Coming up Roses

Ah, I love Spring. Wildflowers are so lovely, and I wonder how many folks just zoom right on passed them without noticing?

That was hard to do on the Rosedale Ride on Saturday. The route was down a lot of county roads northeast of Austin (probably most of them in Williamson county). I saw lots of quaint farm houses (and many that are far from quaint), two beautiful churches, farmers mending fences, calves weaning to a bottle, a boy shooting his cap gun at cyclists, and two sweet-faced girls in their gravel driveway giddily waving at passing bikes.

It's easy to forget how close by farm land is to Austin. Ah, the sweet smell of manure on a cool, damp morning...

The ride was great. I never struggled. I enjoyed pretty much all 63.1 miles. I think there were two times I complained, and those were because I was hungry. Perhaps I'll give a more detailed report later, but for now I'll leave you with a picture of me and Sarah at the end of the ride.

Me:



Sarah:

When your knees rule the roost

Monday at Gazelle class, Gilbert stretched my legs and IT bands and showed me some strengthening exercises. He says I have no quad and butt muscles, and of course, I'm "weak in the core." My left IT band hurts when running, and my right hurts when cycling. I'm wondering now if my right knee is something else. Anyway, Coach said that my right leg was "a mess."

I've taken the week off from any strenuous exercise. My leg muscles felt like I had lifted weights after Monday's stretching with Gilbert. Tuesday, Joshua's T-ball team played their 2nd game. Go Mets! Joshua's got the best slugging percentage on his team. I'm not sure I actually know what that means, but I wanted to be an obnoxious T-ball parent and toot my kid's horn. David and I are far too quiet at games. We simply stand out in the crowd of screaming parents and coaches.

Wednesday I ran an easy fartlek at class with Sarah (Allison and Barb were ahead of us about 100 meters). My knees protested pretty much right after our warm-up. I did 4 (maybe 5) sets before walking during the "easy" minute. With 1 more set to go, I had to give up on running all together. I had caught back up to Sarah, and she kindly walked back with me to Runtex (almost a mile). Ice, Compression, and Elevation at home. Rest on Thursday and today.

Tomorrow is the Rosedale Ride. Sarah thinks we'll be on our bikes for about 5.5 hours for the 63.1 miles. The weather should be pleasant, but there's a small chance of rain. I really am not interested in cycling in the rain. I am, however, excited about the ride and am looking forward to riding with Sarah since she won't be able to do the MS150 due to her sister's surgery.

I will ask Sarah to take a picture or two of me on my bike to post here. If you want to see me on my bike right this very minute, you can look at pics of me at the 2006 CapTexTri.

Want to see Sarah? Look how cute she is (she's the one with the red hair). :o)

Snippets

"Long" run on Friday evening - 60 mins.
Left knee hurt within 15 minutes.
Unbearable.
Switched to a fartlek with 2 mins fast/1 min walking to keep my knee from hurting.
Ran hard though (had to in order for me knee not to hurt).

No cycling this weekend.
Resting my IT bands.
Exercises to strengthen muscles near IT band aren't easy.
Foam roller, aka Torture roller.

65-mile Rosedale Ride this Saturday.
Gulp.
Easy running this week, if any.
Really up to the knees.

Ice pain. Heat IT band.
Ah, that is the answer.

MS150 in less than 3 weeks. Yikes.

Spring Equinox

To celebrate the first day of my favorite season, I'm sharing my favorite poem. Enjoy.

Spring

Nothing is so beautiful as spring—
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.—Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.


-Gerard Manley Hopkins
1877

Still Recovering from Spring Forward

I jokingly "wrote" a blog in conversation with David the other day:

I ran, blah, blah, biked 30 miles, two flats, Enchanted Rock, how much crap can can one tiny house hold?

I think there might have been one or two other snippets in the original, but the concept is the same. It doesn't really matter if I write in this blog or not. It doesn't matter if I give detailed reports of my running or cycling or anything. I'd like to recap for my sake, so if I ever look back and wonder how I did with running/cycling, I'll have a record.

My IT bands have been hurting since I added in the cycling after 3M. Two Saturdays ago, I met Elizabeth, and we ran approx 7 miles on the trail. We met at 1:30pm b/c our Davids ran in the freezing morning with the Gazelles. We ran on the east side of the trail up to Longhorn Dam during a rowing competition. The trail looks so different when it's packed with people watching a rowing competition.

Two Sundays ago I did a 30-mile with Sarah and friends. I had a flat before we even started biking. At 4 miles into the ride, "Blowout!" (say it like the dad in A Christmas Story). I had no tube with me and sent the others on down Mopac (we started from my house and were doing Mopac and Veloway). DV came and rescued me, changed the flat properly, and drove me back to the Veloway so that I could find my group. I found them and enjoyed the rest of the ride. Later that day I tried to ride for another 15-30 minutes, and I could not sit on the seat. My butt was so very tender, I literally could barely sit. But I forced myself.

I've been attending Gazelle class. We did a horribly painful core workout the first Monday of spring break. I suck at plank and should probably do plank every day. Last Wednesday it was the ladder workout at the track (600m, 400m, 200m). I usually love this workout but it was hard to do this time. I know we started out too fast (geesh, will I ever learn?), but I quickly fixed that on the very first 400. My knees held up through the 3 sets.

