The Bike, the Best, and the Brick

It took me all of about 2 minutes to come up with a name for the new bike I am training on now. My cousin Russell that is a serious cyclist was kind enough to let me borrow one of his road bikes for this triathlon. He, however, failed to warn me that one should take pain killers before going on a ride with this thing.



It's new name (if it had an old one) is SEAT OF FIRE!



"And it burns, burns, burns
the SEAT OF FIRE, the SEAT OF FIRE!"



Johnny Cash knows what I'm talking about.



I was singing that (joined in by Ariel and Kendall) through part of our run right after the bike ride. And how true it was. "...the flames go higher and higher, the SEAT OF FIRE, the SEAT OF FIRE!". It's a catchy tune that is probably stuck in your head now...sorry.



Here are two pictures for you. They are posted in no particular order. See if you can guess which bike seat belongs to Bessie and which belongs to SEAT OF FIRE!











Yep, 55 minutes on that bad boy. BAD BOY!


Oh sweet, innocent, cushioned-tush Bessie. You were just too heavy girl. Sorry that I had to dump you for someone that packed on less pounds. Good bye dear friend!





(I know what you're think right now. "That basket is AWESOME!" and it is. "I wish I could get a better look at that bell." sorry to disappoint.)



So I'm chartering new territory with SEAT OF FIRE! I was actually able to keep up with the others. That's a first! So there is hope in the biking category.



Here are some photos of swimming. My sister Emily and I have decided to have one "sprint" swimming day. I use that term very loosely especially after having watched the Olympics and finding out they can do the same swim it takes us around 1 minute to do in all of about 4 seconds. So sprinters we are!! The sprint days are harder and once again Emily is better at something else than me. (that is why I'm the one sporting the #1 sign) WILL IT EVER END!?! At least I'm the best cheerleader....on the side lines....cheering....and yelling....and toe touches.....that I could do years ago.....and stuff......so ......there......take.....that......hah!








Here are Emily and I racing. I just chant in my head "I'm gonna getchya, I'm gonna getchya." She always beats me. I made her let me lead the last 3 minutes of our 35 minutes swim, so that I could finally set the pace. I knew I would go slower than her, but I did go a bit faster than my normal because I knew she was behind me. When we got done I told her that was a little faster than I usually go. She says "It was?! I stopped kicking 2 or 3 times just so I wouldn't pass you." Hah! "just so I wouldn't pass you". You just go ahead and pass me next time little miss "I stopped kicking" and we'll see who will do the kicking! Just kidding Em. sort of.



I told you this triathlon saga would be full of good guys and bad guys, and I would probably be the bad guy more often than not.



Running for this week included Kendall and I running my neighborhood (among other runs). Poor Kendall and her lot always falling to be my running partner. I'm a good complainer if you can imagine that. Running with Kendall (who was a professional ice skater) is like running beside a ping-pong ball. She is so bouncy and always smiling the entire run. I am like a brick being pushed (grated) across the road. My run is flat and painful looking. Even when Kendall is tired and saying things like "Bonnie, this is all your fault you know. We could all be sleeping in right now if it wasn't for you and your adventures." She is still smiling. Or at least I think she is but I am usually two or three steps behind her so I can't be positive.



Kendall loves the sprint to finish line. I think she looks forward to the last .5 miles and then the at the last tenth she always sprints and yells "come on Bonnie RUN!". I bust out my pathetic sprint which is really a regular run up from my slow jog that I had going before. The whole time (and I kid you not) I am screaming "AAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH" "I HATE RUNNING!" We are in the most populated part of the trail at this point, but I don't care. My muscles are screaming and so am I!



Well ping-pong ball I love ya and am glad you get this brick moving, but I will keep complaining I'm sure. (no big surprise there)



Anyway, it is another week down, and we are all getting stronger. I just need to remember to pop some Motrin before those bike rides, and I should be good to go!



Hope you enjoy the pictures. Let me know if you are doing any races or whatever else you are into. We would love to read your comments!

the "running" brick,

bonnie

The Best Day of the Week

Bonnie has benevolently granted access to the rest of the trainers, so prepare for the posting onslaught.

It's Thursday morning, our one true day off during the weekly training schedule...and what a glorious day it is! Wednesdays seem to waste me entirely, I'm sure it's because I'm adding on a night-time soccer game to the usual morning session. But yesterday, dragging my sizable child in the bike chariot up that steep hill at the end of our ride, I was definitely feeling DONE for the day.

