Around the Lake we go...
Today's road ride was from my house, around Lake Sammamish and then back up the hill to my house. This is the first time this year that I've done a road ride from the house. I've been nervous the fast descent and slow climb with all the sand on the side of the road (the sand was all gone!). Most road rides from my house involve a wonderfully fast long descent (to get off the Issaquah/Sammamish Plateau)...which of course means a long slow climb coming home. Lake Sammamish is really one of my favorite rides. It was a total of 29 miles (my house adds 7 miles). My legs complained a bit today...I think they were just getting warmed up for tomorrow's Daffodil ride. Not sure what distance or route I'm taking; but I'm pretty sure it will at least be 50 miles....

March 27, 2007 - Tuesday night at the Beav.
Tonight was the first bike ride in almost two weeks! I was under the weather this weekend (stayed home sick on Monday) and almost went home sick today...but, by this afternoon I was feeling pretty good. I got out of work a bit late...so I got home a bit late. The Beaver Lake trails are 20 minutes (by bike) from my house...but I really wanted to spend as much time as possible on single track...so I put the bike on the car and drove to the Beaver Lake park. The trail system was only 3/4 of a mile from there. The last time I rode there I discovered a great new flowy and fast trail leading out of the trail system. I immediately was reminded that most trails are not flowy and fast in both directions. My ride began with some climbing. Once my body remembered the mountain bike gig (high heart rates, steep climbs, and fast flowy downhills) the trail system became very fun. There was a bit more mud (in some places) than I like to ride in. I rode harder than I normally would because I forgot my light battery and knew I had to be out of the trails by 7:30pm to get back to the car before dark...I really don't like being on a time crunch...especially since any mechanical could easily have left me in the dark.

The last time I felt the uneasy panic was when my rear derailleur was ripped off my bike (by an evil branch) at Lake Sawyer. We (my Godson Joseph and I) had about 30 minutes of light and I wasn't sure how long it was going to take us to get out of the trails. So I turned my Juliana into a single speed and we rode out (ruined a good chain...but we got out before dark).

Tonight's ride was only 1.5 hours...but it was fun! I rode very well...better than I expected...the technical came back quick. I made a few climbs that I didn't expect to...of course hearing noises in the woods (and recalling all the mommy bear and cub stories) kept me moving.

As a side, this week on the BBTC e-mail list they were telling stories about the strangest things they have seen on a trail. I'd love to recount all the great stories they were telling...but after the first story, I realized that if I continued to read these stories...my solo mountain biking days would be over...so I promptly deleted the thread. I figured all the bear sightings this month is enough to keep my blood flowing on the bike.


Easter Monday:
Finished the fence. I wouldn't let myself call it a day until every last board was nailed on. It was so tempting to take a break. But the fence is finished (all twelve sections). Five from last month and seven from this weekend.

Easter Saturday:
Spent the day picking up more supplies and building fence. Katie came by for five hours of fence tutorials! Her help was awesome. It is so much easier to build fence with two people! It is a good thing that she didn't come on day one of the project or I would never have been willing to continue on by myself!

Good Friday, 2007
Today was day one of fence building. I have 7 sections of my 6' Cedar fence that needs replacing. This morning I took the old fence down and hauled most of the old fencing to the dump. Then I dug out 7 wheelbarrow loads of dirt that need some relocating so that there isn't dirt up against my new fence (It should be 14 loads...but I just don't have anyplace to spread that much). I finished my day by digging one post hole. Tomorrow my friend Katie is going to come over to get a free tutorial on fence building. My goal for the morning is to pick up the last of the fencing materials and unload them. Cement the first post so it has time to set. Then hopefully get one section of the fence built before Katie comes at noon. I really want this to be a two day project! One thing that should help is that I borrowed a cordless circular saw so that I can make all the cuts at the fence rather than carrying the wood to and from a work bench up by the house. Of course it also helps that I just built 5 sections of fence about a month ago.

Thursday, April 5, 2007
I had a fun tempo ride with Seujan. Starting at Leshi, across I-90, counter clockwise around Mercer Island and back to Leshi. I pushed myself to keep my speed up (and my heart rate). Kept my heart rate at 88% of Max for first half of ride and then 85% for the last half. I keep forgetting how nice Mercer Island is! I love the rollers because they give me motivation to work hard; because if I don't keep my speed up then I have to work twice as hard on the climbs. Max speed was 34.5mph. Ave 13.5. distance 18 miles. Just a fun ride with a great riding partner! I'm just starting to push for speed...and my body is still questioning: What is wrong with 75% of Max...or heck even 65%. I think it is time to start throwing in some intervals. I also plan to take my bike with me to work and I can ride Mercer Island after work.

Monday, April 2, 2007
I spent my morning at Connolly Center lifting weights. It has been a while since I've been in the weight room. It felt good. I walked on the treadmill and although my ankle complained...it wasn't bad.

2 sets bench press
2 sets triceps press
2 sets biceps curl
2 sets back extensions
2 sets curl ups
2 sets lat pulls
2 sets squats
2 sets lunges
2 sets bridges
2 sets push ups

Tonight I pick up the rest of the fencing materials for my fence (150 slats, four 2x6's and 2 bags of concrete).

Rough Week:
Woke up on Monday with my neck and back hurting. e-mailed Lori to see if I could get into PT with her. She worked me in twice this week; but, I just couldn't get the pain to subside. I swam Monday, but couldn't stay in the pool very long due to the pain. Thursday I skipped book club so I could go to be early...and sleep away the pain. Finally Friday night I tried an old trick...I put a tennis ball between me and wall and worked my back for about 10 minutes (or at least until Cosmos demanded the ball...Golden Retrievers are not into sharing their toys!). The tennis ball did the trick...no pain Friday night and no pain on the bike on Saturday...well no back pain!

Saturday:
I had a fun and sort of fast ride. I've been riding at 75% of Max all winter and right out of the gate I was at 85+%. The group made me work. When they dropped me...my heart rate dropped to 75%. I did great until I was half way around Mercer Island...then my left quad started hurting...not the fatigue tired feeling but the pained pulled feeling. So I backed off a bit and tried to do more spinning. Over all it was a great ride and I was wiped by the end. I had hoped to ride a few extra miles at the end but didn't dare chance it with my quad complaining...so instead I went to the Essential Bakery with Stacy for lunch. At lunch I had the brilliant idea of having chamomile tea (my stomach has been off all week so I thought that was a better choice than coffee). I immediately wanted to fall asleep...I couldn't get out of the bakery and home fast enough...all the way home I had to force myself to stay awake! Once home I took a hot bath (I know I should have iced my quad...but the hot bath felt great) and crawled into bed...and out like a light I went.

Sunday:
I planned to go mountain biking...with the rain fall the last few days I thought it might be too wet...so I took the Nomad out around Yellow lake...immediately my left quad complained so I did just one lap (2 miles) and headed home. The trail was pretty wet. I'm really wanting to do some mountain biking...

My plan for the week:
I'm going to stay off the bike Monday. So Monday am I'll go lift weights. Do the pool on Tuesday and Thursday. Spin on Tuesday to see how the quad is. Ride on Thursday. My big plan for this coming weekend is to finish the fence. I have 7 sections to build (with only one post to replace). So Monday I plan to pick up the rest of the needed lumber and Friday I'll start building.