Two weeks ago was circuit and fartek, two of my favorite workouts. Few folks love circuit, but I do. I do remember this being a crazy weather day with extremely strong winds. We all felt like we could lean into the wind on the back side of the track, and it would hold us up. Fartlek on that Wednesday was the 4-mile loop again, which we enjoy much better than running around Auditorium Shores.

I was planning to do my long run last Friday, but I changed my mind after my knees were jolted into pain at Enchanted Rock. We took the boys last Thursday, and it was a fabulous time. David and I were in pain coming back down the rock - him with his shin and me with my knees. I figured I'd hold off on a long run or possibly run a little on Saturday. Saturday came and went with no running b/c I really need to rest up for the longer bike rides. It's exhausting doing long runs, long rides, 24-7 kids, work, cleaning out our house and prepping it to sell, etc.

Sunday (just two days ago! see how fast I can recap?): 50 mile ride with Sarah, Lynette and Lonny. I was nervous and my stomach hurt. I am always like this when I'm doing something for the first time. I had never ridden the route we had planned (Old San Antonio Road - basically riding from Austin to San Marcos and back). I also had never biked more than 30 miles.

It was really a pleasant experience overall. The weather was superb and the terrain very do-able. The wind could have easily made this ride difficult, but there were only a couple times the wind blew hard enough to challenge us (er, me). We didn't take a break until the turn-around point in San Marcos. We all visited the restroom of the Sac-n-Pac and ate an energy bar. Between miles 34-40 I was really struggling. It was mostly mental though. My right knee smarted, my neck, arms, and hands hurt, and I felt like the other 3 riders were going so fast and riding with ease. I was grateful when Sarah (aka, SpeedRacer) pulled into a convenience store for a potty break at mile 40. It was just the boost I needed. I just needed off the bike for a few minutes. I stretched my arms, neck, legs, and hands. The last 10 miles were enjoyable, so I have faith that I'll get through the MS 150 knowing that I can get off my bike at the frequent stops. When we finished the ride, Lynette said, "Okay now we eat lunch and then get back on the bike for another 50 miles." She was referring to what will happen on Day 1 of the MS 150. Gulp.

I did not attend Gazelle class yesterday b/c T-ball has started up again. Joshua is a Met again, and their first game was last night. He did great. He played 3rd base the first inning and made the throw to 1st a couple of times. He had 2 RBI singles and one awesome 3 RBI triple. He got a new bat, and I think it's making a big difference.

I've just finished a good book, and I recommend it: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (yes I can take a break from The Complete Jane Austen, lol).

Langston Hughes

It's been far too long since poetry graced this blog.

Three poems by Langston Hughes for your reading pleasure (it was going to be two poems, but how can one choose only two from such a well of words?).

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"April Rain Song"

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.


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"I, Too, Sing America"


I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

-1924
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(click to hear Langston Hughes talk about this poem and read it! Awesome!)

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers"

I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human rivers
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy
bosom turn all golden in the sunset

I've known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

-1920

Just a Thought

Have you ever tried to think at least one nice thought about every single person you see in a day? It's not so easy. You might be in traffic and see lots of drivers. Perhaps you work somewhere with hundreds of people that you pass walking here and there. Maybe you really don't like someone that you see almost every single day. However, it's a simple exercise that can show you how negatively you think.

I do this exercise every so often, and I'm amazed at what I'll think about a total stranger. Some examples are: "That's an ugly shirt," or "He needs to brush his hair." Those thoughts seem harmless enough, but why can't my one and only thought about that person be something positive and happy? Why is the first (and sometimes only thought) something negative?

Sometimes this exercise is harder when you know someone, especially if you aren't fond of that person at all. Many years ago, I didn't like a co-worker. In fact, I thought I hated this person. Hate is such a strong, strong word. I tried this exercise and couldn't come with anything. I could usually comment on someone's clothing ("That's a nice shirt" or "What a pretty color blue."), but I couldn't even let myself do that for this person. I finally resorted to picturing this person as an infant, sweet and innocent and totally loved by a mother. I was a new mother at the time so seeing this person as my own child brought forth a flood of loving feelings. I suddenly felt differently. Someone out there had loved and might still love this person the same way I loved my son.

It's an interesting exercise that I believe helps me be a happier person in general. I should probably do it every day, all day. I wonder who of you will try it?

On to boring blah, blah, blah...

My knees are really hurting after my long run yesterday with Elizabeth and Barb. We did the Lollipop route (7 mile version). My left knee was hurting so bad near the end that I was limping a bit after stopping to stretch it. I tried the dreaded foam roller (that thing hurts like hell!). I won't be biking today as I missed the morning ride with Sarah and Co., and David took my bike for it's tune up. I will try to get to FitLife for an extended stationary bike ride. I really should probably rest the knees today though.

Christina asked yesterday on the status of the Jedi Robe. I'm ashamed to say I've done nothing further. My poor child has forgotten about it, I believe. I have so many projects for Spring Break, but finishing that robe is at the top of the list.

I'm registering for the Rosedale Ride on March 29 in prep for the MS 150. It means I'll miss my kids run the Dillo 1K. I'm scared of that ride, but I think I'm more scared of the MS 150. What in the world was I thinking? I'm not positive I can ride 160+ miles, even if it's over the course of 2 days. At least my new Butterfly will make it more pleasant.

Anyone going to the Kite Festival today? March already? I see trees budding and I spotted bluebonnets yesterday. Spring is my favorite season. I'll be treating you to my favorite poem in a few weeks.