Weekly Training Update {7/13-7/19}

Mark and I strive for equality in our marriage. I meal plan/shop/cook and he cleans after dinner. He does the laundry, and I put it away. He offers 3,000 foot rubs while I'm training, and I begrudgingly half-ass one while watching "Grey's Anatomy" on Netflix.

It's not everyone's idea for the division of duties but, for us, it works.

And our MO is no different when it comes to childcare, trying to be as accommodating and fair as possible. I run at 7 a.m. Saturday, he's off to the Y at 9. I let him sleep in, I get an hour for a pedicure. He has a guy's night, I bank brownie points for overnight relays.*

So when he had a guy's night among an already packed weekend, I was a bit frustrated. "What about me? What about my time?" I thought ... and then whined ... out loud. I had a brief moment that could only be labeled as "Kim playing the martyr" before I came to my senses.

I told Mark that I needed an hour to exercise Saturday afternoon. Like the good man he is, he offered to take the boys shopping so I could have uninterrupted time.

The day was the first one that resembled summer in nearly two months, with the mercury passing 90 for the first time since September. It would have been nice to do my long run then but it wouldn't be fun or safe. But I wanted to coat myself in NAAWK and feel the sun on my face, the breeze on my skin.

A photo posted by Kimberly (@healthystrides) on Jul 18, 2015 at 2:25pm PDT

And what better way to do that than by bike?

My road bike, Peaches, is still on the trainer where I abandoned it in February. {Tip: Road bike + pregnant belly = no good.} I'm a good for nothing cyclist and would need Mark to take it off and put on the tire to ride it. It's a favor I'll call in soon but I didn't want to push my luck on Saturday. But, a ride is a ride and I had one in the form of my Trek hybrid.

I pumped up the tires, adjusted a brake line and wiped down the frame. It was beautiful. And I was ready.

For me, riding bike is not so much about exercise, hitting a certain mph or watts (assuming I know WTF watts are). It's about being outside and feeling myself move. It's about seeing my usual trail from a new perspective. It's about being free and feeling young again.

Ha. Young. Good thing you can't see all of my white hairs.

I rode about 7 miles on a nearly empty trail, going this way and that. It was the most fun I had had in some time. Except for the part where I encountered a huge flock of geese. Geese scare me. Actually, all birds scare me. I biked like hell then and prayed that one of the mamas did not hiss or charge at me.

I returned to an empty house but I felt full. I had a smile on my face, sweat on my brow and fresh rain on my hair. The latter was thanks to a brief summer storm.

When the boys came charging in 45 minutes later, I was ready and happy to be Mom again.

The week, in training:

Monday, July 13
RUN | 4 miles {with the stroller}
Time: 40:02 Pace: 10:00

Tuesday, July 14
X-TRAIN | Boot camp {taught}
Time: 50 minutes

Wednesday, July 15
RUN | 4.0 miles
Time: 38:48 Pace: 9:42

X-TRAIN | Piloxing {taught}
Time: 45 minutes

Thursday, July 16
REST

Friday, July 17
RUN | 4.1 miles, progression
Time: 38:43 Pace: 9:27

Saturday, July 18
CYCLE | 7 miles

X-TRAIN | Pi-Yo Defined

Time: 30 minutes

Sunday, July 19
RUN | 5.1 miles
Time: 49:37 Pace: 9:43

*Note: Please do not mistake this arrangement for pawning off our kids and avoiding responsibilities. Mark and I believe that in order to be a good, happy parent that it is paramount to retain our own identities – not just be "Mommy" or "Daddy" all the time.

Soggy McSoggerson

This is where dedication and necessity meet stupidity.

I really needed to do something this morning - something active. After 24 hours of whining (and it was not me), I needed a space that was quiet, serene and just for me. My plan was either to rest or cross train, so I opted for the latter and decided to ride my bike. It was still in my trunk from a lunch ride on Monday, and I could easily park at work and go for 45 minutes before starting the day.

Now, I knew the forecast called for severe weather. It's all the meteorologists have talked about this week. However, it was predicted for the afternoon and when I checked Weather.com, the morning was just supposed to be cloudy.

Yeah. Cloudy. I will never trust you again Weather.com!

It was drizzling as I put the front wheel on my bike in the parking lot. It drizzled a bit harder when I started toward the greenway. By the time I hit the first hill, it was raining. By the time I hit the first foot bridge with warnings "Slippery When Wet," I was legitimately concerned about sliding and controlling my bike.

But still I rode. I needed it.

I was granted a bit of reprieve as I entered a heavily wooded part of the path but upon exit, I could hear it. The rain. Falling harder.

