Hazing, Stage 1 of the TDF and the Tour of Lawrence

My weekend has been nothing but cycling you guys. PERFECT.

I've had such a great weekend, I don't want it to end!

I started off early yesterday morning with a new team ride - and my first time to take the clipless pedals out onto the open road. The whole team wasn't there but four of the guys showed up (and one of the wives) for a quick ride around Prairie Village. I knew nothing about the ride or the route - just that we were all getting together so that we could ride.

Before I left, my dad (who came over to watch Maggie Sue) asked me if this was going to be my "hazing" ride. I told him I didn't think so but laughed at the thought of it.

I WAS WRONG.

I know that the team didn't "plan" to haze me - but it just so happened that it really felt like a hazing mid-way through the ride. No one told me about the 2 brutal climbs that I was going to encounter on this ride. The first one came as I was rounding a corner. Fairly easy, quick ride up to that point. I turned the corner and OH MY - HOLY HELL - WTF kind of a hill is that?

Two of the team members started attacking each other on the climb. They are actually very good, strong riders who have some real climbing ability from what I can tell. It's probably a good thing no one told me about the climb because I would have spent the first part of the ride fretting about it and working myself up into a frenzy. Nothing to do but make the climb. It took me what felt like ages. I've never had my legs burn so much after a climb as I did that one.

I got to the top of the hill and almost forgot to unclip because I was so overwhelmed by what I had just done. In fact, my coach had to grab my arm to keep me from falling over and I hurriedly unclipped my left foot. There was NO way we were going to go down again. UGH.

After a bit more of a ride we encountered another climb that, while not as steep as the first, was still difficult for me. Sometimes I feel like I will never be able to master these climbs. (Until I finish them, of course, and realize that I just have to keep pushing myself harder and harder). The one benefit to yesterday's climbs was that I was clipped in which allowed me to really pull myself up on my bike with my legs and with my hands on the handlebars. I can really see now why there is a HUGE benefit to clipless pedals. I just have to keep practicing and take my rides as opportunities to learn how to get better. Rome wasn't built in a day!

We did 15.5 km in 46 minutes. That's my fastest time yet and even though my legs felt like jell-o after we were done, I was very happy to have gotten the ride in. I'm really hoping that these guys will take me under their wing and work with me to develop me into a rider who can start to hone my riding skills and my bike handling. Plus, they're just a super fun group of men who want to have a good time while on their bikes. Once we get all of the women recruited and on the team? Even more fun to be had!

Here's the data from yesterday's ride:

https://www.strava.com/activities/63547444

And after yesterday's ride?

STAGE ONE TOUR DE FRANCE TIME!!!

I must admit, the Tour de France (and every other race I've watched and read about this year) is the best kind of reality television. The drama that comes during the races and behind the scenes makes for the best situations!

Yesterday was no exception. The stage yesterday was in Corsica - which the Tour has never passed through - and was classified as a flat, 213 km stage. Perfect for a sprinter's finish. (GO SAGAN!). The exciting part of this stage was that, for the first time, the commentators stated that all 5 well-known sprinters in this year's Tour could be in contention to win this stage (and Cavendish was highly favored to win AND to don the yellow jersey for the first time).

It was not to be so. This first stage was absolutely CRAZY. I'm not sure stage 1 has ever seen so much drama.

First, THIS happens.

The Orica-GreenEDGE bus got STUCK under the finish line banner. STUCK, you guys. Because it couldn't clear the banner. Apparently they had to deflate the bus tires in order to get the bus to back up to clear the finish line. And this was at a time when the riders were only about 15-20 minutes away from the finish. At first, the officials were thinking they were going to have to stop the race and finalize the results at the 3km to go mark. Once the bus was moved, they hurriedly notified all teams that the race would continue to the finish. 

I don't know about you, but if I were a rider at that time, I would be going crazy over the unexpected, abrupt changes taking place to the race. I can't even imagine. 

Right after that happened? THIS happened: 

HUGE crash that took both Cavendish and Sagan down. There wasn't going to be enough time for them to re-mount their bikes and catch the front group. No amazing sprinters finish would be had. I was really disappointed when this happened because I was hoping for a photo finish between all of the sprinters. Greipel's derailleur came off after he was delayed because of the crash too which just added to the disappointment.

So, the end of the race. Kittel wins stage 1 of the Tour de France.

Apparently Cavendish - and a few other riders - have really criticized the Tour officials over the past 12 hours at how the first stage was handled. I haven't been able to read much today so I don't know what responses were given to the riders, media, public, etc., if any were given at all. We can only hope that there were some learnings that were taken away from yesterday's stage and prepare ourselves for some fantastic racing that's coming up. I mean, it's only day 1 - we have a LONG way to go! Regardless of the mishaps that took place yesterday, I loved watching stage 1 for the first time in my life. I think it's pretty darn awesome that my first time watching the Tour de France is the 100th celebration. There are sure to be some amazing races over the next 21 days.

This morning I got up super early and headed to Lawrence, Kansas (ROCK CHALK!) for my first ever viewing of the Tour of Lawrence crit races. I was so excited to get there and see what real racing looks like in person.

This is a big 3 day event that draws riders from all over the Midwest. There were sprint races on Friday night and brutal circuit races on Saturday that took the riders through the hilly KU campus. (I've walked the campus numerous times - it's NO joke when they talk about the hills on this campus).

Cyclists race in various categories according to their classifications (Master's, Cat 5 and below for men, Cat 4 and below for women, and the Pro 1&2 for men).

