bring wipes or a towel to wipe off road grime.
And most importantly, don't forget that it is a ride not a race. After all, the whole point is to raise money for a good cause and enjoy the ride.

Group Riding Lessons Learned

2008-08-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

Below are some lessons learned on my first charity group ride this past weekend on the Cycle for Shelter. I know they may sound obvious, but a solitary rider like me had a lot to learn, such as...

There really is such thing as drafting behind another rider. It makes riding so much easier and faster. Make sure you take turns at the front (I need to work on this one...)
Check your back frequently to see if there is someone silently drafting you. If so, don't forget to point out turns, pot holes, cars, sand, dog walkers, etc.
If a group is about to pass you, do your best to latch on at the end. It's just about impossible to catch up to them once they pass you by more than 10 yards. (Or at least it was for me...)
Don't assume that all people out there are riding your event. Look for the number on the shirt. Two guys on their regular weekend bike ride rode with me for a period of time, then went well ahead of me and turned off to another route. I'm pretty sure I saw a third guy riding in our event drafting them as they made turns that weren't part of our ride. He was too far away to yell but hopefully, he caught on quick.
Look out for road spray, especially if there has been recent rain.
Pay attention and make sure you don't hit the guy's tire in front of you. This will cause major self damage. Thankfully, I've avoided this so far and plan to continue.
And last but most important, riding in a group is way more fun than riding alone...

First Metric Century!

2008-07-30T07:00:00.007-04:00

This weekend I accomplished another major milestone in my riding. I rode the Cycle for Shelter metric century! For those of you who don't know (and that would be me before I signed up for this event), a metric century is 100 kilometers, which translates to 62 miles. This was a fund raising bike ride to raise money for Emmaus, Inc., a non profit organization founded over 20 years ago to provide housing and services to homeless families in Haverhill, MA.

This was my first introduction to group riding - quite an intense learning experience, to say the least! And it was an awesome ride. Not only was this event for a great cause, but it was 62 miles of very scenic biking on many of the roads I'm already familiar with. Cycle for Shelter organizers did a good job keeping us off the main streets and away from traffic and thoroughly marked all of the turns. The water stops were well stocked with drinks and snacks, too.

My friends Drew and Dave were riding in the event to prepare for the PMC and were willing to have me tag along with them for as long as I could. Even though they said they were having a "slow" day, these guys were very fast by my standards, riding for lengthy stretches at 17-19 mph. I was back about 25 yards from them for a few miles approaching the first water stop and I even had a guy drafting me! Who would have thought? My goal was to ride with Drew and Dave for the first 10 miles and much to my surprise, I was able to hang on (or at least keep them in sight) for the first 24. I lost them for some stretches but caught up at water stops and was able to finish the last 12 with them.

The ride started in Haverhill and took us through Newton, NH, Amesbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Topsfield, Boxford, Groveland and back to Haverhill. We went by lakes, rivers, beautiful homes, livestock, forests and swamps. The only downside was the lack of time and opportunity to take pictures of the event, but here's one taken of me and Dave at the stop in Topsfield Center.
I can't explain the wonderful feeling I had as we approached the finish line. The guys even humored me by trailing back and letting me "lead" the way. I finished just over 62 miles and maintained a total ride average of over 16 mph. I've never ridden longer or faster.

Thanks, Emmaus, for mapping out a great ride and thanks, Drew and Dave, for pulling me through 2/3 of it. This was great preparation for my 100 mile ride in September. I can't wait to do this again next year!

Pan-Mass Challenge

2008-07-25T06:00:00.009-04:00

The Pan-Mass Challenge is the single largest athletic fundraising event in the US, with 100% of all donations benefiting the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund. It is a 2 day bike ride from Sturbridge or Wellesley to Provincetown, with riders completing approximately 100 miles each day. This ride is a week away on August 2 and 3.

I would love to ride in this event at least once in the coming years. I guess you could say I'm a PMC rider wannabe. But until that time, I'm cheering on two friends:

One is Drew, who has been riding the PMC for the last 16 years. He rides with 9 other family members and friends on Team Dolben, pictured below, which collectively raised over $90K last year.