It was downright pouring by the time I hit my turnaround, and I was cycling with my head down to keep the rain from pelting my eyes. I am sure that would be considered super safe.

I kept hoping it would let up as I rode back but it did me no good. My jacket was soaked and sticking to me, my feet squishing as I pressed down on the pedal.

The remainder of the ride was spent equally trying to hammer to hurry the heck up and get back to the office and trying to ride conservatively - especially on the foot bridges that are fake wood - to keep myself safe. It was neither fun nor the quiet space that I had hoped for.

I arrived at work a soggy, wet mess. Like a sad little puppy left outside. My friend who (wo)mans the reception desk couldn't help but laugh at me. In the most caring way possible, of course.

And neither could I. It was all so ridiculous.

We laughed so hard as I explained my morning that we almost cried. It was then, I realized, my ride didn't give me what I needed but the experience and the friendship did.

Now if I can just find somewhere to hang my wet clothes ...

Learning the Cycling Basics

It was my first official ride of triathlon training, and Mark and I were zipping down the greenway.

16.8 ... 17 ... 17.4 mph.

The computer on my bike was recording speeds that I wasn't used to seeing, especially as I was used to my heavier hybrid. It was fun. It felt great. "It's like flying," I told Mark.

"You're in a low gear," he replied. "That's why."

"I don't understand. What does that mean?"

"You're in a low gear," he said. "You should be in a higher gear for training."

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

Riding a bike seems so easy. You get on, you pedal. You feel the wind in your hair and the ground beneath you. You press the brakes to stop and get off the seat to power up a hill.

But, allow me to let you in on a secret: Cycling is a complicated sport as the bicycle is an expensive piece of equipment with lots of moving parts. With lots of pieces and lots of money required, there's a lot to know - especially if you are doing it for more than leisure.

Thankfully - and I mean that with all sincerity - I was given the opportunity to review "The Bicycling Big Book of Cycling for Beginners: Everything a new cyclist needs to know to gear up and start riding." I might have logged a few miles on a banana seat with my bunny Jenny in the basket but I am definitely a beginner to the sport.

The book was published by Bicycling Magazine, sister magazine of Runner's World - both of which are by Rodale. It's similar to the "Big Book of Running for Beginners" [reviewed HERE] but I found the cycling book to be a lot less "duh" and a whole lot more "oh, now I understand." It includes information about the parts of the bike; how to ride for recreation, fitness and racing; gears and when to use them and why; the differences between bike prices; maintenance (including changing tires and lubrication = love); safety; and cadence.

I seriously had a light bulb moment when I read the section about the chain rings and when to switch gears. For the entire time I've been riding a bike, or at least 10 speed, I changed gears until riding felt comfortable. I didn't know whether I was moving up or down, sideways or backwards. Now, I understand that the bigger chain rings allow for more power and are used to gain momentum on downhills and flats. The smaller chain rings require, usually, a higher cadence and are better on uphills. But, be careful. You don't always want to use the big ring because riders like to fall into a cadence of 60 to 80 rpm where as 90 to 110 rpm is preferable for fitness and competitive riding.

So, Mark, now I understand.

Other takeaways:

Helmets. It's imperative to have good head protection, and sun and age damage the effectiveness of a helmet. Riders should replace them every 2 to 3 years. So ... I should upgrade from Mark's hand-me-down I've been wearing for six years.

Gloves. Cycling handwear isn't just about looking cool to other cyclists. And, it's not just about stopping that numbing feeling after a long ride. Gloves are just as much about safety as anything else. If, God forbid you fall, they help protect the hands as it's our natural inclination to stop ourselves with our palms.

Speed racer. I have ridiculous anxiety about speeding down a hill. It just feels, well, scary. However, it's better to push the fear aside and not ride the brakes. It's actually safer.

Emergency stopping. I have not been in this situation and, as I do not clip in (not yet), it's less of an issue. But, if you have to stop quickly, the book suggests pushing your weight back to help keep your traction and keep you from going over the handlebars.

Pedaling. How you pedal makes a big difference in the effectiveness and efficiency of the workout. If you can, clipless pedals are the way to go.

$$$. I like to joke that running is expensive with the $100 shoes and $50 race entries and the $80 gotta-have compression tights but cycling really is pricey. The cheapest road bikes are $700 - without the upgrades and add-ons, such as the most basic of bottle cages. The less you spend on the bike, the more one can expect to spend on the upgrades especially as the bike ages.

While this might be old news for some, I really found the book to be helpful. The information was detailed without being overly so, and it was written in a straight-forward, easy to understand manner. My only complaint - and it was the same one with the "Big Book of Running for Beginners" - is the inclusion of weight loss information. I'd rather it be just about the sport.