Here is a good article that explains how cyclists are classified should you want more explanation:
http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/How-do-the-USA-Cycling-Race-Categories-Work

Today was the criterium (or crit) races.  I watched a lot of racing today. SO much fun. These riders FLEW down Mass St. and it was amazing to watch. Two of our team members raced in the Cat 5 race. It was really cool seeing people I knew in the race - and to realize that cycling really is a small world!

I was super excited to watch the women race today - specifically the Cat 4 women. Next year, when I finally start road racing (and I do plan to race the Tour of Lawrence), this is the category of women that I will race with. Here they are at the start line of their race:

Next year you can plan on seeing another picture just like this one - except with ME in the middle of things. I can't WAIT!

Overall, I was really impressed with the racing of each group and with the way the crits were handled. Lawrence sure knows how to throw a cycling event. The most fun part though? Watching the Pro's after lunch at the corner of 7th and Vermont. I was right next to the action and caught video of the Pro's speeding by. Absolutely GIDDY.

I couldn't believe how fast they were flying.

This picture is some of the riders rounding the corner of 7th and Vermont. They were leaned over so far on their bikes I don't know how they stayed upright. TALENT!!!

What a way to end my weekend! I am blocking out my entire weekend next year to experience the whole Tour of Lawrence event!

Well, enough rambling. I've got the second stage of the Tour de France on DVR and I'm going to wind my weekend down by watching. SPIN! Pizza ride tomorrow night! Another day, another way to log more miles on this crazy adventure! I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy Cycling!

The 3 C's: Chicago, Clipless and CHRIS

I'M BACK!!!!

Did ya miss me?

Y'all, it's been a FULL week for this CrazeeCyclist! I have so much to share and so much to write about - so let's get this goin'.

Last Thursday, I set off with my group of friends for a very deserved vacation to Chicago (a.k.a Chi-town, the Windy City, the Secondcity). Whatever you want to call it, Chicago is AMAZING. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip:

This first picture is significant because the adult snowcone in my hand was a reward for conquering the second biggest fear in my life: RIDING A FERRIS WHEEL. (My biggest fear in life is clowns, by the way). 

This is a fantastic picture on the first day of our Chicago trip with all of my friends who went. We really did have a great time. Wrigley rooftop game, watching the Blackhawks win game 5 at The Lodge on Rush Street with the local fans (probably my most favorite part of the trip), deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's, an architectural tour by boat of downtown Chicago, Grant Park and Buckingham Fountain, the Magnificent Mile, lots of laughs….too much to mention! 

We COULD NOT get enough of these Chicago dogs, you guys. My goodness were they tasty. I didn't feel bad about enjoying a lot of Chicago food and drinking Chicago beer because I was on vacation. 

This is me - on the Magnificent Mile - with 4 of the most handsome police officers on the planet. They were so polite and indulged my by taking their picture with me. I know it's nuts - but it's oh so fun! 

Speaking of Chicago, it has to be one of the most bike-friendly towns in the world. Bikes, bikes everywhere. I couldn't help but capture what I saw around town during my visit. 

This was at Grant Park. I counted approximately 50 people on bikes in just the hour I was there. Some were leisure riders, others were out to put some serious miles in. Regardless of their reason "why" - they were on bikes and loving it. It makes my heart happy. 

These bikes were for rent at Navy Pier. I saw numerous bike rental places at various spots in the city. How fun would it be just to go to Chicago for vacation and see the entire city from the view of a bike? Believe me, it's on my bucket list for the very near future. (And, I'm hoping to be able to ride with the biggest and best cycling team in the city, the SpiderMonkeys, when I'm there. I want to do a ride along the lakefront.) BEAUTIFUL. 

This was hanging in a downtown bike shop in Chicago. My goal, as a women's cycling team captain, is to get more women on bikes. It's such a great workout and the clarity and freedom that come with being on a bike is unparalleled. 

One of the bike stores I saw in downtown Chicago. I joke that I'm just a girl, standing in front of a Chicago bike store, asking it to love her. I could not get enough. 

Here's the deal though - I really missed being on a bike for 7 days while I was gone. When you make something a part of your life so quickly, time away from it is rough. On the flight home, all I could think about was getting back on my Ridley. I wondered: did she miss me as much as I missed her? (Confession time: I did give her a little rub when I walked in my door at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning). Don't judge me. 

Part of my excitement is due to the fact that I put Speedplay Clipless Pedals on my bike before leaving town. Here's what they look like: 

They're tiny and look like little lollipops. Much different than regular pedals on bikes. And, you may be asking yourself, why clipless pedals? (By the way, for those who don't know, clipless pedals are called clipless because they refer to the lack of toe clips that riders used to use before these came along). 

Clipless pedals are generally safer than regular platform pedals. (I know, I know - just wait until I blog about the first time I fall off my bike because I forget to unclip). Your feet can slide off platform pedals in wet, slippery conditions, which is especially dangerous if you’re not sitting in the saddle at the time. Your foot is released when you twist your ankle to the side. 

Clipless pedals are also more efficient than platform pedals or toe clips. (This is my biggest reason for switching).  These pedals keep the balls of your feet connected to the center of each pedal. Your feet remain in correct foot positions for max cycling efficiency. You use your hamstrings to lift through the back part of your pedal stroke and your quads through the front of the pedal stroke. And, with increased efficiency, you get maximum power output. You can ride last and longer before becoming fatigued. You accelerate faster, balance the workload evenly between your quads and hamstrings and you can transition out of the saddle to use your body weight without fear of slipping off of the pedals. 

They're also more comfortable. If my shoes were more stylish, I swear I'd wear them all the time.   

