Just When I thought I Was In The Clear...That Is What I Get For Thinking!

Finally, after a week of rain and ugly weather, Boise got some perfect cycling weather.  To be fair, I would have gone for a ride in the rain, but I was so busy last week getting ready for a Jimmy Buffett concert, I just choose not to ride and rain sounded like a good excuse!

Today was my first real ride with my new clip peddles and shoes.   Clipping in and unclipping was easy!  I remembered to be conscious of my clips when coming to stop lights.  I did great!  

I decided to make this a "short" ride of 26 miles.  All of my leg muscles are working a bit differently with the clips.  It felt like I was riding on my tip toes and my toes were falling asleep.  This is going to take a bit of getting used to.  So I figured turning around at 13 miles seemed like a fair plan.

I rode my bike from my house in SW Boise to Kuna, just passed the city park and over the rail road tracks.  I pulled over onto the unpaved shoulder just before the entrance to a day care.  I remembered to unclip and I stopped safely along the road.

That's when it happened.....

I turned my bike to face the street.  My right foot was clipped in and ready to start peddling as soon as this white truck passed me. But the next thing I knew, I was falling to my right side.  I was clipped in, my head phones were in my ears and they were plugged into my iPhone which was in its case mounted to my handle bars.  I was tethered to that bike and down I went!  I landed elbow first then right leg on the rocky shoulder.  Thank god, I was wearing 2 layers of long sleeved shirts and my bike tights!  Even with all of that, I still managed to break the skin on my elbow and scratch up my knee and get bruising on both.

I know, it's not alot of damage, but it could have been much worse, especially if I had landed on my left knee that is still recovering from surgery!

Remember when I said I had been waiting on that white truck to pass?  Ya, I fell right as it was getting to me, and it just kept on driving (Thank God!)  Once I realized I wasn't really hurt, I started laughing and thanking the gods that "no one saw me".   I imagine that watching me get untangled would have been quite the sight.  Just as I was back up on my feet and examining the "damage" done to my right side (making sure I hadn't ripped my clothes and such) I heard a lady from behind me ask if I was okay.  OH NO!!!!  Someone saw me!!!  I turned around and laughing replied, "You know that moment when you wish people hadn't been watching.....  Ya this is that moment.  I'm great, thanks for asking."  Then I saw her turn to someone I could hardly see behind me through the bushes. It was the lady who works at the day care who came out to check on me.  What?  How did she even know I had fallen?  My best guess...I had screamed and made quite a racket when I fell.  I waved and smiled to let her know I was okay and then off I went. Clipped back into my peddles I started my ride back....feeling like I had just passed my initiation into the realm of cycling.

Now that I have THAT over with, the rest should be smooth sailing, right?  Right!

Thank you for following me in this adventure!  To find more information on the Fuller Center for Housing, the Bike Adventure, or to make a donation to my $2000 goal, please click here.

A Different Kind of Training Day. Who'da Thunk????

Last week after riding my 45 1/2 mile ride, I decided that I need to go to the chiropractor. My lower back had been hurting for a little over a week (since my first longish bike ride).  I wasn't certain if it was the bike ride or the lumbar strengthening exercise machine at the gym that caused the pain, but after my long ride both my friend, Kurt, and my Chiro told me that I need to make sure my bike is fitted properly. My Chiro said that even a millimeter off can cause some issues.  Well, I can't have that! If there is one thing I have learned from being a marathoner is that you gotta take care of your body and make sure you are using the right gear. And form is pretty much everything!  

I had NO IDEA what this would entail.  I had been in that shop a couple of times talking about getting fitted for a new saddle (seat) but no one ever mentioned to me what goes into the "getting your bike fitted" routine.  I thought I was just going to waltz in there and have him measure my seat and adjust its height and be done with it!  I guess I should have gotten my first clue when I went in on Saturday and the technician told me that he couldn't do it on Saturday cause they were too busy and that I should come back at 11 am on Monday (an appointment).  

