Manda's Century: Two in One

Did you miss my post last weekend about my riding? Probably not. So, I got a little lazy and didn't post last week. It is just annoying taking the screenshots of my rides.

Last Week
A good week! I did 47.78 miles with two rides.

I had a busy week! And I did 39.4 miles. I would have done 40 but the device on my bike that tells me my mileage (I'm sure it has a real name) is set for larger tires and said I did 37 miles. When I got home and checked RunKeeper, I saw I was .6 off from 40 miles.

This Week

Bike buddy break

I had some company on my long ride this week, which was nice. I had gotten use to going out on my own and fighting through the rough parts alone.

I was a nice shift to have someone pushing me along - and we did go at quite a good clip.

My phone rebooted half way through the ride, and while my friend tagged me on her RunKeeper ride, I don't know if it saved on my activities.
Bummer.

However, it was a good 30.67 miles bringing my total mileage for the week to 41.35.


Manda's Century
You can follow my biking adventures by checking out my Manda's Century Ride page. It lists (in convenient bullet form) the lessons I have learned and has links to each of my biking related posts.

Be Part of the Adventure
Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.

Manda's Century: Hangover Cure Found

This week was a busy one - both with some dating items and then with my brother getting married. I need a lot of work to be presentable for the public and photos which someone might be looking at down the road.

I mimic art

I did get out riding, of course, as I keep telling myself I need to get a lot stronger if I am going to do this century. I feel I am crumbling a little under the constant "encouragement" from others who tell me how I only need to ride 75 miles to be able to do a century or that it's just about getting use to sitting for four hours on a bike.

Sure, if I was 100% healthy.

But, encouragement is encouragement and even if I do not agree with the sentiment, I never doubt the spirit.

Ride Report
It was raining all week and I also had a date on Thursday which was my normal biking day. However, I did get out once during the week, even though I was feeling highly unmotivated. In fact, it wasn't motivation, it was residual fear that I was doing too much, I was too tired. I didn't do my normal route, I just started riding around on my bike.

Ah, bike rides.

It was spritzing a little bit, and I figured I could turn back home if it started raining. Jazzy and I would go through the rain, but, I am not sure I want to subject Dolce to water yet. I also heard that riding a road bike on wet roads changes a lot of things. I did not notice anything different. By the end of the ride, I ended up doing a surprising 10 miles.

Surprise

I was struggling to do about 6 miles at the start. I just wanted to turn around and go back home. I ended up doing some steeper hills in the area and everything. It was just a voice in the back of my mind warning me that my adrenals could crash at anytime.

How is riding a bike for normal people? What would there be to fear?

My bother got married on Friday, so I woke up Saturday feeling a little run down and with a couple extra bobby pins in my hair. I wasn't hung over, but, I had been up at all hours of the night with the food I ate sitting like molten lead in my belly.

I think this might be what a snake feels like after it eats a deer.

Burp

Since I knew today is Mother's Day and probably going to rain, I pulled myself together and got out for a ride. I got out later than I normally do, but, it was fine. I did make sure I drank a lot before hand so I knew I was hydrated. The best way to know if you are hydrated is to make sure you pee and your pee is on the clearer side.

However, this ride was a struggle. It was a different route than I normally take. This time, the fatigue kicked in and I opted to hit my 30 mile mark instead of the 35 I was hoping for.

It's ok

I struggle to be a class C rider, I believe. I am still happy with it. I find I can normally keep at 14mph. Now, to just get stronger. I actually felt 100% better after my ride as far as being stiff or having tummy issues or anything - all those things that were leftover from the wedding vanished after my ride. Joy!

However, I have had to return naps into my existence on the weekends. I use to have to nap all the time when I was sick. Nap, pass out. . .be unable to move. It does give me good results. I'm not sure if other bikers nap. Shh.


Manda's Century
You can follow my biking adventures by checking out my Manda's Century Ride page. It lists (in convenient bullet form) the lessons I have learned and has links to each of my biking related posts.

Be Part of the Adventure
Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.


Image Credit
Snake from weirdpalace.com

Manda's Century: Welcoming the Plateau

It's pretty common in sports that you do good and then, suddenly, you are not excelling in the same way. Ahh, the plateau. I have known it to destroy people. I know I have felt less than great when I hit them.

Well, plateau or not, my week of riding can best be summed up by struggles. However, there is a silver lining to these times that feel like failure - you only have to go through it once. Once you go through the plateau, you never have to go through it again. The best thing you can do is fight through it.

However, I did get some good advice.

Friend: The worth of your soul is not dependent on the amount of miles you travel on your bike.

Rain
Rain caused me to shift up my routine. I ended up doing the stationary bike for my Wednesday ride - which was going to be my Tuesday ride, but, I was at work late. The first time I was on the bike, I did about 9 miles and it was ok. Other than my butt hurt. The second time, urg, I was bored. You sweat a lot and it's difficult to feel the same burn in your legs because everything is so perfect with the machine. You also have to worry less about balance.

La la la - bored!

I also found out I smell. I need a new deodorant if I am going to be working out in the gym.

Back-to-Back
I did something I never did before, which was ride two days in a row. Ok, the first day was in the gym, but, it was still energy expended and I wasn't sure how my body would respond. I should be doing 10 miles for my short ride but I got a little scared and cut it to 6.

What side? Outside!

To add some spice to my life, I did a road clean up for my company's Adopt-a-Highway thing. That was a two mile walk, bending down and picking up stuff. I decided, I hate people who smoke cigarettes a little more because of all the cigg butts I had to pick-up. Urg. Don't throw your cigs out of your car, seriously, gross.

Long Ride
I wanted to hit my long ride at 30-35 because I did 30 last week. The previously mentioned advice sort of put that in check - I don't need to be upping my rides by 10 miles every week. I can live in the 30 range for a little while and be good.

TIRED!

 Let me also mention, I did not to get my Morning Glory muffin - the bakery was all out. I had to settle for blueberry and it tasted like bad omen. I mean, it was delicious, I just wanted MY muffin. Once I was on the trail and zipping along - I changed up my route a bit so I was pretty tired by the time I was on my normal route and then - ran right into this MS Walk. A GIANT walk.

I reduced my speed and tried to squeak by on the right side of the trail while the walker continued 5-7 deep. I said, frequently:

• Look up.
• In front of you.
• Look out.
• Passing.
• AH!

I can't get mad at the walkers - they were not paying attention to anyone else on the path because they felt safe in their herd and everyone was going in the same direction so there was no reason to be alert. Also, they were walking for charity. I did hear one walker say, "They should get these bikers off the path. Shut it down for us."

Then I got a little attitude. I was being super respectful - riding in the grass, calling out, stopping when I would be dividing a family - and this person says how this public, open, huge trail should be closed down so they can walk without being inconvenience by bikers, runners and non-MS walkers? Really?

Ahh well, if moving to the right is too much to handle on a public path, then maybe this line of entertainment isn't for you.

I warned as many bikers as I could what was in store for them. A lot of the clubs were out, as always. I ended up running into the MS walkers twice - once going and once coming back. Going back, I rode on the tail of two other bikers so we could stick together and cause less issues for the walkers. 

And now, I am tired. I need to take some medication, take a nap and I think I will be ok. 

Ahh, return of the naps.


Manda's Century
You can follow my biking adventures by checking out my Manda's Century Ride page. It lists (in convenient bullet form) the lessons I have learned and has links to each of my biking related posts.

Be Part of the Adventure
Do you have a suggestion or want to see me attempt something? Drop me an email at AdventuringAmanda@gmail.com with your suggestion.