So, how do you "clip in"? With the cleat on the bottom of the cycling shoe. They look like this: 

Believe me, this isn't easy at first. I tried for just a few minutes before leaving on my trip last week and I became very frustrated when I couldn't immediately feel that click of my cleat against the pedal. 

FINALLY having a chance to get back on my bike tonight, I was nervous about trying these out. (Rumor has it that people either love speedplay pedals or they hate them…I was afraid I was going to be part of the latter). See my nerves? 

Why so nervous? Because this was completely out of my comfort zone. I haven't done it before. But you know what? I ran across this image about a week ago and I've been enamored with it ever since. It's absolutely true and is a real motivator for me right now. 

So - time to HTFU and get going. (What's HTFU? It's cycling rule number 5. Harden the Fuck Up. Stop being a whimp. No excuses - just push yourself through it. Excuse the language - and I don't mean to offend anyone - but I will write was is real and true and that's exactly what it stands for). 

Of course, I rode inside tonight, on the trainer, to practice. No need to ride outside, ALONE, for my first time! The first few times I practiced clipping in and out tonight was pretty humorous. There's a skill that's involved in learning how to master these pedals. Thank goodness I have a lot of time to try and get it right. I probably practiced getting in and out of the clips over a hundred times tonight. And you know what? Each time it got easier and quicker. By the time I was done with my ride? 

Yep. That's me. The CrazeeCyclist is a happy girl. I think I'm going to be just fine with these pedals. By the end of my ride, I barely had to look down to clip in. I felt like I had a rhythm going each time I stopped, unclipped and got off the saddle, pushed hard with my right foot to start going again and finally clipping back in with my left foot. Outside on the open road will be another challenge, but that's for a different day. I will take the success tonight. WOOT! 

In fact, I was having so much fun testing my new pedals out tonight that I just kept right on riding. When I looked down at my time, I was surprised to see that an hour had passed. Longest trainer ride inside so far! 

I didn't ride particularly hard tonight - just a quick, medium pace. Practice, practice, practice. That's what I need. I will tell you that I didn't feel as fatigued as I have in the past. I probably could have kept riding. I really do feel like I was able to pedal on a stronger, faster level because I was clipped in. 

Is it too early to go for another ride?!? 

Okay - enough yammering about the pedals. Because……..

THIS

LESS THAN 48 HOURS UNTIL THE BIGGEST CYCLING EVENT OF THE YEAR BEGINS! I can't hardly sit still right now because I'm so excited. I've been reading stories and watching interviews and talking to other cyclists about this year's race. I've never watched the Tour de France before. Never. Not one single second of it. Not even highlights on SportsCenter. So, it's a pretty big deal for me. My DVR is already set up to record every single stage of the Tour so that I don't have to miss a single second of the action. (I'm missing the Tour preview tonight as I type this - thank goodness for DVR. I'll watch it as soon as I'm done). 

My cycling team has a Tour de France fantasy league. Yes, you read that right. Just like football and NASCAR. I absolutely LOVE this. I finished reading Velo magazines Tour de France special edition last night - so I felt a little more ready to make my picks tonight. I don't know how I will do and I'm fully expecting the members of my team to make fun of my selections but I don't really care. I actually took the time to do a little research before I made my picks and even if I don't do well, I've learned a few things along the way. Here's what I ended up with: 

Just in case you're wondering, the team is made up by selecting riders from the following categories:  2 All-Rounders, 2 Climbers, 1 Sprinter, 3 Unclassed Riders and 1 Wild Card. I went with Froome overall. He just looks stronger and better prepared than all of the other contenders. Of course, if Contador is in prime shape, he'll give Froome a run for his money - but I'm still sticking with my gut instinct. I will be sure to keep you updated with how I'm faring along the way! 

21 days of some amazing racing by some of the most talented men in the world - in a beautiful country. BRING IT TO ME NOW!!!!! 

And, speaking of my team - things are moving along nicely. I still don't feel comfortable telling you the name of the cycling team because while we have chosen a team name, the logo isn't quite complete - and I don't want to share it until all of those kinks are worked out. However, I will tell you that tonight I picked up my first cycling sponsorship money from a local business and I was very honored and excited to introduce myself as "Sara with ___________ Cycling." Such a cool moment. And, because the money from them has been secured and they are on board, I do feel like I can share with you the sponsor that I was able to secure for the team (we do have more than one). Here they are!!!

Y'all, they're as excited to be on board with us as we are to have them on board. I met with the owner of Johnny's last week (his name is Pat) and while this type of sponsorship is out of the box for them, they cannot wait to see what we come up with in terms of partnership. Stay tuned for more information because our team is going to have SO MUCH FUN in the upcoming months! 

Okay - I've gone on and on and on tonight. That's probably enough information and rambling for one blog entry. 

The Tour starts Saturday and I'm going to watch my very first crit races this Sunday in Lawrence, KS (ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK) at the Tour of Lawrence. One of the men's team cyclists is competing in one of the races. I'm absolutely giddy about getting to experience both of these events for my first time. And in the SAME WEEKEND! 

Whew. So much to smile about. My soul is content. 

Happy Cycling!! 

Helmet hair is sexy, QoM III and GREAT reads!

THIS, you guys.

I couldn't resist snapping this picture while at the River City Market in downtown Kansas City this weekend. I absolutely adore it. Because, frankly, helmet hair is NOT sexy (at least not my helmet hair). But living to see helmet hair is oh so important.

I had a friend on twitter last week send me a picture of his helmet post-crash. It was a Giro helmet and it saved his life. You can see the cracks in the helmet that came after his crash.

His dome was left unscathed because he had his helmet on. I'm thankful for that Giro helmet with the cracks in it because it meant he is living to tell the tale of helmet importance.