I brought my bike into the store today with the idea of scratching off some of the "must get" items off of my shopping list for the Spring Adventure.  I would get a rear view mirror and maybe a saddle. That was it.  However, my visit to the bike shop ended quite differently.   First, the manager of the store got me into a pair of Specialized ( a brand name) ergonomic hand grips. Yes!  No more hands falling asleep! Then we picked out the mirror.  Then Eric the technician came out and saw that I did not have clip peddles and asked if I was looking at getting those in the future.  (Those are one my "must get" list, but I was not looking at purchasing them today.)  He explained that if I am going to get fitted, it is best to have my saddle, clip peddles and shoes first.   Okay then......    To the wall of shoes I went. Oh ya, I wasn't wearing socks, so I HAD to buy a pair ( a girl can never have too many amazing socks)!  My new socks are so cool!  (Being a runner will turn you into a sock freak, just a warning to the wise.) Eric helped me find the right pair of Specialized biking shoes; he informed me that they fit small so up to a 9 1/2 I went. They fit perfectly AND they were on sale!  YES!!!!  I had no idea that the right biking shoe was just as important as right pair of running shoes!  The way the insole fits has a huge part in how your foot works with the peddle and ads to your efficiency and speed.  Wow!  I had no idea!

Now I have the right shoes and socks.  I need the peddles.  Oh the choices!  Ultimately what it came down to was me being a novice clip peddle user.  I wanted something that was as user friendly as possible.   I really was kind of throwing myself at the mercy of the bike experts and allowing them to choose for me and teach me along the way.  I really wish my big brother, Matt, lived here.  He used to be a serious cyclist back in the day. And if it wasn't for him, these name brands that people were throwing around at me would all equal to "Huffy" to me. I wouldn't have known the difference!  But when Eric suggested Shimano clips, I knew the brand name.  (Thank you, Matt, for being an excellent example when I was a kid!)  I ended up with Shimano clips with closed bearings.  (Thank god for my roller derby days and learning about bearings for my wheels!  I understood the importance of closed bearings.)

With socks, shoes and peddles picked out, it was time to get fitted for a saddle. Is there anything more awkward than talking to man about the soreness a woman feels while riding bikes?  It's not my sit bones that hurt; let's just make that clear!  The pain I have been feeling has been up front (as the nice young man pointed out.....) "in my pubic bone area".  Ya...awkward!  He had me sit on this gel saddle seat that measure my butt imprint!  Awesome!  Just what every woman wants to know.."how fat is your arse?"  Okay, it wasn't that bad.  It has nothing to do with how wide your back end is, but rather how far apart your ischial tuberosity bones are.  "What are those?"   I'm glad you asked; here is your medical moment brought to you by Wisegeek.org:

"When a person is in a seated position, his or her weight typically rests on a section of bone called the ischial tuberosity. There are two of these bony swellings, sometimes called the sitting bones, located at the front of the superior ramus of the ischium, which is the lower back portion of thehip bone. The gluteus maximus muscle lies over it when a person is standing; however, when he or she sits down, the muscle shifts to a position behind it and the tuberosity bears the majority of the weight.

The ischial tuberosity is an attachment point for several muscles and ligaments. Three of thehamstring muscles, the semimembranosus, the biceps femoris, and the semitendinosus start there. The adductor magnus, a large muscle in the thigh that lies next to the hamstrings, also originates at the tuberosity. The sacrotuberous ligament connects it to the sacrum."

While I was sitting there letting the gel form around my sit bones, he tells me that sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right.  People often think they are sitting centered on the gel piece when in reality, they are not.  "Great, "  I thought!  "He is gonna have to keep looking at my butt imprints until I get it right!"  Awkward!  Thankfully, I'm a pretty centered person and I got it right the first time!  With the measurement taken, Eric was able to lead me to the right size saddle.  Dolce Sport Gel that has gel for my sit bones and cut out up front for my pubic bone area.  Whew!  

With all of this put on my bike, it was time to make the adjustments necessary.  I hopped onto my bike which was stationed on the stationary spinner.  I learned how to use  my clips and he started taking note of how my body looked while in the saddle. What it came down to:  my bike seat had been at least 3 inches too short.  My frame is too small so he changed out the stem for my handle bars and extended them out another inch.  He tilted the front of my seat down a little to relieve more of that front pressure.  With these adjustments, my legs will be able to get full function, making me faster and keeping my knees healthy (great since I'm 12 weeks post op on my knee.)  Also, my back and my wrists will stop hurting.  My body will be working more efficiently and I will be faster!  Yes!  

Like I said, I had no idea how much was involved in this process.  It was certainly much more than just raising my seat!  I learned a great deal about the way the bike riding process should work and how the bike and the body should work in unison for the best possible experience!  I will count this as a great training day!