The other is my friend Cheryl, who has participated in this event for the last 18 years with her husband. They ride on Team Martignetti and the two of them hope to raise $16K this year.Good luck to you both with your fundraising efforts. Ride strong and have fun!

Looking up

2008-07-23T19:00:00.000-04:00

We spend so much time looking down or ahead when biking on the road. It's easy to forget to look up occasionally. I happened to remember during a brief water break by a swamp recently. Thought this view was worth sharing.

First near miss

2008-07-22T18:00:00.000-04:00

One unfortunate thing about road biking is that we have to share the road with occasionally incompetent drivers. Although I am a very careful rider, I knew it wasn't a question of if but when I would have my first encounter with one. And that would be this past Sunday morning in Topsfield Center.

I was 13 miles into a 25 mile loop. Instead of turning off before the small downtown of Topsfield, I decided to ride through it as I had done several times before and then circle back on a side street. Just as I started passing a parallel parked car, it unexpectedly pulled out of its parking spot then started an illegal U turn right in front of me. I slammed on my brakes, skidded on my back tire, pulled one foot out of my clip (no idea how I remembered to do this) and stopped just a few feet from the driver's side door. And you know, that [bleeping] driver didn't even acknowledge the accident she almost caused! She just continued smoking her cigarette, gave me a dumb blank look and continued her U turn. I was so stunned I barely muttered out a "Be more careful next time!" before I went on my way.

I spent the next mile shaken up and seething at her incompetence and the potential tire damage she caused. But then I took a big breath, then another, and looked around. There was fresh new pavement below me and beautiful scenery around me. That's the wonderful thing about riding - it's very calming and meditative in addition to being a great workout. If only we didn't have to be on the lookout for occasionally incompetent drivers...

Morning Rides

2008-07-21T19:30:00.000-04:00

A strange thing has happened over the past few weeks - I've actually become an early morning person when it comes to riding. In fact, I've been on my bike before 6:00 a.m. for 6 of my last 7 rides. Initially, the key for me was to follow the Nike slogan of "Just Do It" before giving myself a chance to think about it too much. But after a few rides I started seeing all the benefits besides beating the summer heat -- the morning fog rising over a meadow, the abundance of wildlife out and about, the lack of cars on the road, the smell of wet pine and dirt, the calm serenity of the morning. The best part, though, is that wonderful feeling of being done with my workout before I used to even start my day.

Roadside History

2008-07-18T06:00:00.006-04:00

One of the unexpected side benefits of riding, as previously mentioned, is the opportunity to learn some interesting local history. This sign, for example, is one that I've passed many times during my favorite loop through Georgetown. It's an unexpected site on a well traveled residential road in an area that doesn't look very historic.

Driving by, I probably wouldn't have had time to read it though, much less really think about it. But biking by offered a whole different experience. Not only was I able to read the sign in full, but I could also look around, imagine what the area must have been like more than 300 years ago and get a sense of the horror and sadness of this local tragedy. Click here for more information on The Goodrich Massacre.

Curb Appeal

2008-07-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

You just don't see many long haired cows by the side of the road these days... But you might if you biked through Boxford. Can he really see me through all of that hair?

Halfway to Century Day

2008-07-14T21:00:00.006-04:00

I just realized that this week I will be exactly halfway to Century Day! I can't believe how fast it's gone. Time to take stock of what I've done in the past 9 weeks:

Total number of miles to date: 530
Longest ride: 50
Hours on the bike: 35.5
Towns ridden through: 14
Number of rides solo: 22
Number of rides with company: 2
Number of times I've forgotten my shoes were clipped to my pedals: 2
Number of dropped waterbottles: 1
Number of cows passed: >10
Number of near misses with a hawk carrying prey: 1

So I was thinking....what would I like to accomplish by Century Day, other than the Century, that is? These three top the list:

Total number of miles: >1,000
Longest ride: 75-80
Number of rides with company: >2

The main goal, of course, remains: Don't be the last one crossing the finish line on Century Day.