So, starting you off with a soap box moment tonight. Wear that dang helmet, kids. Save your skulls.

Busy week this week for this CrazeeCyclist. I'm leaving for a much anticipated vacation on Thursday to Chicago for an adult trip. I'm very excited about some relaxation but also a little hesitant about being off of a bike for 6 days. However, I'm not going to beat myself up about it because I've done so well over the past 8 weeks and I deserve a little down time from my hectic life to just be around friends and enjoy the great city of Chicago (which I've only ever visited once before). On deck? A rooftop Cubs game (it's been on my bucket list for years), Navy Pier, Rush Street, some Chicago deep-dish pizza and a Chicago dog and much, much more.

However, I can tell you that the NEXT time I visit Chicago? It will look much different. The next time I go I want to ride the city. EVERYWHERE. I've read about some great Chicago bike rides that one can do and I really want to experience that soon.

Last night I did the 12 mile SPIN! Pizza ride in Overland Park again. There wasn't as much of a turnout as normal because the rain right before the ride probably kept some of the regulars away. However, it was a beautiful night for a ride, despite a little humidity. I ran into my new friend, Stacie, again and met some of the riders for the Boulevard Cycling Team. (In fact, one of the Boulevard riders cut in front of me in line to register and ended up winning the Bike Source gift card that SHOULD have been mine! - I definitely gave him some guff over that one!).

There was nothing spectacular about my ride last night. Just a 12 mile ride that allowed me to add "miles ridden" in my book and yet another night to get on my beautiful Ridley to build up my skills and my leg muscles. Unless you count the THIRD Queen of the Mountain award I got via Strava last night! Seriously, I never get tired of getting "crowned!"

My speed was up on this particular stint and the time to complete the stint was down. I will take it!

Additionally, my speed overall for the ride was up to 13.0 MPH. I'm trying to work up towards an overall average goal of about 14.0 MPH per ride when the wind isn't a horrible factor. Baby steps. I will get there!

And, nothing really different about the elevation for this ride because I've done it three different times now. I do love this Monday night ride though because it does have some climbs that test my abilities as a cyclist.

Here's the link to the ride: (basically the same info as the pictures that I posted)

https://www.strava.com/activities/61052372

(By the way, when I ride in two weeks on the Monday night ride? I'm doing the 20 mile course. It's time!).

What I did appreciate about last night's ride was that I was able to work with my coach a bit on my left gear shifting. Last week's Monday night ride (the night I threw up all over Overland Park), I was trying to work a bit on my left gears by myself which proved all tricky, both due to my not feeling well and the fact that I have very little experience.

The beauty of riding with another, experienced rider is their knowledge of the road and the bike itself. My coach was able to give me pointers about when to shift, what to try, what I should feel like, what the bike should feel like, etc. I have so much to learn and I appreciate all of the other cyclists who can impart their wisdom and experience on me. Oh, and their patience. Because, let's face it, I'm such a "Fred." (Don't get that reference? Look it up under cycling terms). I don't want to be a Fred forever - but I do have to pay my dues.

Something new that I'm loving? Skratch Labs drinks mix. I bought some last week before my last SPIN! Pizza ride and tried the pineapple. It was really good. Last night I did the raspberry mix. Even though I hate raspberry flavored anything, the flavor was very light and I actually enjoyed it. Big bonus to me today? I tweeted at Skratch Labs last night with this picture and this morning they started following me and even asked about my ride last night. Thanks, Skratch Labs for making me feel like a princess today!

Tomorrow I have two meetings with cycling sponsorships. I'm very excited about seeing what transpires over the course of the next two weeks regarding sponsors for both the women's and men's cycling teams. We're currently trying to wrap all of that up and vote on a new team name. BUT - I've recruited ANOTHER women's team member - so good things are happening right now! Our team is going with Hincapie cycling kits this year and I'm getting fitted for mine tomorrow night. Stoked.

I was officially introduced as the newest team member and captain of the women's cycling team via email on Monday. THIS IS FOR REAL NOW! I couldn't be more excited. My overall goal is to have a great time doing something that so many of us have in common. As a captain, I want to provide an example to other women about just getting on a bike and enjoying the ride - whether racing or riding charity rides, I want the women in our team to come together doing something that we all enjoy. I also want to use my position within the team to be a learner as well. Great leaders don't just lead. They watch. They listen. They take the time to look to those who have "been there, done that" and talk to those who can offer advice, knowledge, wisdom, bits of humor and hold others accountable. I want the members of this cycling team to hold me accountable. I want them to teach me. I want to learn from them.

And something else I learned yesterday? There is a Tour de France fantasy league. Like fantasy football or baseball or NASCAR. OH EM GEE! How FUN is this fantasy league going to be? It's the Who's Who of Cycling! And I get to pick a team!

Only one problem: I have pretty limited knowledge of the Tour de France competitiors. Sure, I'm learning some of the cyclists through reading and watching cycling events (like the Giro). I know the big names (Froome, Contador, Nibali, Cavendish, Sir Bradley Wiggins) but I don't know details. I don't know who the strongest climbers are, who the sprinters are. I know team names but I don't know much about their composition or which cyclist each team is putting their highest hopes in for Le Tour.

Enter VELO magazine and this specific issue: (PERFECT timing, Velo!)

PERFECT plane reading material. I'm not only excited to read this to "bone up" to pick my Tour Fantasy Team - but the Tour starts in 2 weeks and it's wonderful to have this as a guide to build up my already excited brain about everything that this race will entail. It can't get here fast enough!