45 Miles, Bugs and HIlls...the makings of a great day!

Today I set out to ride my furthest distance yet.  Since I moved her to Boise and started hanging out on the Boise Greenbelt, I have always wanted to do a ride or walk or run from the entrance at Glenwood all the way to Sandy Point Beach at Lucky Peak.  I thought one way it was like 21 miles, but when I pulled up Mapmyrun yesterday, I found out it was only like 15 or so miles one way.  I wanted to get in 40-42 today.  So I decided I would just ride from my house to the entrance of the Greenbelt at Glenwood and then do the out and back.  I figured it would take me somewhere between 3-4 hours.

I brought plenty of water and packed 2 individual packs of raw almonds for my 1/2 way point snack. I dressed warm and I was ready to go!

The ride on the city streets to the greenbelt was busy and no so fun, and it gave me a great shot of the 2 hills I have been afraid of since I moved here.  Whenever I saw a cyclist ride up them, I called them crazy.  I knew today was going to be my day to join the crazies, and joy of joys, it was going to be when my legs were tired from riding 40 miles.  But I had a couple of hours before I had to worry about that.

Finally I reached the greenbelt.  My legs were feeling very sluggish today.  I wasn't sure I was going to make my 12mph limit, but I just did the best I could do.  When I got into Julia Davis Park, I was greeted by this beautiful creature:

How can you be anything other than happy when you get to see a Giraffe while you are out riding your bike?

Back on my bike, I kept on pedaling to the half way point.  There are parts of the greenbelt that are VERY bumpy and are not fun to ride on.  My tush hates those parts!  Finally I made it to the midway point and hopped off my bike to sit on a rock and relax a bit while I ate my snack.  I was so grateful for the time off of my bike.

Snack time over, it was time to get rolling again.  Back across the bumpy path.  I think today was recumbent bike day.  I saw like 5 of them on the green belt. I wonder if those bumps on the path would be easier to handle on one of those things.  I also saw this bike that I think was a tandem bike that was customized for this lady.  She was sitting in what would be the back seat of the bike but she had control of the bike and in front of her was a storage platform where she had a big ol' plastic tub sitting and her big dog was in side of it.  I want on of those!  Too cool!

Finally I made it to my lunch stop!  My Fit Foods.  This is a chain of grocery store/healthy food places where you can buy prepackaged (refrigerated) healthy meals to either take home or cook there in the microwave and eat.  I chose the Hawaiian Chicken; it was yummy!

While I was there I got to talk a little bit about why I am riding my bike and training.  I think when I throw my huge fundraising shindig, I will ask them to donate something, bring samples and have a booth there :).  

Anyway, after my lunch, I had 10 more miles to go.  I put my feet on the pedals and just got moving.  I wanted this ride to be over with.  This is the first time I felt like riding my bike was work.  I blame it on 2 workouts yesterday (a 6 mile walk and then an hour at the gym where I also did cardio and leg stuff). My legs were toast before I even started my ride today!

Then on the last 4 miles of my ride, I had 2 very steep hills to ride up.  I have seen people ride their bikes up them and thought they were crazy (and amazed at how fit thy were)!  I have seen people get off their bikes and walk up those hills; that is exactly what I would have liked to have done today.  But, where I would have been if I had quit? Nooo..gotta keep pedaling.  The first hill I came to, I passed a family and when they saw me riding, they cheered me on.  "Look at her go!  You go girl!"  That gave me the boost I needed to make it up. I wanted to show those kids that everything is possible with a little hard work.  The 2nd hill, I passed a man riding down and I thought to myself,  "He is gonna have to come back up...or maybe he already has and is enjoying his way down..but either way he knows  how I feel."  He smiled at me as we passed each other. Once I made it to the top, I realized I am one of the crazies now!!!

Oooohhh..I just checked my email and Runkeeper (which is the app I use on my phone to keep track of my time and my activity) sent me this:

"Congratulations!

This is a RunKeeper FitnessAlert to let you know that you achieved the following milestones with your most recent cycling activity:

• Farthest distance
• Biggest elevation climb
• Farthest distance in a month
• Longest duration in a month
• Most calories burned in a month
• Fastest average pace in a month
• Biggest elevation climb in a month"

I guess Runkeeper thought I was "crazy" too. My elevation gain today was 2,072 feet!!!  Go me!!

One last thing before I close today's blog. There is a topic that has been on my mind ever since I started riding bikes or even running, but it really hits home when I'm on a bike. It's so important, I had to make a video:

Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must take off these biking tights and make sure I have that blasted stinger out of my leg!!!!

