What's next?

So I had some very wise friends that encouraged me to get right into training for something new! I was glad that I took their advice. I started personal training sessions just 2 days after the ride. I am excicted for this new opportunity. It is going to be very challenging but I am determined to meet these goals! I have come  a long way, but still have a ways to go. The things I have learned about myself is that .....

1. I can work much harder than I think I can!
2. I need a goal and a partner to keep me honest!

I am starting to work on my running and soon to be swimming so I can participate in the Palouse Sprint Triathlon, here in Moscow on September 11.  I am also going to stay very focused with my eating and workouts so I can finally shed some pounds!  I am excited for the next phase in my journey! I will keep you all posted!!

Chafe 150!!! I did it!!

The night before the Chafe 150 ride we stayed at a friends condo. As we were driving to it, we saw this brown bear cub just hanging out! We are glad we didn't see his mother.... 

We had a nice evening. I spent the night trying NOT to be nervous!

Here is Skyler and I at the start of the ride. We started in Troy Montana. There were about 80 other riders participating in the half Chafe. It was exciting to see everyone all decked out with their fancy bikes! The second picture is me and my buddy Rachel who couldn't ride with me. She is the one responsible for all the motivation and encouragement! Actually lots of friends were encouraging, but Rachel rode every single mile with me, except for the day of the ride. I took a picture of her in my jersey just in case I decided to chicken out! I sure missed her!!

Speaking of fancy bikes! Skyler and I got quite a laugh at how they just piled all these expensive road bikes into horse trailers! Some of those bikes were worth thousands of dollars. But they all arrived safely.

Here we are! Me in the back, Skyler in the middle and my friend Colette in front. We also had another friend with us Sue, who is not pictured. The ride was really beautiful. The scenery was amazing. I wish now that I would have gotten off my bike for just a minute to capture it's beauty. We even saw a Moose in a small pond off the highway!  The first of the ride started with a hill. I have been worried about that silly hill for 5 months! I was steep but when I got to the top I said "that's it?" I laughed at myself for doubting my ability. I have all the training on the rolling hills of the Palouse to thank for it! In fact the night before at the dinner we sat by some riders who had rode the ride last year. I told them I was worried about the first hill. He said "You are from Moscow, right? And you ride your bike there? You will be just fine!" and he was right!  So the first 30 miles were great. We stopped at the rest station  then headed out for the next 30. Those were tough miles. It was a lot of up and down, nothing too steep but just up and down for about 30 miles. I was getting very tired. By the time I pulled into the 2nd rest station I was exhausted! I refueled with some food and tried to think positive thoughts! Colette really helped me out because she taught me how to draft behind her a bit so I could get some rest. Apparently drafting cuts your work load down by at least 30%. I don't like riding that close but it really did help and after about 12 miles or so I was feeling much better. About this time Todd and the younger boys found us on the highway and were able to get some photos of us riding. They rang a cow bell and did lots of cheering, that made it a lot of fun! The ride ended up being a little longer than I had thought but we crossed the finish line at 81.5 miles! We did the ride in about 6 1/2 hours (plus time for stops)

 It was a great feeling to know that I had done it!!

Finish line  of the Chafe 150 (half) 81.5 mile ride. From Troy, Montana, to Sandpoint, Idaho.

I am looking forward to doing it or another similar ride, next year! Anybody with me!???

 If I can do this, anyone can!

Here is one of the funniest things that happened.
 I now have a sun tattoo of my ipod on my arm! Guess that's what you get for staying in the sun all day long!! My kids thought this was hilarious!

Here are some pictures of our last great ride.. before I wrecked my bike. It was a beautiful day and the scenery was amazing! We had just ridden about 30 miles at this point, and had just come down a big hill. About to do 10 miles of uphill. It was a great ride, even though it was cut short.

"Life Is What Happens When You Are Making Other Plans"

Well it is only 10 days until the big ride. We have been training hard and the excitement has been building. Then a big 'real life' event changed it all. My friend who has been with me from the start, my inspiration, my cheerleader, the person I have spent all of my free time with for the past 3 months can't ride our race with me.  There is nothing that can be done, she has a family event that can't be missed. But it just won't be the same without her. She has really taught me that I can do hard things, she has pushed me a long to do this when I never thought I could.  It is really sad- for both of us. I know how sad I feel, and it must be tons worse for her. BUT we have to look at the whole picture. We have made it so far. We have overcome so much and we will always have those memories. Now more than ever I wished we would have documented it better- We only have a few pictures and nothing together. Oh well, I will never forget the experience and that's what counts. The good news is that my amazing son has offered to take her place. He is very excited, so it is very bitter-sweet. I will finish this, and take my good friend with me in my heart.


To update this blog here is what has happened in the past while since I have been too busy to blog:
I had a very big bike wreck on a day that we were doing so well! I crashed in a construction zone. I was fine, my bike was fine. But I did have a bunch of scrapes and bruises! They were terrible. But I am healing up nicely- not sure how long the hematoma on my leg will last. Ouch!

Also another AMAZING thing happened! I got a call from the trainer, I was talking about last post, she said that an anonymous person bought me 10 sessions of training with her!! I could not believe it!! It was like Christmas in May for me! I don't know who did it, and that really bugs me :0) But I am trying to accept this enormous gift. Actually I am super excited. I think NOT knowing who forked over the dough will make me work harder. They might be watching me!!????  So if you are the donor, and are reading this. YOU ARE MY HERO!!! I promise to work hard and give it my all.

Oh and I am starting to see better weight loss results! I think my mind and body is finally figuring this whole thing out. I feel so good!!!

A lot to think about.....

Well I just had a very interesting conversation with someone at my gym. She is an awesome trainer who has been helping lots of people meet their goals. She is tough and serious. Some of my friends have encouraged me to talk to her.  I am concerned that after I finish this training that I am doing with my bike and finish the race on June 12th, I need something to keep me going. I am not meeting my goals for weight loss like I thought I would. I feel great, much stronger and more fit, but the scale is not showing that. I am not saying I am getting hung up on numbers but I know that to really reach my goals I am going to have to work harder. So that's where I have a lot to think about.... As I talked with this trainer, she put it to me as straight as I have ever heard it before. She said that to get my body to change I have to push it harder than it has ever gone before. It will be hard, it will hurt but if I am consistent and dedicated, it will work. So I left the meeting with very mixed emotions. I do want to reach these goals. I have wanted it so many times before, I don't want this year to be like all the other years. I want to succeed!! I want to say I did it!! But I realized after talking to her that I will have to work harder than I ever have before. I don't think I can do it alone. I just don't push myself like that. So I am feeling like I am at a crossroads. Either bite the bullet, find a way to do it, both physically, emotionally, and  financially( Her sessions are $300 for 10) or continue to try and work on my own. I just don't feel like I will get there alone- but it will be hard and to be truthful I am a little scared. I also have got to make a commitment to myself to track my eating. I think I might be tricking myself into believing that I am eating so wonderfully because of the things I have cut out of my diet. Bur since I am not writing everything down and analyzing it, I don't know for sure.  I feel like I am starting to lose my dedication and I need to stick with it. I think I am at the point I have been so many times, but I really don't want to give up. Somehow I have got to dig deeper inside and find what I need to be the person I want to be. Hmmmmm so much on my mind!

The Palouse a gorgeous view on two wheels!

No this is not me! But this looks like what I ride through many days. The fields are starting to be green and you can see the rolling hills. So beautiful!! We are starting to find all sorts of routes and new places to ride.

My new Felt Road Bike!!

 Here is my new road bike!!! LOVE IT!!!!