And, while I'm on the subject of reading, I want to make a recommendation to anyone who might be thinking about starting cycling - or anyone who wants some general knowledge about cycling.

THIS book:

Think of this book as the "Cycling for Dummies" or "Cycling 101" book. Except 1,000,000 times cooler. I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Everything you need to know about the Peloton, your gear and riding strong. This book covers 3 sections: The Experience, The Machine and The Lifestyle. Chapters include topics like basic and group riding skills, challenges for women, crashing, racing, organized cycling events, bike maintenance, bike composition, bike geometry, clothing and accessories, gearing, diet, training and more. All of this in ONE simple, easy to read book.

Tomorrow I'm putting my Speedplay pedals on my bike. I do plan on getting one last ride in on my Ridley before vacation. It'll be inside, on the trainer, so that I can practice clipping in and out of my pedals with those beautiful new clipless Giro shoes. Better to try this inside in front of NO ONE than try it in public and crash and burn in front of others (at least this first time).

And after this vacation? I start SUFFERFEST. Serious training. Hard, long hours. I'm going to figure out my thresholds and where I am currently and where I am aspiring to be or want to be to get ready for racing. It won't be easy. It's going to downright suck at times. And I cannot wait. I'm motivated, driven, passionate, nervous and excited.

I leave you with this: (because it's OH SO TRUE)

I have always struggled to achieve excellence. One thing that cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it's not going to be satisfying. ~ Greg LeMond

Happy Cycling! 

Trainer ride, cycling food porn, going clipless and my new women's team!

Happy Hump Day y'all! I don't know about you but this has already been a pretty long week and we're only halfway through!

Kansas City is being invaded by summer as I type this. The past three days have been hot and humid! Remember every winter when we're freezing and we say we can't wait for summer? Are we NUTS? I'm already hearing people complain about the heat and we haven't even seen the worst of it yet! The good learning for me right now though is how important taking care of my body is going to be during this heat - both in terms of food and hydration.

I've been feeling a little under the weather the past couple of days. It always takes me about a week to adjust to the changing seasons and, coupled with being dehydrated on Sunday/Monday, I'm slowly recovering. For that reason, I decided to ride inside on the trainer tonight. It would've been easier to just not ride tonight but because I have a trainer, there is NO excuse for me not to ride! (Besides, last night was a rest night…which I enjoyed with my Maggie Sue at the pool!).

I decided to do some pretty hard training tonight (even though I don't really know how to properly speed train right now). No matter - I'm in the saddle and I'm pedaling my ass off so it's all for the greater good, right? Right.

Here's my ride info:

Lap 1 - 5:01 slow to medium paced warm up
Lap 2 - 3:00 medium pace
Lap 3 - 1:00 fast as you can pedal
Lap 4 - 2:00 medium pace

Lap 1- 1:00 fast as you can pedal

*I should note that here my legs started to feel a little tight - but no rest for the wicked - it's time to GET IT! * 

Lap 2 - 2:00 medium pace
Lap 3 - 30 second fast as you can pedal
Lap 4 - 1:00 medium pace

Lap 1 - 30 second fast as you can pedal

* CAN I THROW UP NOW?!? Holy legs and stomach…FEEL THE BURN!!*

Lap 2 - 30 second medium pace
Lap 3 - 1:00 fast as you can pedal
Lap 4 - 1:00 medium pace

Lap 1 - 1:00 fast as you can pedal

* I swore to myself at this point that I was going to just fall off my bike and die tonight, y'all. Even though I'm not out in the hot weather, these variances in speed are a very tough workout - even when it's just myself keeping me accountable for pushing as hard as I can. Keep going, Sara. You won't die. And, you know you won't crash (YAY!). NO excuses. Mark Cavendish wouldn't quit now. You're not allowed to either. *

Lap 2 - 1:00 medium pace
Lap 3 - 30 second fast as you can pedal
Lap 4 - 5:00 medium pace

Lap 1- 30 second fast as you can pedal
Lap 2 - 1:00 medium pace
Lap 3 - 2:00 fast as you can pedal

*This is your last "pedal as fast as you can" interval girl. OWN IT! Holy crap my legs hurt! Sweat is dripping everywhere and my stomach wants to crawl outside of my body right now! *

Lap 4 - 15:00 cool down - slow/medium pace

Okay. WHEW. Done. Dismount the bike. (I almost fell over after this point. My legs felt very weak - but also eerily strong.) I think I sweat just as much as I would have outside. YUCK.

YOU DID IT! 43 1/2 minutes!

I've been noticing some major changes over the past few weeks in my muscles, both in my legs and in my core. It's hard to explain but it almost feels like I can feel them strengthening as I go throughout my day. Clothes are fitting more loosely, I have more endurance and energy most of the time and there is some definite definition starting to form in my thighs and my calves. YIPPEE!!!

After the ride? EAT!

This has been the hardest transition for me in this passion of mine. Before cycling, I would maybe eat once a day. I know that wasn't smart - but I am figuring out now that I'm going to have to eat even more than I did when I didn't care what I was shoving into my face 40 pounds ago. A cyclist's nutrition is vital to overall performance and endurance. While I haven't purchased any "diet" or nutrition plans for cyclists, I have read numerous articles online about what fuels a cyclists body and what is necessary to consume during rides, before rides, after rides and at normal times.

Here's a pretty good article that wraps it all up into one nice little explanation: (I won't bore you with ALL of the articles I have read!)

http://www.eatingfree.com/newtrition/nutripedia/did-you-know/nutrition-for-endurance-cycling.aspx

I do great at breakfast and lunch. Dinner is where I struggle. It's only because I don't like prepping meals just for myself. But, I have to get over it and tackle the nutrition just like I'm tackling the miles on my Ridley.

