Running? Cycling?

Just got through with a run. I’ve been away from my bike for 3 days (it's headed to Rhode Island) so I’ve been running to keep whatever fitness I may have (Ha!). And boy is it slow! I feel like I’m just trudging along mile after mile but hey at least I’m not breathing hard! On top of that my I-pod just stopped working so I can’t listen to it when I run. I might not have one for this trip now. Biking has spoiled me and now running just seems a little on the boring side. Don’t get me wrong, running is my first and last. But not my only. It pays my way through college and I know I’ll run for the rest of my life or until I can’t get out of bed. Honestly though cycling is so much more fun! Not better or worse, just more exciting. Running feeds my competitive drive and cycling um…….. not so much. When I bike I feel like I can just stop whenever I want and do whatever I want without having to keep a certain pace. Is that the most amazing view ever? Well I can stop and take a picture. They sell the world’s best hamburgers here? Well I can get off and decide for myself. With running its get in, get out, and try to beat the previous time (sometimes). I love doing that. They are both great but for completely different reasons. I just thought I should put that out there as my I-pod is broken and this is what I think about as I’m running along. I’m so ready to get on my bike again. Then again I’m sure there will be a few times this summer after cycling every day when I would prefer to lace up my running shoes than my bike shoes!

Dehydration pretty much sucks

It so hot down here in Texas and Arkansas! The heat here is unbelievable and I can’t wait to go up north and avoid all this heat during the summer. Although I’m sure it can get hot there too. The last few of my rides where so slow and hard so I got really worried that I was losing it. Then it dawned on me that it’s probably due to the fact that I’m riding in 90+ temperatures with 70+ humidity. I attempted a 70 mile ride just a few days ago and it was an absolute disaster. I couldn’t drink fast enough from my camel back to make up for the sweat I was losing. It ended up with me laying spread out on the side of the road (no I didn’t fall I was just chillen). I couldn’t so much as move my big toe without getting these intense cramps. But luckily I ended up getting back safely (after 50 total miles) without puking or running into things that I kept seeing two of. I really wish cyclist were around this area that I could ride with because it wouldn’t have been too scary. I’ve actually never cycled with anyone before unless you count riding around the street when I was a kid. I’m really happy that they’ll be plenty of people to ride with and keep me company because it gets a little board riding by myself for 4+ hours in tight cycling pants while weirdoes honk at me. But anyways back to dehydration. It really wasn’t that big of a deal but I learned some great lessons as far as dehydration is concerned. Drink as much as possible. It’s much better to pee on the side of the rode than lay spread out on the side of the road. Despite these few difficulties, I’m extremely ready and excited to start this thing. In exactly 8 days I’ll leave for Providence. I just boxed up my bike today because I’m sending it to DHL tomorrow so for the next 8 days I’ll have run instead of bike. I’ve got to stop writing so I can go study (mini semesters aren’t fun) Bye!

Such is the Life of a Cyclist

I’ve never understood the infatuation dogs have with cyclists. Maybe infatuation isn’t the word, maybe it’s more like um………. hate. What about a bike makes a dog want to chase it down and try to bite the cyclist? I must have been chased by at least a dozen dogs today. I’m starting to fear dogs more than cars and I find myself picking routes based on how dog populated it is rather than on how safe it is car wise. I really do like dogs a lot and they seem to like me but we just don’t seem to get along when I’m sitting on a bike. And honestly I don’t understand owners who don’t lock up their dogs when they know that they’re dangerous and try to bite people. I just feel like this is irresponsible and inconsiderate of others. What ever happened to social responsibility? And really half the dogs that chase me aren’t trying to do anything more than run beside me while barking. I don’t have a problem with this as long as they stay away from my tire. But I’ve learned to tell the difference between a nice one that wants to play and one that wants a piece of leg. I’ve encountered the latter many, many times today and I’m almost out of pepper spray because of this. Plus I seem to have gotten a little on myself and can’t stop sneezing. But enough of my ranting. I feel better now but I just wish people would lock up their mean dogs, especially the pit bulls.

Holy Hill

Note: this post is completely random and tends to go from one thought to the next quickly. But I’m a pretty random person so it just comes natural. Feel free to skip over my rambling wherever you feel is necessary. Yesterday was my first time to successfully change my bike tube all by myself! I’m pretty proud that I did it myself without any help but all it takes is a little patience and time. I must have had a really good tube because it lasted for about 400 miles. Anyways today I had a 30 mile bike ride planed for after class since I had already ran quite a bit before class. I thought 30 wouldn’t be bad at all but I decided to do this on a new trail (actually it was a highway with cars swooshing by but it had a pretty good shoulder so I’ll call it a trail). Well it ended up being the single hilliest ride I’ve ever done in my life. Arkansas really is hilly compared to where I’m from (Texas for all of ya’ll who do not know). It ended up being pretty hard but I’m very glad I found this new “trail” because it’ll be great training for the 3 weeks I’ll be in Arkansas. I almost averaged 16 mph and I honestly have no clue how fast or slow this is because I’m new to this cycling thing. If I had to guess though I would say it’s more on the slow side. Hopefully that will improve as I start to ride with people and get used to cycling. When I first started cycling, which wasn’t that long ago, I was averaging a little under 12 mph and riding 15 miles was a huge accomplishment so I think I’ve come a long way. I’m no stranger to endurance sports as I have run cross country competitively for the last 8 years. I think my cross country background will help me a little with cycling. Or at least I won’t be surprised at the pain that comes from cycling great distances. I was actually worried when I made the commitment to do Bike and Build that cycling all summer without running any would have a negative effect on my cross country season this fall. Ha! Then I realized that biking up to 115 a day (average 70) isn’t exactly like I’m sitting on the couch all day watching Dr. Phil and eating ding dongs. Hey I might even come back in even better shape. And if not it’s all good because I would have rode with some neat people, helped others, and obtained some amazing tan lines. I guess that’s it and now I have to go study :( Peace

24 days!