Thank you for following me in this adventure!  To find more information on the Fuller Center for Housing, the Bike Adventure, or to make a donation to my $2000 goal, please click here.

Moving Up In The Pack

Last year I spent a great deal of time running.  I ran 4 marathons, 4 half marathons, 1 10K and several 5Ks.  I am a certified "Back of the Packer".  What does that mean?  It means I'm slow!  Most of my marathons are spent by myself away from any pack of runners.  I was running 13 minute miles which is a little over 4 miles per hour.  My fastest marathon wast 6 hours and 29 minutes.  My slowest marathon was over 8 hours (in Honolulu). However, the Honolulu Marathon is geared for walkers and racers of ever ability so there were ALWAYS people around me during that race.

Anyway, being a back of packer means that you are always worried about meeting that finish line before a "sweeper" comes and carries you away. Sometimes it means you  have the sweeper hovering behind you, sometimes rather uncomfortably. It's not like you don't know you are slow, you don't need the reminder!  Of course, they are there to make sure you are okay as much as they are there to encourage you to keep on going and push yourself.

My very first marathon in 2006, I literally had the police officer following me for the first 13 miles.  I was in last place and he was there to make sure I was safe.  He was very sweet, but Wow!  Talk about feeling a bit strange.  The thing is, I knew what pace I needed to run in order to finish in time.  I had 8 hours to finish this marathon and the pace I was keeping would have me finish just under that 8 hours. I finished at 7 hour and 57 minutes and I wasn't even last.  But I DO know what it's like to be followed by the sweeper.

Then there was my stint as Fresh Meat for a roller derby team.  In order to draft onto a team, you had to be able to skate 25 laps around the track in 5 minutes. While I was Fresh Meat, I wasn't able to do this. I was 30 seconds behind.  Last spring as I was losing weight, running and roller skating for fun, I decided to go out to the derby track and try my 25 laps in 5 minutes. Sure enough, I was able to do it with a few seconds remaining. I did it again last fall and cut off 15 seconds.  I was finally fast enough!

Now I am training for the Fuller Center for Housing Spring Bike Adventure.  I know they have sweepers in these rides.  The sweepers are part of the cycling team. A rider is designated as the sweeper, and it is their job to start last and cheer on/support the ones that are going slower.  I have heard stories about the sweepers.  One of my friends was a sweeper last summer.  I know their hearts are in the right place, but I can tell you I do NOT want to be the person they are having to "sweep up".

Being a back of the packer, I completely understand that everyone runs their own pace and their own race. You should never compare yourself to the runner ahead of you or behind you.  It is YOUR race, but there is ALWAYS that little bit of you that sings a song of joy when you pass a runner or lets out a curse beneath your breath when you get passed.  And I know what it feels like to have people waiting on you!  In joining this adventure, I have decided that I want to be a middle of the packer!

I am a Weight Watcher's member and I track all of my food and all of my exercise activity. For bicycling, there are a couple of options to track.  One of them is "Greater than 12 mph" (which is greater than a 5 minute mile).  This is the standard I work hard to hold myself to when I am training by myself or with other avid cyclists.  Some of my miles are slower and others are faster, but over my 35 mile rides, my average is about 4 minutes 47 seconds per mile.

I decided to ask my trip leader for the Bike Adventure, Melissa, how fast they would like us to ride.  Her answer was 12mph!  Sweet!!!!!  I'm on it!!!!  The Adventure is in 6 months!  By that time, I would like to be sustaining a 3 minute mile.  That is a good goal, and I think it will keep me from being chased by the sweeper :).

When I think about this goal, this is the song that comes to mind:

Here's to moving up in the pack!!!!!!!!  What are you doing today to make you "faster better stronger"?

Thank you for following me in this adventure!  To find more information on the Fuller Center for Housing, the Bike Adventure, or to make a donation to my $2000 goal, please click here.

The Up Hills of Life

Usually my Sundays are reserved for hiking with my husband or going to the gym with the husband.  Whatever I decide to do; its with my husband.  I try to keep my long bike rides to during the week.  However, I knew that rain was coming this week and yesterday was so gorgeous, I decided to head out for some hill training.