Enter the cyclists food porn:

This was delicious tonight. I was starving and it hit the spot immediately. 4 ounces of salmon, 1/3 cup of cooked barley, mushrooms (lightly sauteed in olive oil) and fresh, raw red peppers.

Happy, happy mouth tonight.

And, if I just take the time to think about what I need to eat, write down menus on a weekly basis, go to the grocery store to pick everything up and prep my meals as much ahead of time as possible, I KNOW I can get this part down. Tonight was a success so I will take it!

Enough about food since I'm completely full right now, the CrazeeCyclist is going to CLIPLESS PEDALS! EEEEKK!!!

I'm very excited about this, kids. Look how pretty my new Speedplay pedals are!

I don't have them on my bike yet because the shoes have to arrive before I can attach the pedals. And, speaking of shoes - these are on their way to my house right now:

Usually these shoes retail at about $225 - but I was able to find a great deal online that made them almost a hundred dollars less. THAT in itself is reason to celebrate! I will be thrilled next week to attach my pedals and practice clipping in and out. I'm hoping I don't immediately crash. Anyone want to take bets on how long it will take me to log my first crash?!? (It'll probably happen right when I'm getting used to using the darn things!).

One last thing - which is probably the most EXCITING news of my week (besides the shoes, of course!):

I'M FORMING A WOMEN'S CYCLING TEAM!  Yes, you read that right.

Me.

Recruiting and forming a team of women cyclists.

It's still in its infancy - but it's moving forward fairly quickly. The women will form a team under an already established male team here in the KC area (my coach is a member of this men's team). I already have one recruit, besides myself, and there are potentially 3 other women that will join as well. And, I will captain this group of women. Some of us will compete and race (me, eventually, for sure) and some may only do the charity rides. Either way, this is so awesome. I'm so giddy I can hardly stand myself right now. I've been reaching out to local businesses trying to gain some sponsorship for both teams. (The team is currently going through some changes with sponsors and it's the perfect time for me to get in there and try to help. I mean, I have an MBA in Marketing - I need to put it to use!).

Well, today that MBA worked. I got verbal commitment from a sponsor here in the KC area. I won't comment on who that sponsor is since the ink isn't dry yet but it's a very exciting endeavor and they are just as thrilled as I am to join forces! And, they aren't the only ones who have expressed interest - so keep reading and I'm sure I'll have news very, very soon!

This week has been a great week of learnings and new adventures. As long as this continues to happen, this cycling passion that has grabbed a hold of my head and my heart won't ever get old. I LOVE MY LIFE!

Happy Cycling!

Sorry about that vomit, Overland Park. But you're welcome for the ground food!

Okay Bike Gods, you got me. And, you got me good. I'm listening. For real.

I was ill-prepared for my Monday night SPIN! Pizza ride tonight. Very much NOT ready. I blame myself entirely. It's no one else's fault. I was not paying enough attention to my body today (or yesterday, for that matter).

Overland Park: you're welcome for the ground food I provided you tonight.

Oops.

Yep. Vomited. Upchucked. Tossed the cookies. Why? Severely under hydrated…or dehydrated to be politically correct.

Yep - this CrazeeCyclist didn't take in enough fluids. Lost my food all over the ground tonight. Got my first cycling DNF. BIG fail on my part.

You see, I should've been hydrating starting immediately after yesterday's 24 mile Ride the Fountains. And kept hydrating all the way up until my ride tonight. With water. And lots of it. But, I didn't drink enough.

I was pretty sore yesterday after the ride but overall felt pretty darn great after completing the Ride the Fountains. I went about my day as normal. Last night, I played 6 games of volleyball for our Spring Beach Volleyball League instead of 3. (I had to sub for another girl at the 7:30 session after my 6:30 session had ended). I should've been drinking more water at that point. It was hot outside last night under the sun and on the sand.

This morning when I woke up, I should've started in with the water again. But, I didn't. I felt crampy all day today but I figured it was just a little bit of fatigue left over from yesterday combined with sore muscles.

I went to Elite Cycling tonight before my ride to grab some Skratch Labs electrolyte mix to try out. I've tried GuBrew (which is pretty good) and I've had Gatorade (which I don't like on rides at all). I also tried on some clip shoes (Giro) while I was there because I just got a pair of Speedplay pedals and now I need the shoes so I can be complete! (TOTALLY excited about going to these type of pedals, by the way). NOT excited about the price of the shoes though (the carbon soled shoes that I need START around $225 a pair).

Wait, what?!? The girl who LOVES shoes is complaining about having to spend money on a pair of shoes?!? I must be feeling sick. No, seriously, I realize that it's an investment and aside from the bike, getting a good pair of cycling shoes is probably the second biggest investment I will make in this passion of mine. I'll blog more about the pedals and shoes later, after I've obtained everything and have had a chance to try them out.

Back to tonight. (Sorry, I get sidetracked easily). After purchasing said Skratch Labs drink mix, I ran home to change and mix up my bottles. I made one bottle just water and made the other bottle with the Skratch Labs pineapple mix. Grabbed my gear, hooked my bike up to the car and set off for SPIN! Pizza in Overland Park. I was still feeling kind of crampy but I was excited to see how many people were going to turn out for the ride tonight.

It was HOT in Kansas City today. Okay, not the blistering summer heat that we all know is coming to our wonderful city - but the warmest day so far. At 6:30 when the ride started, it was still 93 degrees outside. Smart Sara decided it was best to have two bottles of liquid tonight instead of just one because I knew the heat would require a little extra and, it's always better to be safe than sorry. (See? I'm not a complete idiot!).