Fitting in the miles

2008-07-09T22:15:00.001-04:00

My schedule this week and next pose a challenge when it comes to fitting in my training. Various commitments at home and work will occupy my normal biking times and prevent me from going out for longer rides of 35-50 miles, so I've been looking for a few new and creative ways of fitting it all in. One idea I had was to ride very early in the morning before work. So that's what I tried earlier this week.

Let me start out by saying I'm totally a night owl and not an early bird. So although this wasn't as much of an exercise in self torture as voluntarily riding in heavy rain like I did on the 4th, it was a major effort for me to get my butt out the door and on my bike before 6 a.m. I managed that successfully by applying the "don't overthink it lest you talk yourself out of it" rule. Being half asleep helped in this regard, too.

After the first mile or so, though, I was good to go and actually glad to be out there. It was a beautiful morning and not too hot, unlike these last few sweltering afternoons and evenings. Few cars were on the road and the sun was streaming through the trees as it rose. I had my camera but didn't stop to take any pictures since I was on a mission to get the ride done and get home without disrupting my family or work schedule.

Overall, it was a good ride but harder than most given the time of day and my normal biorhythms. I completed an 18 mile loop with moderate hills - not my fastest but it was a great workout. I saw plenty of folks out on their bikes - some in groups - and it looks like this is a popular option. So although I'm not an early bird (and probably never will be) this worked out well and I'll probably do it again later this week and next. Assuming, of course, that I can get my butt out the door....

50 Miler on the Fourth

2008-07-05T22:06:00.023-04:00

I thought I'd start out the Fourth with a bang by attempting my first 50 mile ride. It seemed like a good idea at the time even though it was pouring rain - I mean heavy rain - when I woke up that morning. My logic was that if it was raining hard on century day, I better have had some practice riding in it before then. Also, I was under the mistaken impression that it was Saturday - not Friday - and I needed some significant miles to round out my training week, which I count from Sunday through Saturday. This week, I had only done the 17 on Sunday.

So off I set out, up to Newburyport and Plum Island. This particular route actually took me through seven different towns - North Andover, Boxford, Groveland, West Newbury, Newburyport (and Plum Island), Newbury and Georgetown. Within the first four miles, my bike shoes were soaked through - so much so that my toes were literally sloshing in water with each stroke. Thankfully, the ride offered some initial diversions to keep my mind off the conditions.

But about 10 miles in, long after passing this Belted Galloway and Turtle Alley, the ride became very tedious. The scenery was getting a little blah, the rain was still pouring down on me, and visibility was becoming an issue with my biking glasses. About that time, too, I came to the sudden realization that it was actually Friday and not Saturday, so I really didn't have to ride all 50 in one day if I didn't want to. I could head home early and split the miles over both days. But before I could talk myself into bagging it, I remembered that little sign I saw a few weeks ago that said "Don't overthink it." So I stopped thinking about it and just kept riding. Saturday could always be a recovery day.

About 10 miles later, the rain began to stop and I was rewarded with some lovely views as I approached Newburyport. I biked down into town along the side streets and little shops. This is such pretty town with so much character. I stopped on the boardwalk to check out the boats, then I headed out Plum Island Turnpike. Unlike last Friday's ride out on Plum Island, this time I actually made it to the beach. No one was there except the fisherman, since it was still cool and drizzly.
I took a more scenic and familiar route back home. The rain stopped for good, thankfully, and the water had finally drained from my bike shoes. I arrived home about 3 1/2 hours later after finishing my longest ride to date. I can't imagine doing double the distance in just a few short months, though I know it will be much easier with a crowd than riding solo as I did this day. I started the Fourth with a bang, that's for sure, but I ended it pretty pooped....

Rounding Newfound Lake

2008-07-03T07:24:00.003-04:00

There's nothing like the beautiful mountains and lakes of New Hampshire to make for a great afternoon - and a great bike ride. Last weekend, we had the pleasure of visiting friends up near Newfound Lake. This brought with it two new biking experiences for me: 1) dealing with the hills of New Hampshire roads and 2) biking with another person who is seriously into riding.