Just outside my door and around the corner are some amazing steep hills. It's pretty much up hill for 9 miles!  There are some down hill stretches, but for the most part, it is UP UP and UP!  I decided to take this route.  Up S. Cole Road.  Turn left onto Hollilyn and go up some more (but not nearly as steep).  Then at the stop sign/end of the road turn right again onto Pleasant Valley Road where it is an immediate steep up hill, up and over the bench of farm land.  This part is so steep for a mile or so that it actually turns a 2 lane road into 3 to give the up hill direction 2 lanes.  Then you get to the top and you keep going on that road for a bit and there is this beautiful steep downhill that gives way to another very steep up hill and that is the last of the up hill for this ride until the last 7 miles!  This ride was a total of 35 miles that I did in under a 5 minute mile pace, but with all of this up hill I only  had an elevation gain of 1369.  I guess the gain was just steep, not long.  Tell that to my lungs that had to keep stopping along the longest hill!

It was truly a beautiful day for a bike ride and I loved every minute of it.  I took several short videos during my ride, but this is the one that stands out......

It dawned on me while I was on this mile long steep hill that I just wished it would be over with.  I couldn't see the end.  All I could see was that this hill kept on going around a bend.  Having taken this road several times on a car and once on a bike, I knew that at some point this hill would end, but its not always like that in life, is it? Sometimes we find ourselves fighting this "up hill battle" and it feels like it is never going to stop and we wish and wish with all of our might that it would just come to an end and we could coast for a bit.  We get so wrapped up in the toil of the up hill, that we don't see the gifts of that moment.  We don't see the strength we are building.  We don't see the beauty around us. We just keep our heads down and keep pushing. But what would it be like if we held our heads up high and smiled and recognized the gifts in THAT moment? I'm willing to bet that the joy we would feel would be amazing and suddenly that hill would not seem so impossible!  As much fun as the downhills are, its the up hills that make life so much more enjoyable!

Thank you for following me in this adventure!  To find more information on the Fuller Center for Housing, the Bike Adventure, or to make a donation to my $2000 goal, please click here.

NOTHING is impossible. The very word says I'm Possible!

Funny thing happens when you run or ride a bike for long distances.....you have plenty of time to think!    I know that from running, you can either think, "I can't do this anymore." Or..you can choose to say, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other."  You can also choose to think about the sorrows of life or the joys of life.   I know from personal experience, I have done both all in the same run.  Being a "back of the packer" in a marathon with a 13 minute mile pace, gives you LOTS of time to think, so , yes, I have had plenty of time to think about both the sorrows and the joys.

Today as I was riding my bike for 3 hours, I had plenty of time to think as well.  I started my ride thinking about how tired and slow my legs were feeling.  "Am I really going to make this long 32 mile bike ride today?"   I just kept riding.   One of my long "straight" stretches ended up being a long slow climb up hill. My legs were feeling it.  "I can just turn around once I get to the intersection. I don't have to keep going.  No one would fault me.  I mean, after all, I did just do my longest ride 2 days ago."  I just kept going.  I rode through that intersection and found myself on a high way where the speed is 55 mph.  I was NOT going that fast, but I was peddling my little heart out.  Up another hill.  As I got to the top of this hill, before the decline, I had the most gorgeous view of the mountains ahead of me and the river bottom ahead and below me at the foot of the mountains. The trees were peaking up over rooftops of the homes in Columbia Village and their leaves were changing colors. It was a spectacular view and took my breath away.  More importantly, it gave my perspective the much needed kick in the arse it needed!  And wheeeeeeeeeeeee  I went down the hill on the highway.  I still didn't reach that blasted 55 mph, but I tried my hardest!   Then I got to jump off the highway and onto our Greenbelt.  Riding along the Boise River is one of my favorite things to do. And this time of year with all the leaves changing colors its just glorious!  It even made the head wind up the hills a joyous experience!

I finally made it 12 miles to my turn around point (not half way point, but turn around point). It took me quite a bit longer to make it that 12 miles than 12 miles took me 2 days ago.  At this point, I was at a 6 minute mile.   But the hard part was over, with the exception of a couple of killer hills at the very end of my ride.  So I thought I would stop and take a few pictures to show you just how gorgeous my play ground is!

By this time, my mood had shifted. My self talk and changed.  And my speed had picked up!  Having accomplished what I thought would be so incredibly difficult, I was feeling really great about myself.  AND I was hungry!!!  I had 20 more miles to go and my stomach was growling.  I didn't pack any snacks. Poor planning on my part.  But the only way I was going to get to food was to keep on peddling!