We set off for the 12-mile route tonight and things started off good for the first 3 miles. I rode next to a guy who approached me asking where I had obtained my jersey. I informed him that I worked for the company on my jersey - and that we had had a team of cyclists do the Tour de Cure in North Carolina 3 weeks ago from our company. Found out that he was also a contractor, like me, and works in the same building. I think he was a little sad that he didn't have my jersey. Poor guy. Not everyone can be as cool as me.  HA!

We talked for a few more minutes and then I told him to go on and get around me because I knew that I wouldn't be as fast tonight. He wished me a good ride and took off towards the back of the lead group. At this point, I was all alone on the ride because I had left and kept up with - YAY for me - the lead group. The other riders were behind us. I knew that they would be catching up soon.

And that's when it happened. My stomach turned. Just up and turned upside down. It was right at a major intersection when I felt the bile rise in my throat. I knew I had mere seconds before I was going to lose it. In those mere seconds I tried to figure out why, at this point, I was going to vomit. STOP THINKING girl and get off the road!! I successfully navigated myself over to the turn lane and off the road into this cute little covered bushy area with a bench. (I know - who else, about to vomit, notices the loveliness of the area?!?).

This is where I have to apologize to the City of Overland Park. Because right there, I vomited all over the bushes and the ground. Everything I had eaten and drank throughout the day (which really wasn't all that much). 3.8 miles into my ride.

I sat down on the bench, shaking. My legs were numb and weak and my head felt woozy. This wasn't good. Why is this happening? I took my first water bottle out of the cage and realized that it was already 2/3 of the way empty. Had I really consumed that much water in the first 3.8 miles? Yep. Sure had. I quickly realized that the reason I had "lost my cool" all over the city was because I was dehydrated. That's why my head was woozy, my stomach was crampy and I just felt blah.

Decision time. Be stubborn and finish the 12 miles or put my tail between my legs and creep back to the start? Most of the time, stubborn Sara would win out. However, I'm still new to this game and I didn't want to do further damage to myself  - or get even farther out on the course without a way to get back safely.

I decided to pull myself out of the ride tonight and ride back to the start. It was actually a pretty quick 3 miles or so back to the restaurant and it didn't take me too long. However, it's not real easy to ride when you really just don't have much strength left in you.  My whole body was aching in a way that it has never ached before on the bike. I know I hung my head in shame a few times on the way back. I should've known better. I should've been paying more attention.

LESSON LEARNED. I won't repeat this mistake again.

I only got about 7 of the 12 miles completed tonight. I didn't even remember to restart my Strava app after having to stop at the bushy area tonight (which again is another clue that I just wasn't prepared for this ride) so I don't even have record of the 7 miles I completed.

You win some, you lose some. I get it. But you know what? Tonight was important for a couple of reasons (so I'm not going to call it a complete loss):

1 - I learned that I really need to start listening more to my body and what it's trying to tell me. I'm in no way about to become a hypochondriac - but I need to learn not to dismiss body signals so quickly when they present themselves.

2 - HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE. Not just during the ride. Not just right before the ride. Not just immediately after the ride.

(This is a pretty good article from bicycling.com on how and when to hydrate that I found tonight):
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/how-and-when-hydrate

3 - It's okay to be "off" sometimes. Without being off, you can't figure out what being "on" really is all about.

In the time it's taken me to write this blog tonight, I've consumed about 32 ounces of water. I'm going to drink one more glass of water and then I'm hitting the sack. My mind and body both need some rest.

I'm taking tomorrow off so that I can further recover - and then I'll get back in the saddle on Wednesday.

After all, I still have MANY more miles to log.

Happy Cycling!

Ride the Fountains 2013 - and ANOTHER QoM!

I know, I know. I haven't been on my bike or on the blog since Monday night. Shame on me.

In my defense though, I had to go get the cables re-stretched on my bike this week before today's ride. I didn't know this - but on a new bike, the cables stretch after so many rides or miles and sometimes need to be adjusted. So, Friday night, I took my bike to Elite Cycling in Mission Hills (the BEST bike store in the city) and Ted, my favorite bike mechanic, fixed me up real good. I'm thankful to know of great resources that can keep my bike in perfect riding condition. And, sometimes you should take a bit of a rest before a big ride so that your body is really prime to ride.

SO - you're in for a treat today. Okay, maybe not a treat - but this was a BIG day for this CrazeeCyclist!

RIDE THE FOUNTAINS 2013!!!!!

I signed up for this ride about three weeks ago. (Right after I finished the Tour de Cure in North Carolina). This was to be my first organized ride in Kansas City (besides the very laid back SPIN! Pizza ride that I did last Monday night).

I mean, what better way to see KC in all of its glory than to ride the infamous fountains?! (Outside of Rome, Kansas City has the most fountains contained in one city…there's your trivia for the day. You're welcome).

The 24 mile route today started at the fountain above - at Union Station. (I see this fountain daily because I work right downtown and pass it on my way to and from work each morning.). The picture doesn't really do it justice because it was overcast this morning - but it's a beautiful fountain. I knew I wouldn't get many pictures of fountains today because we weren't going to stop at each fountain to take a pic - so I had to capture this regardless of the clouds.

8 a.m. - my coach and I arrived at the registration. Little early - but no biggie! Time for coffee - AND to make sure I lubed up and went to the bathroom before taking off. We ran into a former co-worker of ours that was doing the 46 mile when we arrived and they were taking off. We decided to do the 24 mile route today due to other time constraints we both had. Coach Harper ran into Stacie - another woman cyclist friend of his - and a board member (like him) for the KC Century (which is taking place in August this year - for the very first time!). He introduced me to her and I liked her immediately. Such an upbeat, spunky woman - very similar to myself. Another woman came up to us and asked if she could join in our ride for the day - and we were very happy to oblige.