First, the hills. Anyone who lives in NH or has done this route before, probably wouldn't find the hills so bad. And since our route involved biking around a lake, how bad could they be? But there were hills and they were much bigger than I'd ever dealt with. Clearly, as I discovered on the first major hill, I need more work in this area, both physically and mentally, since there is a whole psychology around dealing with big hills. But I did make it up them without getting off my bike or falling over from lack of speed. The payoff? Big downhills! I clocked my fastest speed to date on my bike on this ride - 34 mph.

Second, riding with my friend, Drew, who I would describe as a "trained professional" in this area, was a real learning experience for me. During our ride, he gave me tips on getting up the hills, being in the right gear for my body, maintaining spinning consistency and riding in general. He also pointed out potholes and scenic views and taught me a few things about signaling. With him ahead of me, the ride seemed easier, and at times it felt almost like he was pulling me rather than I was pushing myself. All of my rides to date (with the exception of the Minuteman Bikeway with my son) have been solo jaunts - all 360+ miles to date. So this was a real treat, a great learning experience and something I hope to do again.

The only disappointment of my ride was the lack of good pictures I took. I wish I had stopped for more shots of this spectacular lake, but the act of stopping and digging out the camera often takes away from the whole experience. I was able to capture a view of the town of Hebron, though. This is a very scenic, idyllic town with a big green, white church and surrounding buildings and a general store. An antique car actually drove through when we stopped for this picture, but my camera battery died on me.

Below is the route we took around the lake. Although it is only 17 miles long, it is a beautiful, scenic ride. I look forward to doing it again sometime.
Newfound Lake
Find more Bike Rides in Bridgewater, New Hampshire

"She bikes, she blogs"

2008-07-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Well, here's an totally unexpected result of my new biking and blogging effort - media coverage! Granted, it's small town coverage, but still a welcome surprise given that I'm new to the whole biking and blogging thing. Out of the blue (or, more accurately, by the power of Google), the editor of a local paper saw my blog and had an interest in doing a story about my local rides and my use of blogging as part of my training.

The timing of his initial contact was pretty comical. I was up late one night blogging when my husband came in and questioned why I was up writing and not sleeping. I said jokingly that I couldn't disappoint 'my readers'. He replied, "Yeah, both of them." But you know, he was right! I only had two readers - and he wasn't even one of the two! The funny part was that the very next morning, Dave, the editor, posted a comment on my latest post asking to talk with me further about what I am doing. Needless to say, I had a very gratifying "So there!" conversation with my husband soon after. A few days later, Brendan, the reporter, contacted me and we set an interview time at a local meeting spot during one of my weekend rides.

Let me start by saying that it's a bit weird being interviewed and photographed in bike shorts and a bike helmet five miles into a 30 mile ride. It's really not a very flattering look, but it is the required uniform so I guess I didn't really have much of a choice. Plus, given that both biking and blogging are such new endeavors to me, I found it a bit funny to be interviewed about them - like I actually know what I'm talking about! (In fact, I'll admit I didn't really even know what a blog was until a few months ago, though I'm hoping that had more to do with being in a particular age group rather than any ignorance on my part.)

Nevertheless, Brendan and I had a nice conversation, then I hopped back on my bike and continued on my morning ride. Brendan rode on ahead in his car and stopped several times to take photos of me "in action," which was another weird experience, in a self-conscious, awkward sort of way. Unfortunately, traffic was a bit heavy that morning and it could have posed a safety hazard for Brendan, but thankfully, he emerged unscathed and finished his story a mere two days later.

Overall, I thought the article came out well and that I was portrayed in an accurate and positive way. I am also flattered that someone would think that my use of blogging as a personal training and motivational tool was creative and unique enough to actually write about. Who knew?

So thanks for your interest and efforts, Dave and Brendan! Their full story can be read by clicking here - She bikes, she blogs - in the Tritown Transcript, due to hit local newstands today, Wednesday, July 2.