The ride back through Boise along the greenbelt was beautiful as always.  I love meeting people along the way and greeting them with a smile and a "have a great day"!  At mile 24 my hubby called and wanted to know if I wanted to meet him for lunch.   Umm...did I mention how hungry I was???   I agreed and changed my planned route to take me to food..glorious food!  I knew I had about 6 more miles to go at 5 minute miles at this point so I started to book it.  I hit my exit off the greenbelt and headed to city streets.  It had been 6 years since I had taken this path and did not remember that it was UP HILL!  Oy Vey!  Keep peddling...and fast.  Must get to food!  Once on the city streets I just kept going, and I remembered, "Oh!  There is that HUGE hill at Overland and Orchard."  Well I have always wanted to try that hill on my bike. For the last 10 years these hills have been taunting me and telling me they were impossible!  Finally, I reached Overland Road and turned right and there it was, my nemesis!  Shifting down in gears, putting head down, I kept peddling.  My quads started quivering and begging for mercy. My heart rate jumped.  I was panting and sweat was dripping.   (For my marathon friends, this is the equivalent of putting a blasted hill at mile 25!)  Finally!  I made it to the top.  This hill is NOT that long, but its steep.  Gulping water down, I knew I only had about  1 1/2 miles to food, glorious food!

My husband and I made plans to meet at Pollo Rey for fish tacos and I was booking it!  Yummy!!!  He called once he arrived.  We had planned it pretty perfectly. I was less than 1/4 of a mile away. I just needed to cross this horrible intersection.  I waited patiently for lights to change.  And then I sprinted to the restaurant.  We started the ordering process, I picked up my cup and started walking to the soda fountain, when my husband tells me to stop.  He doesn't have his wallet!  Oh vey!  I didn't either!  No glorious food for me!  My quads were crying out for a rest.  I was just under 2 miles from home.  So back on my bike I went.  Peddling home..finishing up my 32.21 mile bike ride in just under 3 hours.  We picked up the wallet and the car and went back to Pollo Rey.. I wanted my fish tacos!!

Anyway, after eating and settling down.  I was basking in my bikers high (which I never thought I would accomplish on a bike like I do when I run) and it dawned on me.  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!  Like Audrey Hepburn says, "Nothing is impossible. The very word says I'm Possible."   We are coming up on 10 years living here in Boise.  And for years I have told myself that "this is impossible"  "that is impossible".  Running a marathon is impossible. Run 2 in 15 days is impossible.  Riding my bike up hills is impossible.  So many things.  But today, I rode my bike 32.21 miles with my highest elevation change yet...1,618 feet.  You can choose to let your fears and negative self-talk keep you back, or you can choose to face them head!  You can choose to reach your goals and set new ones!  You can choose to break through the barriers of life and ask "What's next?"  You can choose to stand at the bottom of a steep hill and say, "Bring it on!"  So, my friends, what do YOU choose?  What big scary things are you going to look at head on and say... "I'm bigger, stronger and meaner than you!  Bring it!"  I'll be right here cheering you on!

First Day of Training

I am 8 weeks post op from a knee surgery on my left knee so I am still trying to take it easy, but I need to get started on getting my mileage in.  So I decided with a quick 26 miles on our beautiful Boise Greenbelt!

I had an absolute blast riding!  I came across a group of 10-12 senior citizens riding their bikes.  They were so cute!  I yelled "Hey Gang, on your left" as I was about to pass them. As I passed the last gentleman in their pack said, "Keep up your speed!"  And I zoomed right on by, focusing on keeping my speed under 5 minute miles.  After I reached the half way point of my ride, I decided to head back and take a different route where I came across the same group of senior citizens.  They were all smiles.  They had been riding a long time.  Very impressive!

I also saw some beautiful trees that were changing colors. The greenbelt still has plenty of green trees, but some were starting to change and it was glorious!

I also had a hug epiphany.  While I was riding it dawned on me that I have come so far in my health.  I may be doing a juggling act with the same 8 pounds for the last 6 months, but I have done so much!  In the last year I have run 4 marathons, 4 half marathons and several small races.  I have done pole dancing.  I became a Zumba fitness instructor. My whole life has changed and I'm a bonafide athlete!  I'm so grateful!



Thank you for following me in this adventure!  To find more information on the Fuller Center for Housing, the Bike Adventure, or to make a donation to my $2000 goal, please click here.

Hi!  Welcome to my new blog!  Please follow along as I take this 6 month journey to better health as well as a 400 mile bike ride with the Fuller Center for Housing Spring Ride!

For more information on the Fuller Center for Housing and to help me reach my $2000 goal, please click here.

Thanks for watching my video and for supporting me. Please check back often for updates :).