Coach Harper and I pre-ride today:

Geez - who is the cheeser?! I can't help it. I'm a morning person. And, I was a little bit excited to try to complete a race with my coach WITHOUT crashing.

9 a.m.  - HERE WE GO! We set off from Union Station. I must say before I get too far into this post, I was disappointed in the 24 mile route today. I thought we were going south - through the Plaza, where some of the most beautiful fountains are located. I was wrong. Here's the route we had today:

But, how can I complain too much? I was on a BIKE! In downtown Kansas City. With hundreds of other people. And the clouds were gone and the sun was OUT! No biggie - let's do this route anyways! One of my favorite parts of this route? I got to ride Cliff Drive today. Cliff Drive is a great uphill ride. It's never dry on Cliff Drive - but was very pretty. And, I had NO IDEA that this beautiful waterfall/fountain was on the way up. (I didn't take this picture because I was riding - but I have to share it anyways).

This little gem - right here IN MY CITY! Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Lovely.

Our ride took us up north - over the Heart of America bride and to our first (and only) rest stop at the 12 mile mark. I re-filled my water bottle and grabbed some grapes for nourishment. And, we captured these pictures for the few moments that we were stopped.

That's Coach Harper, myself and my new friend, Stacie. We look awesome.

And - THIS. You guys, this is MY CITY. This is where I call home. And it's absolutely beautiful. I love Kansas City.

Alright, enough standing around. It's time to go. We were only stopped for about 5 minutes before we took off again. Up north through North Kansas City and then back down through the River Market area (one of my favorite areas in all of Kansas City) and then right through the heart of downtown. Seeing the City Market and downtown KC area on a bike is the BEST way to experience the heart of the city. The scenery is just eclectic and awesome.

The hilly streets however? Those are boogers. We had a few tough climbs today. As I gain more time and experience on my bike though, these hills aren't the monsters that I believed them to once be. Don't get me wrong, they're still tough and challenging. But, it's all about anticipating your shift in gears and mentally preparing your mind to just get your ass in that saddle and prep your legs to do some pedaling. I smile now when I see the hills. Why? Because I know that I CAN and WILL overcome them and come out the other side for a pretty decent downward descent. I love those. The wind blowing through your helmet and jersey? One of the best feelings. The other love about the descent is how fast you can fly. Crouch your body down for aerodynamics and you feel like you can overtake anyone.

Know what else it means? Yep. I EARNED ANOTHER QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN (QoM) TODAY!

That giddy feeling that comes when my Strava app tells me that I'm Queen? That will NEVER get old. SUCK IT CYCLISTS! I'm a badass sometimes!

The last segment of our ride took us down Southwest Boulevard (home to some of the greatest places in the city to find TACOS!!!!) and Boulevard Brewery (one of my most favorite breweries ever). We went back up Pershing and finished back at the fountain at Union Station where we had started.

When we finished, we grabbed our swag bags for completion. (Stickers, pins, lube samples, lunch coupons, drink coupons, etc. ).

And these (for being a finisher):

My first pair of cycling socks - with the event on them. Love 'em!

And - DRINK COUPONS?!? Um - YES PLEASE! I earned this beer today (Boulevard Wheat - one of my favorites), for sure.

All in all - such a great ride today for so many reasons:

1 - I rode my Ridley around Kansas City - one of the best places to live and ride.
2 - The scenery was pretty and the weather was PERFECT!
3 - Coach Harper and I COMPLETED the race WITHOUT crashing! SQUEE!!! Success!!!
4 - I earned another QoM. BIG, huge excitement for me.
5 - I gained more experience on bike handling and riding within a group (or a peloton).

I also made a couple of new friends today. We met a couple who were riding in the ride today. The wife, Karrin, is my FIRST recruit for my women's cycling team.

Oh yeah - you read that right. This CrazeeCyclist is joining up on a team full of men - and we're going to have our first women's team!!! Working on sponsorship and details now - so hopefully, very soon, I will have some information on this! There aren't a lot of women riders - and even fewer who want to compete. But - I found one today! Oh so very excited about this!!!

A little bit more on the KC Century ride I discussed briefly earlier. My coach and my new friend, Stacie, are both on the board for this new ride. I'm not going to ride this ride - but volunteer my time to help ensure that it is a success in its first year. I very firmly believe in also giving of your time to those things that matter. And, being a new cyclist, I want to help make sure that this event gets off the ground and is a success so that it sticks around for many years to come. If you're a cyclist - you should consider signing up for this race. (Check out KC Century on Facebook - or @KCCentury on twitter for more information).

They have a new video they put out which is awesome. There are pictures of cyclists who display, on their bodies, why they ride. I got in on the pictures today. It means something different to each person. I love that part. The fact is - we all ride for some reason or another. Here are my pictures that Stacie took:

Selfishly, I like this picture because I'm starting to see the payoff of my cycling. My calves are finally starting to get some definition to them. Remember? My goal is to get sexy legs, among other goals of basic fitness, lifestyle change, etc. 

And not to forget, but here is the Strava link to my ride today and pics of the elevation levels and speed of my ride today:

https://www.strava.com/activities/59257246

I'm a happy girl, y'all. There's a bit of insanity to this whole thing and I absolutely love, love, LOVE the madness. 

I'm not taking a rest tomorrow either. It's Monday night - and that means the 12 mile SPIN! Pizza group ride. It's gonna be great!

HAPPY CYCLING!