I can’t believe how fast time has gone and how close I am to the start of the trip. It’s really going to happen! In about 3 weeks I’ll be sitting on a seat that is half the size of my butt while sweating like crazy for 4-9 hours everyday. All in all I’m pretty excited but I have to admit I’m a little nervous. There’s always the question in the back of my mind asking if I’ve trained enough for this. Then I realized the other day that one can’t really train “enough” for this. In order to be fully prepared you’d have to spend like 5 hours a day on the bike and that’s just not gonna happen. I mean we’re going to be going over the Rockies. The freaking mountains! I think the best thing to do training wise is to get in shape enough so your body won’t go through complete shock at the fact that it’s got to peddle 70 miles per day. I believe I’ve done that. Ok so I hope I’ve done that. We’ve still got 3 good weeks and although I still have to be here at college to take a mini semester for that whole time, I think I can get in a few good rides.
As far as gear goes, I’ve got most if not all my bike supplies (still contemplating on aero bars) I finally broke down and bought a seat that actually allows me to sit down after riding :) I also realized that butt cream for chaffing is most certainly something that one should never skip on to save money. I learned the hard way that butt cream is right up there with food. You need it or you will not survive. It’s going to be one amazing summer!

Minivans

So I had a very interesting but unfortunately unpleasant experience with a driver while biking yesterday. It ends up with an older woman in a minivan chasing me down. But I’m getting ahead of myself and should probably start from the beginning. Well I’m riding down the back roads, enjoying myself, singing a little song, and just taking in the scenery. Out of nowhere this women, who looks to be in mid 50’s, drives toward me but won’t move to the left or right(it’s a narrow road). There’s nowhere for me to go but somehow I narrowly miss her. It was one of my closest calls. So as she’s driving away I turn around and do the whole hand motion that involves shrugging your shoulders and moving your hands upward as if to say “hey what is that all about”. I continue riding and brewing about the incident but about a minute later I see the infamous minivan coming up on my side. This lady is yelling something out of her window looking pretty mad. She continues in this aggressive manner until I realize what she’s saying. She’s like “hey did you just flip me off?” Um nope I didn’t. I just give her a confused look until she drives off. So apparently shrugging your shoulders and raising your hands up isn’t something you should do because it looks as if you’re giving someone the bird. I guess next time I won’t do that. What’s so funny about the whole situation is that it’s an older lady in a minivan chasing me down. A minivan! I always thought that it would be like some big muscled up dude on a Harley that would tend to be aggressive toward cyclists. I’m just not used to dealing with aggressive drivers. It’s just weird to me that this would happen because in the small southern towns that I ride in everyone is really friendly. I wave, they wave. It’s generally a great area to ride. The only thing I worry about are the dogs chasing me and trying to bite. But sometimes…….

Goal!!!

Holy cow doesn’t even cover it this time. I met my fundraising goal! I can’t believe it! To say that the generosity of so many friends and family is overwhelming would be an understatement. I can’t say thank ya’ll enough. You have made this trip possible for me as well as contributed to the affordable housing cause. Thank you!!!!

This trip is getting closer and closer. And the fact that I’m biking across the country is becoming more real. It’s finally beginning to dawn on me. A few months ago biking across the country seemed so far away and almost like a dream. But this is actually happening and I can’t be more excited (although a little bit more nervous as I get closer). Honestly, I’m going to miss my bed w/ electric blanket, hot showers, transportation involving gas, and my running shoes. But all of this is going to be replaced with amazing things, all to be experienced with the company of amazing people, who I haven’t even met yet. In less than two months I’ll be dipping my back wheel into the Atlantic Ocean only to dip my front wheel into the Pacific a few months after that (its a Bike and Build custom).

Yesterday I did a 60 mile bike ride just to make sure that I could. It’s the most I’ve ever done in my life! I got a little lost at the end and actually missed one of my classes but at least I now know that I can do it now. And the weird thing about it is that today I didn’t feel sore at all (although the ride itself was pretty difficult) and actually got in a 5 mile run today. This is a very good sign since we’ll be biking more than that every day. It was a great ride all in all, no wind and very good scenery. But I did learn lesson # 5: do not hide your camelback (only source of water) on the side of the road at the beginning of the ride to lighten the load. I thought I would just take it off for a second and come back to get it after I finished checking how far a certain road will go. This is incredibly dumb. The road ending up being way longer than I ever thought, my exploring side wanted to check it out, and long story short I didn’t come back for it until mile 55. Needless to say I was very dehydrated but the lesson learned was worth it: stupidity makes one awfully thirsty.