Here is Bonnie taunting me as she passes my pathetic butt on the bike trail...
And here are Emily G. and Bonnie finishing up for the day!
Week three is almost done! As a side note, my thanks to Bonnie for putting this together. It's no secret that I'm a glutton for exercise punishment, and I'm loving the new challenge of trying the tri!

The Try for the Tri has begun

This week I officially started my mini-Triathlon training with 3 other Hot Mommas, and we're rockin' it pretty good. (And, of course, getting rocked in return!) For those that don't know, because I didn't as of 3 weeks ago, a mini-tri includes around a .5 mile swim, around a 15 mile bike ride, and then a 5K run. It is between 1.5 - 2 hours total - if you don't get stung by a jelly or crash on your bike. Man I'm excited to do this!

So we put in some running, some swimming, and some biking, and realized we have some serious work to do. But, IT IS DO-ABLE! WHICH ROCKS!!

After our first day of meeting and swimming and running and Kendall showing up with her bright yellow sports bra over her swim suit, I knew I had to document this journey. I didn't have my camera with me the first day (but I will get you and your sunshine sports bra Kendall), but I did tote it along during our other workouts. (And I know what you are all dying to ask, and the answer is yes, I did sometimes put it in my basket on my bike- which I have named Bessie.) It justs seems right. I should mention that I did crash my bike with the camera in it and messed up the camera for most of our Sat workout. And, I bent my basket some....bummer. (I wasn't even riding when I crashed the bike - so sauve.)

Here is a photo of Kendall getting pumped up and ready for her swim. She is our 'silver bullet' in the silver swim cap striking an awesome pose! Kendall's strategy is "Don't drown, don't crash, and RUN!". I think this is a good one to follow!






Here are Ariel and I are in the pool gettin gready for our swim. I am in the black swim suit and trying to flex while Ariel is just hanging out. Of course, Emily says, "Ariel your arms are ripped!" HELLO!?! I'M THE ONE FLEXING HERE!!







Not sure what kind of face that is Ariel....??? pretty funny.

We had a bike ride on Sat. where we went pretty fast for 40 minutes (ummm - we did about 60% of the distance we need to in all but about 10 minutes the time....hmmmm?) and then racked our bikes and jumped back on the trail for a 4.5 mile run. You have to understand that Kendall and Ariel (who doesn't like to admit it) are runners, and I just pretend to be. They take off and I'm am like dying to keep up with them. For the first mile we all felt like we were running on stumps because our legs were feeling so weird switching gears from biking to running. But after that it was ok, just tiring. We hit mile two and find out we are doing 7 minute miles. Umm excuse me, but I'm a 9-minute miler and proud of it. This 7 minute stuff directly after a bike ride is just nuts. Well, me being me, of course expresses all of this vocally. Not that I really had the need to tell them they were kicking my can. I was jogging right beside them, and they could hear my totally loud panting. Heck someone half a mile down the trail could hear my panting. (along with my screams/moans of despair - oh yes! I had them! and they were loud!) And do you know what my sympathetic friends Ariel and Kendall say? "Great! Only 15 more minutes!", "Anyone can suffer for 15 minutes - no problem!"

"ANYONE CAN SUFFER FOR 15 MINUTES!" ?????

"ANYONE CAN SUFFER FOR 15 MINUTES!" ?????


Well heck, since you put it that way - no problem! Finish line here I come!

They're crazy!

I was too busy picturing myself laid out spread eagle with my arms out in the cold wet grass (and hyperventilating) to totally be able to reply well to that.

The entire last 2 miles was filled with Ariel and Kendall being my cheerleaders and rooting for me to keep up and finish. Finish I did - keep up? ...almost. And there was also something else about 'Cleavage Alley' can't quite remember how that went....probably not important....

Anyway,

Our try for the Tri has begun!!


My oldest sister Jenny has decided to try her skills (or soon-to-be skills) at a 5K. She is starting the training program that I sent everyone on the Weekly Workouts document. I encourage you all, if you are able, to train for a race. Do it with someone if possible. They are a lot of fun, challenging, and totally spell out your workouts for you! You can find all sorts of races on http://www.active.com/ for all around the country. You can even find all sorts of races for your kids to do to, from tot-trots on up!

keep you posted.... :)

beginner biker,
bonnie